The Washington herald., 1908-08-02
DANIELS A MARVEL
Champion Swimmer Holds
All Records for Sprints.
UNDEFEATED IN THREE YEARS
Human PfckeFeI" Has Not Lost "a
single Race since I0O5-Has Been
Olympic, American. English. and
Worlds Champion in ALP short
Distance Events for Five Years.

Crowned with his third successive OIym-
pic swimming championship. Charles N
Daniels. Of the New York A -. is now
admittedly the greatest exponent Of aq;at-
/ ics in the world to-day Every worlds
swimming record n the sprintlng events.
every championship. American. English.
and worlds, have fallen % this r1iE17,-
American swimmer in the past five years.
In the past three seasons Daniels has not
met defeat in any race. and even when he
vent out Of his class into the distance
events he remained d champion His title
OF the human pickereI- is well deserved
That Daniels would win the IeJ-neter
championship at the olympic games in
London recently was an almost assured
fact, and tew doubted that he would shat
Ter the record As he always does. he
swan true 10 form and gained the coveted
honor.
a consideration OF Daniels wonderful
record shows that he has not alone gained
personal honor and glory. but he has per
formed an immense service 10 his coun-
Try Five years ago American swimming
was the subject os laughter in Ensland.
France. Germany. and Hungary. where
this grand sport is developed 90 a hizh
degree This country had never figured
seriously in the disposition OF the worlds
honors- Now il is different. All are will
ing to don their caps to America. and Its
doughty hampion-DanieIs.
Learned Six Years Ago.
What Daniels has accomplished can. best
De appreciated when # IS known that this
great athlete could not swim stroke six
years ago and shortly before that time
was a sufferer from nervous trouble that
threatened 10 prevent him forever from
taking part in healthy rec-ea tion and real
ling his best development. Careful exer-
else. however, eradicated the latter fault.
but only practical father conquered the
other. Daniels. ST. was a member OF
the New York A c. and good swim
mer- Realizing the value Of a swimming
knowledge. he took HIS son one day to
this famous clubs pool and threw him
into the water The lad made an avk-
ward attempt 70 keep his head above
water. but with little success He was
repeatedly immersed. and the treatment
continued for weeks until he began 20
master the swimming strokes.
At first Daniels did not take 10 this
sport He had too many outside diver
siens. He was an all-arOUnd athlete. one
OF the best in the New York schools He
was a runner. jumper. pole vauIter. and
hurdler- His speciality. however. was rife
shooting At this sport he established a
record as a schooiboy that still stands in
that class He vas fond OF the woods
ana hunting and accompanied his father
on many trips 70 the great North woods.
The road 10 success as a swimmer did
not prove a short one Daniels had an
unusually hard time Of il Although he
competed frequently and persistentIy for |
several years, he did not win'a a race until |
December 2. 1913 A 109-yard handicap at |
The New York A. c. was captured by hins /
that evening. and the time. los. save Che |
opening glimpse Of that great speed that |
vas 20 be the marvel Of all people.
First American Record.
In February Daniels placed his first /
record to his credit. and his ca
-eer ever since has been Un uninterrupted i
succession Of brilliant victories and Of i
-ecord-breaking feats- In 1904 at the 4
olympic games in St Louis. he establish
ID his first worlds record. 2:4l-5 for 90 /
ards. and defeated the speedy ZoItan de
4almay. Of Hungary Encouraged by
MS victory, Daniels went abroad in 19C5
% meet the best EnElishmen in their
loIne waters He came home undefsated
December. 1895. he brought down the
iassic l0-yard worlds record from IS 2-5
econds 70 . 3-5 seconds and then in l
ne following March. in the slow pool Of
he Missouri A c. Of St Louis. he went
nat sensational 100 yards in IS seconds
nat made the aquatic fraternity stand
'reathless- Many foreigners refused TO !.
ccept this time as correct and even after
ur fair-haired champion had shown his
eels 10 Cecil Healy. Of Australia: ZoItan
e Halmay, Of Hungary. and J. H Derby
nire, Of England. the three greatest
printers Of the day. at the Olympic
ames Of 1906 ct Athens. they pretended
o doubt
AFTER MS Athens triumph. Daniels paid
1otner visit to England. took the 100
ard championship in easy style. estab-
sned new English record Of 81 % sec
nos Tor the distance, reduced the 129 and
y yards worlds figures 10 1:I2 and
- %. respectively. and again beat de-
lsively Healy. de HaImay. and Derby
nlre, and all comers- In February 1907.
2 negotiated one mile in 3 minutes 40 IS
econds. an unheard-of performance for
sprinter, and last summer. on Septern-