The morning call., 1893-04-14
GREAT SWIMMING.
Close of the Olympic Club
Tournament.
Dana Thompson Lowers the American
Half-Mile Record - Polo and
Tug-of-War.

1t is seldom that an American record 10
either swimming or athletics Is broken by a
Californian.
Last evening a 16-year-old youngster. a
resident Of Alameda. knocked the American
record for half-mile swimming into smith
Greens.
The performance was done In the swim
ming tank of the Olympic Club in the pres
ence of large number of spectators by
Dana Thompson. who has been dubbed
The Professor" by his ehums.
Five watches were held on the lad, and
the slowest time was accepted by the COM
mttee that was appointed to see that the
contest was fairly accomplished.
The merlcan record for the distance Is
Is minutes 29b seconds. The worlds
record, which is Is minutes, is held by j.
INITIAL of London, England. The latter
won his hOBOrs in The Lambert Baths OF
London, which is 120 feet to the lap. Con-
sidering that the Olympic bath is only
eighty feet to the lap it will be readily seen
that young Thompson was considerably
handicapped by his English opponent.
Probably If Thompson was to try for a
worlds record IN the Lambert Baths the
English or rather worlds record would
meet with a reduction.
Thompson covered the distance last
evening in II min. 10 sec, being the
slnwest time recorded by the timers This
ret uCeS the AulriiCdu lCCVIl tnlils IL
sec. Professor Huntington, the swimming
instructor of the Olympic Club, held a split
second watch on Thompson and he made
the time in Il min. 101A sec.
Il was a great achievement for such a
young lad after having. previous to the
trial. engaged in two races, both OF which
he won easily.
The club will present him With hand
some medal for having lowered the Amer
can record.
Tho tnurnamaof wos hrouoht IN q vary
successful termination with the following
results:
Maiden race, JOG yards. for members
only. Coutestants-G. S. MeComb, George
Habernicht and II. S. Russ. Winner Hab-
ernicht, time minute 291A seconds; Nc
Comb second. by about two lengths.
-Four lengths. or JOG yards, open to all
amateurs. Starters-Dana Thompson, Paul
Treanton. N: Il. Gay, c. r. Melrose and G.
seconds; second Gay, by length and half.
Clothes race, two lengths, members only.
Starters: George Ecker: and e. X. Mar
riott Winner, Marriott; time, 100.
This was very amusing race and was well
Diving for objects. Starters: r C.
Leach, Elisha Cook, Paul Tustin and L.
ROsenbaum. Winner. Rosenbaum; second.
Tustin.
Twelve lengths race. or S18 yards. Start
ers: Paul j. TuStin. Dana Thompson and
NJ. Il. Gay. Winner. Thompson: time,
449 Second, Gay; time, 45S.
Neatest dive-StarteTs, J. NJ. Masten,
George S. McComb. Paul j. TustiD, A. Z.
Connor and II. j. Rogers. Winner, Connor.
Masten ana McComb a tie for second
place.
Polo contest-First team, Captain A. L.
Mengel, Elisha Cook, J. L. Waller. w. II.
Ashcroft. II. b. Graham. e. j. Lutgen.
Second team, Captain f. r. Cook, G. S.
McComb. G. Hahernicht, Il. Ward, W. b.
Wegener and Phil Fay.
Although the contest was somewhat q
one-sided affair it created considerable in
terest and is hound to become a popular
pastime with OlympIans. 1t was won by
Captain Cooks team, which scored three
straight goals.
Ward distinguished himself during the
contest by scoring fifteen yards under water
with the rubber ball held between the toes
OF bis right foot.
The tug of-war ended the evenings sport.
Captain BryanPs team won the victory,
having scored two goals in l minute aud IS
seconds and minutes and seconds, re-
spectiYely.
This last goal was stubbornly contes sted
and when the swimmers had finished several
of them almost tainted on the tug-of-war
stick.