Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-05
WIN, LOSE OR
INAV By FRANCIS sTANN
Lady of the Channels

MIAMI BEACH JAN 5-There is a pretty good chance
that one Of Americas favore eevson shows will be revived
this This Is the in which named Florence
Chadwick battles exhaustion seasickness cold monsters
agents and currents in endeavo to swim from
point to another
my managers have advised me not to swim channels
any more Florence saying here at the Famingo Hotel
where she diligently training to spurn their advice hey
think I'm too old because didn't make my swim between
Youngstown, N. Y. and Toronto last summer.
1--WE got to try it, though since that young Canadian
gr-Marilyn Belldid it matter of pride, guess you'd
CAN It."
At S. Florence is the Oldest of the worlds channel
Gertrude Ederle English Channel and
coming the only girl to have done 1t the hard" way
England to France
LA CHADWICK GOT INTO the channel swimming bus-
back in 1885, She went to France but most of the
attention Of the press focused young
girl named Shirley May France Whereas much written
of Shirley May there only bare mention, usually of
Miss Chadwick
They entered the water only 10 minutes apart Florence
licked the English Channel in 10 hours 20 minutes easily
beating Miss Ederes mellowing record Of IA hours 81
minutes. Shirley May never came close to finishing.
"She nice girl" Florence said "but she couldn't
swim fast enough to buck the tides Shirley May would just
be swimming in spot too long Last heard, she
married and raising family"
Why did Miss Chadwick start swimming channels?
"Well" she said when was swimming In competition
never amounted to great deal. That Is,
national title Oh placed second and third but didn't
have the speed used to swim the Los Angeles
team Esther Williams She the gamor girl and fastest
free-styler.
Il RETIRED FROM SWIMMING in 1945," she reminisced
with grin land took secrearia job with the Arabian
American Oil Co. After work used to dunk the Persian
Gulf enjoyed the long swims much decided to try
various channels"
Miss Chadwick ruefuy recalls that it cost her IS 500
her life savings-to finance her first English Channel
ture unsponsored at the time In fact wasn't until
1882 after I'd the English Channel both ways
the Catalina Channel, that got sponsor
Anyway was given big reception when I arrived
In New York in 1850 There parade and ticker tape
the biggest thrill Of my life. Then, riding
in the parade got to thinking Here this expensive
parade and confetti dropping in my lap but money
Il had one dime in my purse"
{,
AMONG OTHER TRIUMPHs by Miss Chadwick were
successful swms of the Straits of Gibraltar Bosporus
Istanbu and the Dardanelles who picks the cannes?"
she repeated I do, just reading maps saying, WELL
I'd like to try such-and-such' Then have to up
tides and all that stuff"
Today she has two managers, press agent, two at
torneys promotona jobs with bathing suit manufacturer
and rubber company, plus TV and radio commitments
why the attorneys?" she asked WELL Just finished
getting sued. MY agent wanted to be manager
said no, and let him out. He sued for $4,000.
II hated to pay because he sort of messed up my first
Catalina attempt He set pair of goal posts the shore
and supposed to land between them with TV
focused there didn't know anything about It, but he told
my boatmen to steer for that spot.
well, the current carrying away from those
goal posts could have made 1t by changing course but
bucking the current Actually swimming back
wards faster than forward"
Came to happy ending, however, for dramatic
the TV cloSeups Miss Chadwick bravely fought and
finally succumbed that millions viewers were touched
some to the extent Of sending for second attempt
Too she picked up her sponsors result and uncon-
sciousy she set the stage for her second
suspensefu trappings The lady prevailed this time Even
settled out Of court with the express agent for $20oO
she smiled.