Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-06
KNOCKS AMERICAN SWIMMERS
Australian Says Strokes Used Here
Are Inefficient.
HIS AUTHORITY IS QUESTIONED
Much Discussion OF "Crawls" and
"Kicks" Leaves Athletes Of same
r. Opinion stiII-EKperience
Of visitor slight.


NEW YORK. March 5.-The wholesale
criticism OF American swimming strokes
and methods by Richard Gavin. former
champion OF Australia and now Instructor
at the Illinois Athletic club Of Chicago
has aroused coaches throughout the coun-
try and brought to light some interesting
facts concerning the development OF the
crawl since It's introduction here seven
years ago. And discussion on the relative
merits OF the Australian and American
varieties OF this stroke must OF course
prove an idle one, both because there Is
no defluite type in either country, and De-
cause widely differing conditions make m
possible fair comparison And 1t may be
added that CavilI cannot be counted com
petent Judge Of the question owing to his
having studied American methods only IN
the middle west Considering that New
York holds the championships at all dis
tances IN straight swimming, his Views are
not at all conclusive
After reading some OF the replies to the
Australians comments, one is apt 10 Won
der what constitutes the true American
crawl, There appear TO be conflicting opin-
ions on the subject, and certainly the de-
scriptions given by sullivan, Meffert, Mack
emile. Klstler wahis, Cady and some other
Of our leading authorities differ greatly.
How Does He NnOwi
One thing stands irrefutably, however,
Cavil bases his criticism on our supposed
use OF a straight arm stroke, and yet
every one Of the coaches above mentioned
teaches his pupils 70 catch with elbow
raised. which makes a straight arm drive
impossible II some insist the arms be-
ing brought down at right angles to the
body. II is because they know that this is
the best way TO prevent the beginner from
getting an exaggerated inward hook that
minimlzes the effectiveness OF the drive.
II is made evident by the published argu-
ments that in the last few years students
Of swimming have given particular attsn-
tion to the obtaining Of a set of movements
that would insure the propelling forward
OF the body from start TO finish OF the arm
drive. In the old style stroke. when the
hand was carried in to the chest and then
out. there was considerable loss Of power
and later when the trudgeon came into
existence and straight arm was preached
both the early part and the finish OF the
stroke were useless, because the pressure
was applied downward at first and upward
at last To obviate this the raised elbow
catch was introduced, and Il gave imme
date results because 1t enabled the swim
mer to begin to draw his body forward
the minute the hand dug into the sim un
satisfactory, though. and it Is only quite re
Gently that coaches seem to have hit OF
the way to draw benefit from It. In fact
few seem 10 know of the discovery ever
now.
Hold Elbows High.
In the new method the hands plunge int
the water with force on either side Of IN
head and above H. The elbows are hell
high and the wrists bent slightly downward
As the arm sweeps down in this position
the shoulder is made to do most Of tn
work until the hand reaches the heigh
OF the chest, when the upper arms slack
en- speed (the elbow is stl high and tn
forearm comes strongly into play. pressing
backward hard until It reaches the thigh
when It is lifted out OF the water and car
rled forward for another stroke. As cal
be seen. this action entails no loss o
power or cessation OF forward propulso
at any part Of the drive.
CuriouEy Cavill makes no mention Of thi
stroke. He claims that the arm should b
carried down along the center Of the bod
and close to 1t, but any one with eve
slight knowledge OF applied mechanic
will understand why such a method is in
terior to the other. as the leverage Is a
no time as good,
or the les drive very little was said /
the recent controversy, but Coach Rich
ards Of Yale expressed the opinion tina
an improvement in the present thrash wa
being tried out at New Haven and anothe
step forward was anticipated through {
He has been studying the "swordflsh kick
Of Instructor Sundstrom OF the New Yor
Athletic club, and he believes that 1t ha
wonderful speed in H. This kick greatly r,
semhles the crawl thrash, but instead
the legs moving simply Up and down the
perform a rotary motion very like The ii
tion Of a bicyclist In pedaling fast Gre,
difficulty has been experienced in teachir
these complicated movements and result
have not proved very satisfactory, bl
there is no doubt that SUndstrom can 4
the aid Of his kick only so almost as IA
as the average swimmer can using arm
and legs, so Richards contention Is NJ
unwarrRnted,
BIG LOCAL SHOOT HELD