Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-13
WAR GOD TAKES
away TWOBOYS
FROM HONOLULU
Cunha and Walter Grace Have
Made Great Record in
Aquatics, Says BaiIy

HHdoiOog SoyS S"J
Robin Baily, writing in the San
Francisco Bulletin has the follwing to
say about the two Hawaii boys who
have been called to American Lake
for training:
The war god has snatched two
more champions from the culver OF
sport.
Next week George Cunha and Wal
ter Grace, among the sw1ftest OF
sprint swimmers, depart for American
Lake to join the national army
George Cunha is one of the most
picturesque figures in athletics to-day.
Swimming has never lacked iascinat,
ing personalities. The very nature OF
the sport, entailing as it does bat
tie with the elements as we'll "a with
strongly marked Municipalities Of
their own. Long ago there were fell
lows like old Capt Webb, who dehed
the treacherous tides of the English
channel.
To-day VIC have our veterans like
Bud Goodwin OF the New York Ath-
letic Club, who continues To beat the
youngsters for % years on erd in the
long distance swin.s IN thai appropria-
tely named reach of water, Hell Gate;
Duke Kahanamoku, the du3ky nature
man, who went to the Olympic games
and left all the scientific sH miners
of the assembled nations bcaind. and
the genial yisn'. Norman Ross, who
tears the water out Of the tanks by
mere strength and Is as prodigious
performer at Q dinner table as in
q swimming suit. .-.. .... r.
Cunha, who will say 'gcod-by' to
the fans at Neptune beach in the La
Dor Day meet on Monday, takes rank
with these champions of all time.
'tEs was unlucky enough to be horn
on the same island and in the same
decade as Duke Kahanamoku. In
any other place at any other time he.
would have been first In every race.
As it was, Cunha, after 1912, when
he first acquired the crawl stroke
from his brother, Lawrence, kept close
on the heels of the Duke every time
they swan. Kahanamoku had to shat
ter each statistic in the record book
to win. Cunha pushed him all the
way but the Duke, shaggy of head,
mighty muscled, 1.-the limbed, daunts'
less, was the one man who could
win, and he did. H.. 20.
When someone writes the history
Of swimming and gives more than the
figures, which are eloquent enough in
their way, the story will be told in
detail Of the desperate duels of these
two Pacific island sharks.
with but fraction of the physical
strength Of his rival, Cunha possesses
such perfection of style that he swims
only an inch or two slower in short
distances. -: -t... .r.
HE has achieved the following
time for the sprints: % yards, time
10 2-5 seconds, worlds record; so
yards, Cunha's time % as seconds;
worlds record by the Duke; 100 yards
Cunha's time So 3-5 seconds, worlds
record "a Is, by the Duke; 220 yards,
Cunha's time 2 minutes 29 seconds,
record held jointly with the Duke;
500 yards, Cunha's unofficial time in
practise is 5 minutes 81 seconds. Hat.
field of England holds worlds record,
5 minutes 2 seconds. .
"Cunha visited Aurtralia In company
with Kahanamoku and they beat all
the famous swimmers Of the island
continent. Il was during this tour
that the Duke first lowered the time
for the 100 to 81 At various times
and places Cunha has defeated Ludy
LANCER, Norman Ross, Arthur Raithel
and the great Duke himself.
The great crowd that is certain to
gather at Neptune beach on Labor
day will probably be attending the
shutdown of a wonderful swimming
career. ~. ...-'
Walter Grace, like Cunha, saw the
light of day first in Honolulu. He is
q sprint swimmer of first rank. At
Honolulu in 1914 he defeated the
Duke in the so yards, covering the
distance in "a 2-5. At the opening
Of the San Rafael baths Grace left
Norman Ross over so yards behind,
the time in this case being 25 Is.
This year he won the Pacific coast
for 80 yards at Sacra-
mento, and was first at the same dis |
lance at San Diego. His best time
Tor the so, which is his favorite dis
lance, is "a 2-5.
"Cunha and Grace take their mill
AIRY service philosophically. I hope
go to Russia is Cunha's observa-
ion. might make new time in some
If those lakes and rivers, providing
t is not winter - H..
and feints, a sudden advance and the |
young opponent is frequently reduced |
70 an almost unbelievable extremity |