Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-10-07
sy LOUIS DE B. HANDLEY.

tie paStime and sport OF Amer.
lean swimmers of both XeS
Some look upon it as an agreeable
form of recreation to be INDUCED in
for the mere pleasure it affords; others
consider it an enjoyable means of
physical development, to be taken up
for exercise and health; others again
sec in it laurels to be gained by testing
their speed and endurance against
worthy rivals. But for one reason or
other it appeals strongly to all who
have acquired aquatic proficiency.
We had evidence a-plenty last season
of the hold it has taken on u COM
peting swimmers, for large fields We're
the rule in all important Marathon con-
tests. For instance, thirty-four men
and youths bid for honors in the Cruel
ing twenty-five mile ace of the New
York Tribune, the longest ever held in
this country; more than fifty started
in the national ten mile championship
Of the Amateur Athletic union, run off
in the Mississippi river by the Missouri
Athletic union of st. Louis. One hun
dred and one took part in an event at
the same distance featured in Kansas
City.
And almost as great activity was
witnessed among noncompetitors. Men
and women in every section of the
United States were daily undertaking
to cover long courses for the sole pur-
pose of the personal satisfaction in
| volveu, and many exceptionally good
performances Went to their credit.
Notwithstanding this widespread pop
ularity, there appears to be some doubt
eve in the minds of deyotces OF the
| sport, as to the best stroke. or strokes,
to use in water journeys of several
hours, and now ana then one reads of
instructors and prominent swimmers
who still advocate old fashioned styles,
such us the breast and side strokes.
Yet it is hard to understand, in the
light of past developments, how any
II can fail to see the advantages to
be derived from the adoption OF mod
crn methods.
None will question the fact that the
up to date strokcs-thc trudgeon, crawl
and trudgeon-crawl-yield more speed
at the so called classic distances Gin
America from fifty yards to ten miles,
for they have furnished all the OBJ
tanning worlds records. Consequently
the only objection which can possibly
be raised against them is that they are
too firing for unusually long trips. But
even such an objection is totally IN
warranted.
1t should be remembered hat any
stroke, to permit record breaking per
formances, must enable its opponents
to obtain from their natural resources
more efficiency, i'll both speed and en-
durance, than they could secure from
its predecessors. 1t would thus be H.
logical to suppose that strokes which
have proved their worth in all round
competition are beyond the ken of any
one.
But there is no need to theorize. One
might cite dozens of cases in which
women and young girls have held the
latest strokes for several hours. and
Charles Durborow of PHILADELPHIA
swan the trudgeon continuously for
II u 10 minutes when he establish
ed the American RECORD of nineteen
and threc-quarter miles over Il charted
course. across tide.
1t is believed by Il number of author
tiles on the subject that the plain
crawl, with its narrow, alternate thrash
Of the legs, is not as effective as the
trudgeon for distance swimming in
rough water, and it must be admitted
that craWlerS have so far found it i'm
possible to maintain an action rapid
and strong enough to drive them
through heavy seas without being bad
ly checked. 1t may be, however, that
the youngsters now under way of de-
velOpment will overcome the difficulty
as they grow to maturity. Years of
practice are necessary to accustom the
human muscles to new movements,
and the crawl is of comparatively re-
cent origin, so that today's adults have
hardly had sufficient time to fit them
selves thoroughly for endurance work.
The rising generation instead has been
trained to the wanted movements al
most from infancy and may fare bet
ter. But this remains to be seen.
1t is probable, all told, that the latest
stroke, the trudgeon-crawl, will even.
tually establish its supremacy. The
greater propelling force Of the scissor
kick is obvious, and the speed obtained
from it can be maintained at very
small extra expenditure Of power by a
gentle futter Of the feet between kicks,
so that it bids fair to supersede both
the mother strokes.
In training for distance swimming
it Is essential to first eradicate all
faults Of stroke and then to practice
the correct movements until they can
be performed mechanically.
Few of our endurance swimmers pay
sufficient attention to form. 1t seems
to be the prevalent idea that strength
and stamtna Orn tho cole raOneuStoa ~