New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-26
Record Smashing Year
for American Swimmers
By l. DE B. HANDLEY.


during the year passing into history
with the setting Of nine worlds rec
ord.. marks il beyond question as the
most progressive sport fostsred In this
country.
Not only did American men smash
practically all the national and most OF
the international records, thereby at
tanning world leadership, but women
stimulated BY the official recognition OF
the Amateur Athletic Union. entered
the competitive field with enthusiasm
and placed to their credit performances
which, at the recent rate OF improve
mens should In the near future give
them supremacy over foreign rivals.
Among the years leading features
may be clsssed the sensational sprint
ing Of Duke Kshsnamoku, OF honolulu
the middle distance swimming OF Ludy
LANCER, Of the Los Angelss Athletic
Club; the back stroke performances OF
Harry Hebuer, Of the Illinois Athletic
Club; the tremendous increase OF con-
testants In the scholastic and college
ranks, the appearance Of new candi-
date for international honors in Her
bert Vollmer, Of Columbia and tho New
York Athletic Clubs the general I'M
provement among exponents Of aquatic
endurance and the successful efforts OF
the National Collegiate Athletic Asso-
citation TO standardize varsity water
sports throughout the United States
Duke Kahanamoku displayed startling
speed over short courses In open Wa
ter he shattered three worlds records,
covering so yards In 20 seconds, 100
Yards in SO 1-6 seconds and 200 yards
in 2 minutes 90 seconds. In a 76-yard
bath he broke two moro, crawling 100
wards IN 81 rs seconds and 22o yards IN
. minutes 20 30 seconds.
LANCER took up the iconoclsstic work
where the Hawaiian dropped It de
established international standards OF
: minutes 821-5 seconds for AS yards
in open water, across tide, llO-yard
course. and Of 8 minutes 13-4-o seconds
for 500 yards. in q 75-ysrd pools then
he lowered the national sso-ysrd and
one.mils marks 70 IL minutes 8 seconds
and "a minutes 1925 seconds, respso-
lively, over a 1i0-yard course, across
tide.
Hebner once more clipped the worlds
time for swimming $50 yards on the
back, placing IL at minute 1885 SEQ
onds for a 75-yard bath. He also bet
tered twelve American free-style rec
ords. but most Of them at intermediate,
unlisted distances. His 100 yards in
minutes So Is seconds and $50 yards In
ii minutes l4l-5 seconds, 20-yard pool,
are the exception.
Other contributors 70 the free style
table Of standards were the following
Arthur Raithel, Illinois Athletic Club,
40 Yards in I8 40 seconds, 2O-yard
bath; Perry McGillivrsy, Illinois Ath-
letic Club, ESQ yards in 2 minutes 30 10
seconds and 800 yards In 8 minutes
26l-5 seconds, 20-yard bath, and Her
bert Vollmer, New York Athletic Club,
1000 yards In 10 minutes 90 30 sec
onds, 8O-yard bath.
In relay racing six worlds records
were wiped out. Raithel, Mott, Hs6nsr
and McGillivray, Of the Illinois Athletic
Club, swan 200 yards, fifty yards each,
In l minute ~ rs seconds, and with
Yosburgh replacing Mott went 400
yards, l00-yard relays, In minutes
1885 seconds Vollmer, Ramms, Ne
rich, O'Sulliven and Bennett OF tho
New York Athletic Club, travelled
Atty yard, apiece In the total time Of
2 minutes 10 2-5 seconds. and Reilly
then completed 800 yards In 2 minutes
.87i-5 seconds, setting another stand
ard. Vollmer, Nerich, O'Sullivan,
Ramme and Wheatley also lowered the
5O0-yard figures 70 minutes % 80 sec
onds. Finally eighteen OF the Mercury
Foot sprinters negotiated one mile
(seventeen swimming 100 yards apiece,
the eighteenth sixty ysrds) in Is min
utes 10 rs seconds, slicing about half
minute of the old mark.
Sterling work was done BY the long
distance swimmers. Bud Goodwin, OF
the New York Athletic Club, won the
Exposition three mile championship In
hour AZ minutes S3 2-6 seconds, the
fastest performance ever chronicled at
the distance In open water. Charles
Durborow, Of Philadelphia, swan across
the Virginia Capes. under most trying
conditions, in 10 hours 81 seconds, and