The sun., 1910-02-06
EAGER TO FENCE IN AMERICA
FRITZ FLESCH, A CHAMPION,
HERE TO AWAIT A CHALLENGE.

so one Has Appeared for Combet and re
Threatens 90 Try Paris Soon He's
an Amateur, bot He'd ne WILLING q
Meet . Observation-Disclosures Too
There Ia man at the Waldorf -AStoris
rho is just itching for a fight He has
teen there for a week with the same
mind. but 40 yet nobody has knocked the
chip on his shoulder. And he wantA
somebody 70 tackle him with sword too
He is Fritz Flesch. the champion fenceE
of Austria and Hungary. Fencing. how
ever, is not his profession. He ls q
sculptor. Fencing is q aide line. He il
wealthy, but art and leisure sometimes
Isll, and when they do MIR. Fiesoh gete
out his trusty sword aud tackles the
chaps in Vienna who think they can
fence and shows them they cannot.
according TO the volume OF clippings In
German which he brought with him. or
else he runs down to Italy or up 70
Berlin or makes a sudden sally over to
Paris and picks up q medal or two.
He is a mild hammered and soft spoken
man. is Mr. Flesch. Tall and broad
shouldered he is smooth shaven, and
his black hair tinged with gray has begun
10 ItlONc DdCh n hkttO AhOhi uAc tcllptc1t
though he is only 90 years old. He
brought with him some letters OF in
PRODUCTION. but so far he has not found
anybody to challenge.
Il have just come over for a little
pleasure trip said Mr.. Flesch yesterday.
-hut | am anxious TO challenge some
fencer in America. 1 am an amateur.
but do not object 70 meeting a profes
sional. fight only for honor. do not
want purse. What l would like would
he Just q match between gentlemen. i
am not out to make money. i have an
income Of my own. and fence as play
tennis. just for the sport Of the thing.
Il used to be a Lieutenant Of chasseurs
m the Austrian army. 1 studied fencing
in Italy under Quast and In Vienna
under the Cavalier Barbazetu. AZ the
Ming Edward. and ] have won medals
at Journeys in Ostend, Paris. Germany
and in Italy. In Vienna l have always
won the amateur championship. and In
stIp. / have been fencing for twenty
years. and I fence only with swords. ]
can fence with rapters too. but 1 prefer
swords r
at the University OF Vienna and at Heidel-
berg. Then went 70 work for time In
thAMinistry Of Justice. becoming an under
secretary. But got out OF this TO devote
myself TO sculpture.
did you ever fight duelP"
Only once, and that was et Heidei-
berg. My adversary got Oh with
punctured arm. Duels are not serious
in Germany.
Yes, fencing with swords 10 dangerous.
but ones face is masked, and there IL no
risk so far an that Ia concerned. Sword
fenoiRg is more difficult than rapier work,
and mora interesting. because you fight
with real weapons. In rapier fencing
YOU try to touch the chest Of your adver-
touch any part OF his body. The worst
that happens usually Is that one loses
little blood.
sThe hardest match ever had was last
September at Wiesbaden, when my
opponent vas q Japanese, DR.. Sasaka.
Sasaka had learned the Japanese style
Of fencing witls big two handed stick,
fencing in the European style. He had
quick eye and skill. and he was soon an
dept. When we met he was % rapid In
his movements and 30 impetuous that he
almost got me. IL was hard contest.
but I won by three points to two. There
were 100 fencers at that meeting. but
beat them an,' and Mr.. Flesoh showed
to substantiate his statements.
Il Just thought would come over here
on chance Of there being somebody who
would like to try q bout. i have been
waiting for q week. but have received no
challenge. shall wait for while longer
and then II I cannot find anybody to chal-
lenge I shall 90 to Paris. This Is my first
phasize that am not seeking money. I
have just como over a. q sportsman. and l
would really like to measure swords with
somebody over here