New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-12
Showing in Exposition Water
Carnival Entities Him to
Crown-Cavill to Coach
Olympic Club Men.
BY L. de r. Bandley.

Perry McGillivray, of the Illinois
Athletic Club, Of Chicago, has been Sc
lected by critics of the Middle West as
Americas greatest swimmer Of tie
present day, and from the choice n
lively controversy has arisen.
McGillivray evidently is not ranked
SO highly out of his own district as in
it. There are experts and would-be
experts who variously claim suprsma'.y
for his teammatc, Harry Heb
ner; Bud Goodwin and Herbert Voll-
mer, Of the New York Athletic Club;
Duke Kahanamoku, of Honolulu. and
Ludy LANCER, of the Los Angeles Ath-
letic Club. We are asked to express an
opinion. II is given unhesitatingly in
favor of LANCER.
All-around ability is the only inca IS
of comparison between swimmers not
specializing,at the same distances. The
man able to win the majority of races
in test including all the regulation
events SO, 100, 900. 440 and $50 yards,
one mile and ten miles-would seem
entitled to the crown.
At the exposition water carnival last
July LANCER defeated all rivals in rec
ord time at the quarter, half and mile.
He has since proved ability to cover
longer distances faster than any Ameri
can, with the possible exception of
Goodwin. On actual performances
therefore, he may be conceded four of
the seven events against the others and
xix against Goodwin. The conclusion is
obvious.
Fred Cavill, a member of the famous
family Of Australian swimmers whi,h
has produced half dozen world cham
pions, has been retained 10 coach the
team OF the Olympic Club. OF San
Francisco. This will give him the
handling OF LANCER, Cunha. Small
Smith, Pomeroy. Resleure and several
other Pacific Coast stars.
Out of the unfortunate Nsntasket-to-
Provincetown Marathon swim. over
which Boston watermen are still hav-
ing warm arguments. has come chal-
lenge from Charles 10th to Henry ST.
livan.
10th and those who accompanied him,
including Gus Wise, president of the
l. Street Club, seem very skeptical OF
the performance credited 10 Sullivan,
and claim that he should be willing 10
meet any rival in order TO prove his
superiority.
There are no strings on Toth's chal-
lenge. however. He has sent an open
letter 10 the newspapers stating that
ne would gladly compete against Sulli-
van At any distance and wherever the
latter pleases, provided it is in salt
water.
The New York Athletic Club will
hold its last water carnival OF the out
door season on next Saturday at Trav-
ers Island. The programme is made up
of swimming and diving contests and
practically every waterman OF note In
the district will take part.
The annual fve-mile Marathon SWIM
for women, TO be decided over the usual
Rockaway Point-Biighton Bea \
course, is attracting good deal n
attention.
Local mermaids have improved so much
since last year, and so many new stars
have been developed, that even the best
informed authorities are guessing at
the outcome. Miss Martha flagstaff,
of the National Women's Lifesaving
League, winner OF the event in 1914
will be on hand TO defend her laurels
but il may be doubted if she can defeat
some of the girls who will oppose her
Her teammates, the Misses Lucy Free
man, Dora Hyatt, Helen Peitler, Edna