The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-13
Tn the Wpr|d Of Sports.
M'NALLY'S GREAT FEAT.
Bos.on's Famous Life Saver TO Swim the
English Chanuel...Twenty.six
Nautical Miles.

Peter S. McNally, the Boston cham
pion long g-distance swimmer and life
saver, will sail for England in May
and after several weeks of hard train
ing he will attempt to swim across the
English channel from Dover to Calais,
a distance of twenty-one nautical miles,
or twenty-six statute miles. This swim
has been accomplished by only two
persons, the late Captain Webb, who
lost his life in a foolhardy attempt to
swim the Niagara rapids, and Captain
Paul Boynton, who crossed in an inflated
rubber suit. Hundreds of expert swim
mers have unsuccessfully tried to make
passage across the channel waters, but
this fact does not seem to be at all
discouraging to McNally. He is conf
dent that ne can accomplish the trip,
and those of his friends who are ac-
quainted with his abilities as a swim
mer are equally confident that he will
be successful
McNally was born in Boston 80 years
ago. He has been an expert swimmer
since early childhood, and when only
years of age made a rescue from
drowning. He continued his good work
| until today he has a record of more
| than GO resCues for which he has re-
| ceived the highest hOnors from the
| Massachusetts Humane society, inClud-
| ing the societys gold medal, and last
| year he was signally honored by the
| national government, congress award
| ing him a medal for exceptional acts of
| bravery His career as life saver has
| been remarkable, but not more so
| than his career as a long-distanCe
| swimmer. His powers of endurance in
| the water appear to be almost limitless,
while the conditions, whether favor
| able of unfavorable seem to be of no
| Importance whatever to this hardy ma
| tator. Last year, for example, he made
| the trip from Haverhill to Newbury-
| port, a distance of Is nautical miles,
on July 2, in hours and 35 minutes,
and on August 19 swan from New
port to Narragansett Pier, 13 miles in
the open sea, in hours and 81 minutes.
Captain Paul Boynton failed while at
tempting this course after covering
four miles, and two New England mil
lionaire sportsmen, who were matched
to swim it about the same time Nc
Naly did, abandoned it on account of
the many dangers to be encountered.
In the channel trip McNally realizes
|
| on his hands. He knows that he has
much to suffer: that he must over
come the most painful cramps of every
variety; that he will have to withstand
heavy, aggravatiing seas, severe at
tacks of nausea, splitting headaches;
will be obliged to suffer cold fatigue,
monotony of the most depressing kind
and also great pain to those most SEN
sitive organs the eyes. 1t is possible
that he will become temporarily blind
and will have to swim in darkness
even in the daylight he may remain
blind for a long number of hOurs-for
the effect of the salt seas striking the
eyes continually is painful and almost
uncomfortable. He has experienced al
these things before and knows how tC
combat them. Ability to endure great
physical pain is the chief secret OF
ng-distance swimming, but of course
one must know how to utilize ones
| strength to the best advantage. Nc
| Nally is a powerful swimmer has 6
splendid physique, lots of ambition anC
| possesses all the other qualities neces.
sary to bring about a successful result
to this great trial of strength and skill