New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-29
NEW YORK TOWN
THREATENED BY
HOCKEY REVIVAL
Many Ice Kinks Promise
Big Impetus to Sport
i'm Manhattan
BY FRED HAWTHORNE

IL looks as though New York was
going to be pretty much "on ice this
winter; that is, if you believe in signs,
statistics and such-like. We drew at
tention to the fact last week that two
new ice Kinks had opened in Msnhat-
tan and were daily thronged by devo-
tees of the steel blades. Since then
still another rink has sprung into ex-
istence IN Brooklyn. with larger ice
space than any Of those on this side
Of the bridge
Men do not go TO the expense OF
building and equipping ice skating
Kinks unless they are practically GER
tain there is a demand for them. II
was predicted last year that New YORK
was about 10 experience skating
craze such as il had never known be
fore and the prophets have apparently
spoken truly.
Two Women's Teams
Not alone will the annual league
hockey games at the st. Nicholas RINK
be an attraction for the public, hut all
the variations of the sport on ice Will
be offered TO those who have lsing
for skating. For the first time IN this
city there are two regular, honest-to-
goodness hockey teams composed en-
tirely Of women, and they are gong
TO play regularly at the Sixty-slxth
Street rink.
These young women are all experts
on skates and can handle a hickey
stick with a skill second only to a
team of seven HOBBY Bakers. Mrs.
Tom Howard, wife of the well known
hockey player and coach, is the captain
Of one of the teams, and Mrs. Louise
Boldt. who used 10 march for suffrage
in hikes across the country, but now
finds it pleasanter to glide along on
skates, is one of the forwards. Miss
Twombley, another of the feminine
Hobeys, is regarded as one of the SEN
satiOns of the season already.
The crowds that have been skating
at the st. Nicholas Rink for the last
week or ten days, particularly ut the
morning sessions, have been amazed By
the ease and grace with which two men
and a young woman have been cut
ting intricate figures on the ice and
Waiting in perfect time to the orches
tra's music.
Crowd FOrgets to Skate
Within five minutes after these three
appear on the ice the crowd forms
circle and everybody else forgets TO
skate while watching these masters OF
the blades. The trio are Ulrich Sal
chow, amateur champion figure skater
of the world; Bror Meyer and Mrs,
Bergfelt, professional champions, all
from Sweden. There is no twist or
turn on the ice that is too difficult for
the foreigners, yet every movement is
executed with exceeding ease and
smoothness. After watching Mrs.
Bergfelt and Mr.. Meyer glide through
a waltz at the rink the ordinary dane
ing on q ballroom floor seems dull and
/ lifeless by comparison, even though II
were the Castles themselves perform
ing.
teur champion speed skater OF the
world, from Christiania, Norway, who
arrived in this city from abroad few
/ DAYS ago and is working out in prac-
/ tce at the local rink. Mr.. Mathlesen
holds worlds records at 500, 1000,
! ] 800, 5000 and 10000 metres, and is
going TO turn professional and meet
/ the best Of the American professionals
on the St. Nicholas ice surface.
Mr.. Mathiesen has $50 championship
medals and four hundred cups and tro-
phies and cannot speak word OF Eng
/ lish-but he can skate.
Yes, everything is on edge just now.
skating edge, and if you wish to
I keep up with the crowds you've got TO
wabble out on the steel runners, too.