racing than for ordinary purposes. There are several styles of
touching and turning, but I will deal with the one most easily
mastered, and shall begin by advising the learner to practice across
the bath, from side to side, and not to be in the slightest hurry.
Master the details of the turn by slow motions, nor need there be any
desire to lengthen the push until one knows that he is performing
all the motions perfectly. We assume that the pupil is lying on the
right side. He must, therefore, when about three feet from the end
of wall of the bath, have finished the progressive movements of the
left hand, which, instead of being put into the water again to renew
the stroke, must be reached forward in advance of the head until it
touches the wall immediately above the water mark. The palm of the
hand is then placed flat against the side of the bath, the hand being
in a horizontal line, with the fingers pointing to the right, which
is the direction one will turn to. The little finger is uppermost,
and the thumb downward. This done, the body is close to the side of
the wall, the knees are now bent, the body turned around by pushing
with the hand, that is on the solid wall, until the feet are pressing
on the wall and directly below this hand, but, of course, under the
surface of the water. The whole body is now drawn up or crouched
together, and is turned, as it were, on its axis. It is under water,
head and all. The soles of both feet are placed hard against the
wall, the hands put together in front of the head, which is kept
between the arms, and the position of the body and limbs should be
straight, with the legs crouched up. Then, by a strong movement
of the legs, the body is pushed off from the side as if shot from
a catapult and straightened out. Its position, when lying on the
push, is the same as when lying still, in plunging. From nine to
fifteen feet is the distance generally covered by the push off before
renewing the stroke. One must be especially careful to guard against
pushing off, even to the smallest extent, stronger with one foot than
the other, else a slip may take place on the smooth tile work, and
that means a loss of perhaps a yard or two, and, in the case of a
competition, puts the swimmer off his course, or station, and bumping
against another swimmer and fouling are likely to occur.
Ornamental Swimming
If there is any one thing more than another in connection with the
art of swimming that will show that a person has mastered the watery
element and is at ease at all times in their foster sphere, it is
a knowledge of ornamental swimming. To be able to successfully and
correctly make any kind of a dive, to float in various positions
at will and to perform the multitudinous natatorial feats that are
possible, is an accomplishment that stamps the performer an expert.
We will, therefore, suppose that those who are about to essay
these difficult swimming movements have passed the elementary and
intermediate stages and have the ability to float well. Without
a knowledge of floating, or at least the ability to control the
buoyancy of the body when placed in all manner of positions, it will
be almost impossible to make any success of ornamental swimming. Many
of the movements that seem remarkable to the uninitiated, however,
are not really hard at all, but can be accomplished with practice, by
being persistent and patient until finally acquired.
Among the feats that are at all times interesting and those that
stamp the swimmer as being clever, are porpoise swimming; sculling
on the back, using hands only; the running header; plunging, feet
foremost; the sitting jump; imitation of a torpedo; the back dive;
revolving; the twister; back somersault; marching on the water; the
propeller, and imitation of a bicycle rider.
Floating
Most people can float in salt water, no matter what may be their
build. In learning, the first movement is to gradually throw the body
on the back, arching the spine, keeping the chest well inflated,
crossing the arms over and back on the head, the thumbs locked
or fingers touching, which latter movement tends to increase the
expansion of the chest and thus make the body more floatable. If the
legs are kept straight out and together the beginner will find that
their weight in this position, in most cases, has a tendency to sink
the body. This can be overcome by drawing up the lower limbs and
extending them slightly apart and keeping them bent, which will have
the effect of more evenly balancing the body, and then, later on,
when the swimmer masters control of the breathing, so that the lungs
can be kept partly inflated all the time, he will find that the legs
can be gradually extended until they are straight, when the position
in the water will be more graceful. Because of their lighter bony
structure and increased tissue, women learn to float easier than men,
while stout persons, being more floatable, master floating quicker
than slim people. But the latter need not despair of learning, for
the best floating and the most graceful work I have ever seen of this
kind has been performed by comparatively slim people, who have caught
on to the proper equipoise of the body and overcome the tendency
of the legs to sink. Floating does not properly belong to the
elementary part of swimming, as there is considerable skill required
and much practice needed before those who do not float naturally can
accomplish the art; but, as the ability to float means so much in
ornamental and scientific swimming, the novice is advised to learn to
float as soon as possible. Double floating is much easier than single
floating, as each of the two performers aids the other in supporting
the feet and lower limbs, the parts that have a tendency to sink.
At the seashore nothing can be more pleasant than to go out beyond
the breakers and float on the back and be buoyed up and down by the
hidden power of the sea, and if one is tired from battling with the
strong waves, it is only necessary to turn over on the back, a little
farther out, on the long swell of the big rollers, and get thoroughly
rested before coming in again.
[Illustration: CHARLES B. DURBOROW.
Of Riverton, N. J.; the World’s Greatest Long-Distance Endurance
Swimmer.]
[Illustration: Ludy Langer, Los Angeles A. C.; Teddy Cann, N. Y. A.
C.; Herbert Vollmer, N. Y. A. C.
THREE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST SWIMMERS AND RECORD-HOLDERS.]
[Illustration: LEO HANDY,
Brookline (Mass.) High School. Greatest Scholastic Speed Swimmer in
the World. 100 Yards, 56 2-5s.; 220 Yards, 2m. 29 3-5s. Princeton, N.
J., February 12, 1916.]
[Illustration: NORMAN ROSS,
Stanford University, California; 20 years of age (1916); 6 feet 1
inch; 207 pounds. 50 yards, 24 2-5 seconds; 100 yards, 56 seconds;
220 yards, 2 minutes 21 3-5 seconds; one mile, 23 minutes 22
seconds; 150 yards on back, 1 minute 56 seconds; plunge, 65 feet.]
Diving
Shallow Dive
Diving is a necessary part of a swimmer’s knowledge, and once the
learner has mastered the simple strokes, there is but one way to
enter the water—head first. What is known as the low or shallow
dive is not only the best for the beginner, but is useful when one
advances to the racing stage in their experience, while being the
easiest to learn. To make a good dive, stand perfectly erect, with
the hands first placed at the sides of the body, the position being
the same as you would assume when making a broad jump. Then bend the
legs slightly, draw the arms back of the body and spring forward,
getting the arms in front of the head, palms downward, the thumbs
touching, entering the water with a shallow dive, keeping the feet
and legs close together, without bending at the knees while entering
the water. As soon as you make the plunge point the hands upward and
the body will come to the surface at once, inclining always as the
hands are pointed; for, if you should point the hands downward, then
the body would descend. To learn to dive, a little confidence is
needed more than anything else, and after you have made your first
effort, which, on account of timidity, is usually a little awkward,
it will be a matter of a short time only when you will catch on to
the idea, after which you will never think of jumping in the water,
the pleasure and sensation attending a dive always being fascinating.
Of course, there are other forms of diving, such as the high dive,
running header, etc.; but these can be mastered later on, when the
pupil has advanced to a higher point in the art, when they will be
found to be easy of accomplishment, and you will be ambitious to
excel in all the various ornamental and difficult water feats of the
expert swimmer.
Running Header
Probably the most interesting kind of a dive is known as the running
header. This kind of a plunge admits of considerable artistic
execution and finish, and to see a good diver run and spring upward
and forward into the air and then poise and control the body, turning
it in such a manner as to enter the water gracefully, keeping all
the limbs rigid and cutting the water sharply like a knife, without
making any splash, is a great treat. The running header is usually
made from a spring-board, extending over the water or from the end
of the bath. The swimmer takes a short run, similar to that taken by
a high or broad jumper, in order to give sufficient impetus or force
to the springing or forward movement. Then soaring upward and outward
he shoots through the air, keeping the body straight until the
declining turn toward the water is made, when a sudden twist of the
body is given and the diver enters the water in a slanting position,
keeping the upper and lower limbs straight and close together, the
arms extended beyond the head, with the palms of the hands or fingers
touching in a wedge-like manner.
Back Dive
The back dive is always an interesting swimming feat. It brings
into play considerable gymnastic ability, but, on account of the
confidence the performer has as to the certainty that the water will
not hurt him much, barring a slight sting to the flesh, should he
come down flat on his back, it does not require so much courage, in
attempting the first trial, as tumbling on land, in which the back
dive may be in a measure likened. While it is possible to make a
good back dive from a rigid base, it can be more artistically made
from the springing board. The diver stands erect, with his back
towards the water. The hands are first held down to and close by the
side. The person stands on the edge of the pool on the diving board,
resting on the toes alone, the rest of the feet extended over the
water. At the movement of making the spring, the diver lowers the
body by bending the knees, while at the same time he extends his arms
back of the body and then by a quick and sudden movement brings them
forward, simultaneously with throwing the head back and entering the
water very much the same as the forward dive. When properly done, the
back dive is a beautiful method of entering the water.
Diving Feet Foremost
To enter the water, diving feet foremost, is a difficult thing to
do, but when such a plunge is nicely made it usually comes in for a
good share of merited approval. Most of the ornamental and difficult
swimming movements are usually performed in tanks or at swimming
gatherings, where there is an audience, and the spectators, who
know very little about scientific strokes, are interested, amused
and entertained by these other performances, among which none ranks
higher than plunging feet foremost. As in other forms of diving and
plunging, the swimmer stands on the edge of the pool or starting
station, and, taking the usual breath, leaps outward, feet foremost,
much like jumping in the water, throwing the arms behind and over the
head and entering the water feet first, instead of head first. The
body must be well thrown back, and the legs straightened and kept
perfectly rigid while entering the water. One must jump well out and
be sure to judge the distance safely in order that there be no danger
of striking the upper part of the body on the ledge of the bath, pier
or wharf, as the case may be.
The number of ornamental feats in swimming is almost unlimited,
according to the ability and ingenuity of the performer; but, in
addition to the above-described movements, such figures as porpoise
swimming, where the expert describes, by going under and over the
water, the swimming of a porpoise; imitation of a torpedo, the
head and body being submerged and the feet above the water, the
swimmer propelling himself with the hands, the feet alone showing
above the water; the back and front somersaults, which are really
swimming gymnastics; sculling on the back, using feet and hands
only; imitation of a bicycle rider, etc., etc., all of which can be
mastered by a clever swimmer with practice.
The Propeller
To perform the propelling trick it is necessary that the swimmer be
able to float well, for by that means the body is supported in the
water, while the hands, extended beyond the head, the back of the
hands pointing downwards, propel the swimmer, feet foremost, through
the water. Place the body on or near the surface of the water as
possible, lying on the back, the feet and legs fully extended and
close together, the hands beyond the head, also in a straight line.
Then, by a vigorous sculling movement of the hands against the water,
the body is sent gradually but steadily forward, the quick action
of the hands against the water having the same effect in driving
the body forward as the propeller of a boat. Some pretty turning
movements like the directing of the course of a boat with a rudder
can be made by propelling with one hand only or each alternately, as
the case may be, as, by sculling with the right hand, the body will
glide or take an opposite course, while the left hand movement will
direct to the right.
Marching on the Water
Until one sees the swimmer march on the water its title is somewhat
misleading. It is not a difficult method of progression through the
water, after one catches on to the idea. Place yourself in a floating
position, with the arms folded across the breast or the hands crossed
back of the head, with the fingers locked. Then by bending the knees
and drawing up the legs slowly, one after the other, keeping the toes
pointed straight out in the upward movement, so as to have as little
resistance as possible against the water. Straighten out the limb,
turning the toes upward toward the knee, making a downward stroke
with the leg, bringing the calf against the water with pressure
enough to draw the body along. The upward, or negative movement,
as we said before, must be slowly executed, while the downward, or
positive movement, should be performed with some force against the
water, the locomotion, feet foremost, the alternate action being the
same as in walking. As it is not possible to get much power from the
positive movements, marching on the water is therefore not a rapid
means of gliding along.
Swimming on the Back
Swimming on the back is one of the simplest of the natatorial
exercises, and one of the easiest methods to learn, besides being
absolutely necessary in life-saving, as well as useful as a means
of resting after swimming a long while on the breast or side. The
movements of the legs are very much the same as in the breast stroke,
except that the knees are kept farther apart. The best way to learn
to swim on the back is to place yourself in the water on the back,
the same as you would when floating. This position can be easily
attained by holding the arms straight down close to the sides,
the hands pointing toward the feet, and by giving a few sculling
movements with the hands, you will at once get into a good floating
position. Now slowly open the legs apart, while at the same time
extending the arms beyond the head and bring the legs together with a
vigorous kick, holding the arms beyond the head for an instant until
all the momentum from the kick is expended. At the second movement
the arms are brought back to their former position, describing an arc
and catching the water with the palms of the hands somewhat like an
oar, which helps to send the swimmer ahead, repeating the movements
as before.
When tired, swimming on the back is useful as a means of resting the
muscles used in the other strokes.
Long-Distance Endurance Swimming
American swimmers have made some wonderful strides in long-distance
swimming and tests of endurance in the past few years, until now our
records over distance and time immersions stand out prominently among
the world’s greatest watermen.
Over the very long and tiresome routes our swimmers use various
strokes, some of them relying on the breast stroke, others using the
over-arm side stroke, but most of them stick to the double-over-arm
stroke (sometimes called the Trudgeon), the latter method affording
an opportunity for putting more continuous power to the stroke, which
makes for greater speed; besides, this method makes the swimmer
breathe regularly and with precision on each stroke and is useful in
both rough and smooth water.
Space will not admit of recounting the numerous performances made by
the various distance swimmers of this country, but all the leading
record authorities and writers on swimming have agreed on Charles B.
Durborow of Riverton, N. J., the big Philadelphia bank clerk, as the
foremost long-distance and greatest mileage swimmer in the world.
Durborow is thirty-four years old (1916); weight, 210 pounds; height,
6 feet; swims the double-over-arm stroke, and has been swimming since
1907. He swims about 600 miles a year, and has covered over 5,000
miles in ten years. In his training, particularly before he begins
his very long swims, he does a lot of rowing over long routes, and
generally rows about 2,000 miles a year. He is the only swimmer who
has ultimately conquered every swim he ever tried. He never takes any
nourishment during a swim, and is always at his work the next day
after a big feat, none the worse for wear.
Among the hundreds of big swims made by Durborow, the following
record of ten of his greatest performances, some of which have never
been equalled by another swimmer, stamp him as the leading distance
swimmer in the world:
Thirty-four miles, 12 hours and 44 minutes, from Arch Street wharf,
Philadelphia, to one mile below Market Street wharf, Chester, and
return to Washington Avenue wharf, Philadelphia, Delaware River,
July 10, 1910.
Ten miles, 7 hours and 59 minutes, from Flat Rock Dam to
Conshohocken and return, Schuylkill River, July 24, 1910.
Twelve miles, 5 hours and 53 minutes, from the million-dollar pier,
Atlantic City, N. J., across the mouth of Great Egg Harbor Bay,
over the bar to the beach, at Tenth Street, Ocean City, N. J., in
Atlantic Ocean, June 25, 1911.
Forty-two and forty-three-one-hundredths miles, 14 hours, 15
minutes and 31 seconds, from Cape May, N. J., across the mouth of
Delaware Bay to Broadkill Shoals, Delaware, Atlantic Ocean and
Delaware Bay, July 1, 1912.
Thirteen miles, 8 hours, 12 minutes and 13 seconds, from the
Charlestown Bridge to Boston Light, Boston Harbor, July 27, 1913.
Thirty-two and one-half miles, 12 hours and 52 minutes, from Walnut
Street, Philadelphia, to one-eighth of a mile below Market Street,
Chester, Pa., and return to Washington Avenue, Philadelphia,
Delaware River, June 27, 1914.
Twenty-two miles, 8 hours and 46 minutes, from the Battery, New
York City, to Sandy Hook Beacon, Sandy Hook, N. J., New York
Harbor, July 19, 1914.
Twenty-six miles, 9 hours and 8 minutes, from Riverton, N. J., to
Bristol, Pa., and return to Riverton, N. J., upper Delaware River,
May 28, 1916.
Twenty-two miles, 8 hours and 42 minutes, from Cape Charles, Va.,
across the mouth of Chesapeake Bay to Cape Henry, Va., Atlantic
Ocean (swam outside the capes), June 23-24, 1916.
Thirty-six and one-half miles, 13 hours and 30 minutes, from Market
Street, Chester, Pa., to Penn Treaty Park, Philadelphia, and return
to Market Street, Chester, Pa., and then on the third tide to
Eddystone, Pa., Delaware River, September 9-10, 1916.
[Illustration: OLGA DORFNER.
Philadelphia Turngemeinde; American Champion Sprint Swimmer and
Record-holder.]
[Illustration: CLAIRE GALLIGAN.
New Rochelle, N. Y.; American Champion Middle-Distance Swimmer and
Record-holder.]
[Illustration:
1. Gertrude Artelt, P. T. G.; 2.. Helen Pennepacker, P. T. G.;
Middle Atlantic champion diver; 3. Elizabeth Becker, P. T. G.; 4.
Josephine Bartlett, Metropolitan champion diver.
A QUARTETTE OF FAST GIRL SWIMMERS AND DIVERS.]
[Illustration:
Left to right—Bessie Ryan, fast Philadelphia swimmer and frequent
prize-winner; Florence McLoughlin, First Regiment (Philadelphia),
America’s greatest juvenile swimmer; Anna C. Kean, Lansdowne, Pa.,
Ocean City to Atlantic City (in sea), 8h. 28m., and 26 miles,
Delaware River, 11h. 8m. 41 2-5s.]
Women and Girl Swimmers
Probably no other form of exercise or competitive sport among women
and girls has advanced so rapidly in the United States as that of
swimming, and with the recognition of women swimmers by registration
in the Amateur Athletic Union, contests and championship events have
been held in various cities throughout the United States, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, with the result that our women swimmers are
rapidly coming to the front in speed swimming, and their records at
various distances are very close to the best world’s marks for those
of their sex.
Women make better swimmers than men, when equally skilled in the art,
and while they do not quite approach the speed times of the men,
because of the difference in muscular strength and power, they are
more graceful than men in the water, practice more frequently, make
less fuss about it, and get a lot of physical benefit from their
favorite pastime.
A woman, being of lighter bony structure, with more flesh than a man
in proportion to her size and weight, and with a different physical
formation of body, gets a better equipoise in the water, with the
result that most all women float naturally; in fact, after they learn
to swim, very few of them have to make any effort to stay on top
of the water, which gives them a confidence not usually seen among
men swimmers; and, as nature has endowed them with a much better
circulation than men, they are able to stay in the water and stand a
lower temperature than the opposite sex without getting chilled.
Miss Olga Dorfner of the Philadelphia Turngemeinde has shown herself
to be the fastest short-distance speed swimmer in this country in
contests up to 220 yards, at which distances she has defeated all
comers, and she holds the American records over these routes. She
swims an excellent crawl stroke, and the following times, most of
them American records for women, shows her top class as a sprint
swimmer: 40 yards, 22 seconds; 50 yards, 29 seconds; 60 yards, 39
seconds; 80 yards, 53 seconds; 100 yards, 1 minute 8 4-5 seconds; 220
yards, 3 minutes 5 1-5 seconds.
Miss Claire Galligan, of New Rochelle, is the best middle distance
swimmer among our girls, having defeated all the other aspiring
contestants in races over 220 yards. Miss Galligan has swam 100
yards in 1 minute 9 seconds; 220 yards in 3 minutes 4 1-5 seconds;
440 yards in 7 minutes 6 3-5 seconds; half mile in 15 minutes 15
2-5 seconds, and one mile in 31 minutes 19 3-5 seconds. She uses a
four-beat Trudgeon-crawl stroke, and is almost certain to break many
more women’s swimming records, as she is increasing in speed all the
time.
Gertrude Artelt, Philadelphia Turngemeinde, is coming on fast at
sprint swimming, having now a record of 1 minute 13 2-5 seconds for
100 yards, while her team-mate, Elizabeth Becker, from the same
organization, has covered 220 yards in a race in 3 minutes 13 1-5
seconds, with very fast times for the shorter distances.
Bessie Ryan of the First Regiment Swimming Pool, Philadelphia, is
a coming fast swimmer who invariably wins a prize every time she
competes. Her 100 yards time is 1 minute 15 seconds, her 220 yards 3
minutes 35 seconds, and all this in her first year of competition.
Florence McLaughlin of the First Regiment Swimming Pool,
Philadelphia, was the most remarkable juvenile swimmer and diver in
this country and her many records and prizes over all distances stamp
her as a great swimmer.