The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-12
DANA THOMPSON.
The Worlds Champion Swimmer VIII
Exhibit Here.
He VIII Display His Marvellous Powers
at the Swimming Baths Next
Friday Evening.

Everybody has read or heard of Dana
Thompson, the Alameda boy who recently
eclipsed the worlds half mile swimming
record, and there has been general de-
sire expressed to see the juvenile aquatic
wonder.
Director york of the Sacramento
Swimming Baths Association has sue
ceeded in making arrangements for
young Thompson's appearance in this
city on Friday evening next, when he
Will give an exhibition at the baths, at
Iwenty-tirst and 0 streets, and will also
go against some of the local swimmers.
lie will represent the Olympic Club Of
San Francisco in the quarter-mile and
the 100 and 200-yard races here on that
night.
THE AQUATIC "PHENoI."
\ San Francisco reporter who was de-
tailed to attend the race in which young
Thompson broke the worlds record, saws
that when Thompson swims there is never
moment when his body is not being
i'm PEELED through the water. The power
IS constantly being eXerted, as it is when
locomotive is driven by the alternating
wind.
Thompson has his own slight peculiar
ltles OF style, but his style is that of nearly
all professional swimmers. In using the
English overland stroke the swimmer
lies III the water on one side. Many swim
mers lie on the left side, but Thompson's
right side is the one he buries in the
water
lie makes three principal movements,
which are consecutive and which are
separated by no appreciable time in which
the body IS abandoned to the resistance
OF the water. These movements are
KICK with both legs. long, downward
sweep OF the right arm, and then sweep
with the left arm parallel to the surface of
the water and through a plane at right
angles to that OF the sweep OF the right
arm.
THOMPSON S KICK IS A BEAUTY.
Seen from above, his powerful little
legs open wide like a pair of shears,
though being somewhat bent at the knees.
As he is lying on his side his legs do not
open at all III straddling fashion, but
rather take the position they would in
long stride, except that they bend at the
knees. When his legs come together
with quick, vigorous thrust they are
IN the position relative to his body they
would be in if he We're standing erect.
Ihey always move in a plane parallel to
tlG SGi 4dCG Ol INC wafer.
When his kick is finished his right
arm, below him, which has been ex-
tended straight ahead, has Just begun a
long downward sweep, which continues,
without the arm bending, until it is fiat
against his side. When this movement is
about finished the movement with the
left arm begins. 1t has been extended in
'front.' OF hlm, his hand bending, palm out
ward, IN 'front.' of his head, and while his
legs are being drawn preparatory to the
next kick the left arm makes a sweep
just under the surface of the water and
parallel TO its surface. These three move
ments are made in perfect time and are
distinct from each other, though they
seem so interviewer that studying them
Is little like trying to catch the forms of
waves.
A MODEL SWIMMER.
Thompson is "clean" swimmer-that
Is, he splashes the water but little. His
feet never reach the surface, His left
shoulder Is the only portion Of his body
that is kept out OF the water tip of it
IS always in view, and little more of it
Is seen when he is reaching forward with
that upper left arm, lifting it barely out of
the water without raising it, so that its
unsupported weight would tend to sink
him. That lett-hand arm is always near
tho surface, flashing into view and sweep
ing just under the surface much like a
Sculier'S oar.
Another feature of his swimming is his
ducking his head under water each time
he finishes that left-arm sweep and Keen
ing it there until he hobs it up when he
lifts his left arm and reaches forward
with IT, That is when he breathes. You
see the side Of his head a moment and
you see him with open mouth catching
deep breath, and then in an instant he
ducks his head, reaching further forward
iu, 1g.gt
kick as he plunges forward. Then his
"rolP' comes in.
Thompson rolls just a little, not as
much as most swimmers who use that
style. As he makes his forward plunge
DE turns slightly toward his back, and
when that leit-arm sweep comes again he
rolls little the other way.
THE POETRY OF MOTION.
That is a sort Of analysis of the style of
swimming n y-b No