Imperial Valley press., 1927-01-15
HUNDRED
IN
MARATHON
Long Grind Expected to
Be Finished Tomorrow
Morning.
ROSS IS FAVORITE
Practically All Entries
Are CARRIED in Grease
Instead of Suits.
By GEORGE H. BEALE
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
ABOARD TUG PATRICK, Cata-
lima Channel, Jan. 15.-In sea
that was only slightly choppy and
. with fair skies prevailing overhead,
i03 aspirants to the $4,000 prize
money offered in the Wriglcy sea
Marathon, were on their way across
the % mile stretch of blue Pacific
this afternoon.
An hour after the take-off, the
| official time of which was an
nounccd as 11:24, all contestants
were swimming slowly. and it was
freely predicted that tb~ Hwim could
not end before early -iday morn.
ing.
Norman Ross, of Chicago, who il
favored by many as the probable
winner, was swimming among the
leaders with Il slow easy stroke.
Mrs Lottie Schoemmel of New
York, who announced before the
swim that she would not give up
until lifted from the water uncon-
scious, was also well up in front.
The most spectacular acquatit
event in history, got under way ac.
| companicd by tremendous ova-
tion, with whistles blowing and
sirens shrieking from the gaily be
deckcd boats of every description
that filled Avalon bay. Thousands
| OF persons checrcd from the beach
The much discussed question of
| proper attire for the swim was still
in the dark as far as spectators were
concerned. Only one swimmer en-
! tered the water without coat of
! grease, and it could not be deter
mined whether others were wearing
bathing suits, or grease alone.
The swimmers waded into the
water, at the crack of Il revolver i'll
the hands of Fred Cady, official
starter. AS they plunged into the
! surf most of them struck out slowly
J and it was evident that the grind
! would not be completed in less than
i ii hours.
There was great confusion over
the exact starting time and the Of
! ficial time was changed to 11:20
! Il. M, ON orders from the steamer
Avalon.
| Three Quit
BY Has the field had been cut
! down to exactly 100 contestants,
! Phillip Moore dropped out first at
J ll:43. At Has o clock, c. l.. Web
ster and Clarence Hause were taken
from the water.
! As the swimmers encountered the
| stronger tides of the open sea the
field started to spread out. They
were swimming in little groups and
several were left far to the rear of
| the leaders.
! Some of the natatOrs were show
| ing signs of distress in the chilly
! waters, the temperature of which
was announced as 80 degrees, before
! the start of the swim. 1t was ap-
| parent that many more would fol.
! low the first ones to give up.
Eugene Stoppey wore a heavy
suit of flannel underwear and re-
fused to remove it, The official
| starter refused TO let him participate
! officially, fearing his clothing might
drag him under. Stoppey took the
! law in his own hands, however, AMI
took off without an official Oh.
! server.
Charles 10th, of Lowell, Mass,
| famous for his endurance swims,
| started 20 minutes after the official
! take off. 10th preferred a clear
track and was overtaking the swim
mers one by one.
Jack Craig was the fourth swim.
mer to give up. He was taken from
the water exhausted after 35 mir
utes and George l.. Merton followed
five minutes later
Woman Gets Bumped
Reports received by wireless
aboard this tug from the steamer
Avalon, stated that the middle deck
took on the appearance of g hospi
tal ship, with exhausted contestants
stretched out on cots. Doctors and
Continued On Page SIX