Evening star., 1926-08-21

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Few of the grounds have reported
badge winners this week. OWNS to the
continued rain which has made it
impossible for the girls to complete
their requirements. but. with promise
Of sunshiny days in the near future.
many youthful sportswomen are pre-
pairing to take the tests for their
bronze. silver and gold test buttons
during the coming week.
Before the failing weather" began
It's prolonged descent which was t"
delight the farmers hearts and make
of Washington a fine place for ducks.
two tennis tournaments on the col
ored Fairgrounds had reached their
final stages.
On the Logan court, Dorothy
Thomas. present title holder, and
Manzelle Lee have battled their way
into the title round and are sched
uled to meet Monday afternoon for the
championship.
Semi-tinalS are to he staged Mon.
day afternoon at Willow Tree, pro-
Nided the courts are in condition for
play. Louise Butler will oppose Mao
mi Brown in the upper half and Gladys
SisSell will face Marie Lewis In the
lower bracket. The winners will
meet for the title later in the week.
The ground champions Of each
event will represent their play center
in the annual colored city champion
ship to be staged in September.
The foreign critics who challenged
the Authenticity" Of Gertrude
Fderles feat in swimming the English
channel in less than l. hours, on the
grounds that she was sheltered by a
tug and that her speed was incredible
when compared TO the hest speed of
man swimmers in the past. have over
looked two things. First. Miss Ederle
was acCompan anied by no more proteC
ton than every other swimmer who
has essayed the Channel swim. A
tug has followed in the wake of each
man who has accomplished the swim
in the past. In addition. most Of
them have been preceded by a row
boat as an additional safety precau-
ton. The second thing Miss f.derle's
critics forget is the fact that the
American girl is record swimmer,
In speed as we'll as in endurance-the
former q. qualification which other
channel swimmers have lacked. They
were record long distance performers,
but few of them held any great rec
oi'dS for speed. Doubtless Miss Ederle
could nave beaten any or them IN a
speed race without extending herself.
She is one of those rare individuals
who combines endurance with speed
in her marvellous physical makeup
Usually, on track as we'll as in the
water. the distance stars are not
those who hold records for speed.
They are not trained for speed. he
yond a certain limit. But in Miss
Ederle, America has unique combi-
nation-Queer of speed and queen of
distance. one has only to look at her
impressive list Of national swimming
records To verify this.
AS for the protection afforded by
the tug. which is said to have broken
the force Of the waves for the mer-
maid. in the opinion Of many. the
proximity OF the tug was hindrance
rather than a help. Surely, they say.
one small tug could not make much
impression upon the fury OF the
trea cherous Channel waves. The tug
was necessary in order to safeguard
the swimmers life In case OF sud
den cramp or exhaustion. seconds
would count in effectinE q rescue. The
ing was not sent along 10 protect her
from tide and current. but to be on
hand in case of emergency, and to
provide her with food during the 80
mile marathon.