Imperial Valley press., 1935-02-06
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SARASOTA, Fla, Feb. 6.-Amer-
ica'S dominance in marathon swim
ming, endurance floating and es-
Gaping from a rocking-chair- under
water-while-b bound d-hand-and- foot is
doomed unless there is a surpris-
ing awakening of interest among
the youth of the nation.
Such was the pessimistic opinion
expressed today by Norris Kellam,
the human cork" who has con-
quered the waters as completely as
did Magellan.
1t was Mr.. Kellam who, thrown
into a pool at Bridgeton, N. j., last
summer, established new worlds
record by not touching bottom for
73 and one-half hours. Two years
ago he jumped into the Ohio river
at Cairo, ILL.,, for little swim, and,
feeling frisky, Lit out for Memphis,
225 miles away. He made it non
stop, tying up at pier 81, Memphis,
So hours later. A few days ago I
saw Mr. Kellam, his 357 pounds
bound into rocking chair, showed
into Sarasota bay. Fifteen seconds
after he plopped beneath the water
he burst to the surface, free, with
the natural grace usually associated
with Hippopotamuses Cor is it hip
popotami?.
Later, talked to him, and drew
from him the grave opinion that
If1Cnf0r <lNt ~ n
and floating is concerned, is headed
straight for the shoals.
of court as long as I'm active"
he said, America has nothing to
fear from European swimmers and
floaters. But, you see, I'm get
ting along in years, now, and, when
I'm through five or six years from
now, who will take my place? No
body! There isn't young floater in
the country good for more than IS
or Is hours in the water, and I
can't have my sons carry on my
work because I am not married and
have no sons. 1t is a dismal outlook,
indeed"
Kellam has been a human cork"
for II years and averages one en-
durance swim or float a week. He
literally fell into his calling, for it
was chance drop into the we'll on
his fathers farm at Culpepper, Va,
that revealed his talents.
Passed Up Farm
"I was in the well several hours
before ma fished me out, and from
that time on, I had the call of the
sea, so to speak. Pa wanted me to
farm, but said no, pa, got to float
to be happy"
Asked if he would recommend his
profession to young men, Kellam
said yes-that it had it's hardships
like everything else, but it had its
joys and thrills.
J Floating has it's Worries" he
said, "but it gives me a great kick.
For example, on that run down the
Mississippi to Memphis, the catfish
like to drove me crazy. They start
ed nibbling at me few miles from
Cairo and didn't let up. They didn't
hurt SO much as they tickled. The
steamship people were mean, too,
and tried to stop me. 1 never could
figure out why, unless it was be-
cause they were afraid I'd start a
fad and they'd lose business"
One of the games greatest kicks,
Kellam said came after an endur-
ance float or swim when he went
TO a local store window to sleep.
81 always sleep off the effects in
a store or shop window. 1t gives the
place great publicity. And I like it.,
too. Hundreds of people always jam
against the glass to see me sleep,
and it's fascinating. Once in Lake
| Worth, Fla, however, they played a
mean trick on me. 1 was so tired
when l finished that they just
yanked off my suit, dried me with
a towel, and put me to bed in a
| window. You see, they forgot to
give me a nightshirt. Well, I'm a
restless sleeper, and it wasn't long
until had kicked the covers off.
Boy, was it funnyl"
Kellam'S greatest worry is lack OF
! competition. He has practically
floated all his rivals out of the busi-
ness.
What I'd like" he said, would
be new crop of crack floaters so
we could have floatathon, with a
pool jam full of floaters. That would
be something to see, wouldn't it?"
I agreed that it certainly would
be.