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i+ }~V~ i'*' + '*' +'*' +'*' i ~ ~ HBtIJ rvdicJe4 01 ~ ~ '*' *'*' i+ ~/04~!~/d *+ '*' + + + *+ NEW DESIGNS *+ + + * NEW PATTERNS * +'*' + IMPROVED QUALITY • *'*' *+ '*' + + + * THESE ARTICLES SHOULD APPEAL TO EVERY ACTIVE FENCER * + + + + '*' + + + '*' Write for our descriptive literature + '*' + +'*' + +'*' + + + + • + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

+~: SALLE O'ARMES VINCE *+ + AND + ..:. -~ + + -~ + VINCE FENCING EQUIPMENT, CO. *+ *+ + 767 BROADWAY NEW YORK CITY + + (East 9th street) + + + .,.+ Telephone GRamercy 7-8120 + '*' + +'*' + + + +'*' + + + + + + + +'*' + +.'*' + .r, +'*'++++'*'+++++++'*'++'*'+'*'+++++++++++++++++'*''*'+++'*'+++++++++++++++++++++**++++++++ THE RIPOSTE v DECEMBER. 1940 NO.6

P AN AMERICAN GAMES IN 1942 program from a list similar to--but larger-than that used in the Olympic Games. The tentative list for When it became apparent that the Games of the the first Pan American Games is: XII Olympiad could not be held, the latent interest in Pan American Games which has existed in many Basketball Shooting countries for many years was brought to life. It was Boxing Swimming further stimulated by the growing spirit of solidarity Chess Tennis among the nations of the Western Hemisphere. After Cycling Track and Field considerable correspondence and discussion, the Ar­ Fencing Water Polo gentine Olympic Committee took the initiative and Polo Weight Lifting called a Congress in Buenos Aires to discuss the pos­ Rowing Wrestling sibility of organizing Pan American Games and, in Yachting general, all of the problems concerning amateur sport All of the countries of the Western Hemisphere are in the three Americas. eligible for membership. Organized in a thoroughly The National Olympic Committee of 16 of the 21 democratic fashion, each country will have one vote, countries in the Pan American Union met at a Con­ although the United States probably has more ath­ gress held in Buenos Aires, August 28-31, and voted letes than the entire population of some of the coun­ to institute a set of Pan American Games to be held tries involved. ev~ry four years, beginning in 1942, under the sanc­ tion of the International Olympic Committee. In N. C. A. A. CHAMPIONSHIPS APPROVED " general, the rules and regulations of the International The National Collegiate Athletic Association has Olympic Committee, covering the Olympic Games, will approved the holding of National Collegiate fencing apply. The technical rules of competition in all sports championships under its jurisdiction in 1941. The are to be those of the respective international federa­ event will be held during the entire day of Saturday, tions as in the Olympic Games. All countries of th'! March 29, 1941 on the campus of Ohio State Uni­ Western Hemisphere are eligible for membership in versity, Columbus, Ohio. the new organization. The Congress, which is to be Preparations for the championships, the first ever held every four years, will control the organization. held under the auspices of the N. C. A. A., are now For convenience in administration, etc., the coun­ going forward under the direction of Dr. John Huff­ tries of the Western Hemisphere were divided into man, chairman of the N. C. A. A. Fencing Rules Com­ five groups as follows: mittee and president of the A. F. L. A. Other mem­ bers of the committee include Hugh V. Alessandroni, Group I-Canada, United States, Mexico. Jean Gelas, Herman S. Hettinger, and Rene Peroy. Group 2-Countries of Central America and the All college and university teams will be eligible for Antilles. the meet, the preliminary announcement states. For Group 3-Argentine, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. the first year, at least, competition will be limited to Group 4-Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. individual championships in the three weapons. The Group 5-Columbia, Panama, and Venezuela. probable limit of entries will be two men in each weapon from each college team. One representative from each group was chosen to First indications are that from twenty to thirty constitute a Pan American Games Committee which colleges and universities will submit entries for the will be the supreme authority during the four years championships. The exact scope of these entries is between meetings of the Congress for all matters not yet known, however. pertaining to Pan American Sport. The first commit­ Further details will be announced by the committee tee consists of representatives from Bolivia, Brazil, in charge at a later date. Meanwhile, all college Costa Rica, United States, and Venezuela. The United teams having intentions of filing entries are advised States was signally honored by having its representa­ to keep the date of Saturday, March 29, open on tive, Mr. Avery Brundage, elected President. Dr. Her­ their schedules. aldo Pederneiras of Brazil was chosen Vice President. The objects of the new organization, in addition to the staging of the Pan American Games and the p!;omotion of public interest and participation in amateur sport in the constituent countries, include the development of closer athletic relations between the member countries, and it is hoped that there may eventually be group or regional contests. Buenos Aires was chosen as the site of the first Pan American Games which will be held in the fall of the year 1942, the 450th Anniversary of the Dis­ covery of America by Columbus. Just as in the Olympic Games, there will be an Organizing Com­ mittee, designated by the Argentine Olympic Commit­ tee, to handle the event. The Organizing Committee will have the authority to choose the sports on the Page two The Riposte

THE RIPOSTE E D ITO R I A L America's Oldest Fencing Magazine The season of Peace 114 Washington Place New York City and Good Will blesses

JOSE R. DE CAPRILES Founder our Nation once more. DERNELL EVERY Editor In a world whose every WARREN A. Dow Business Manager Continent but ours and MIGUEL A. DE CAPRILES Technical Advisor South America is fully

CONTRIBUTING STAFF occupied with carnage DONALD BARNES Special Writer and destruction, these WILLIAM T. PECORA Special Writer words stand out all the more for their rare­ HANNS FISCHER Illinois ness and desirability. FLOYD TRAYNHAM, JR. Illinois R. H. HUBER Iowa XX HENRY ST. LEGER Long Island What could be more indicative of the FERARD LEICESTER Northern California RICHARD F. WARREN Philadelphia friendships that exist in the Americas than ALAN BECK St. Louis the formation of the Pan American Games ALLEN BRAZELL Texas at this time? We agree with Avery Brun­ DOUGLAS P. BOYEA Western Massachusetts dage when he says, "Sportsmen in all coun­ tries speak the same language and, because SUBSCRIPTION RATES of this deep community of interest, amateur 6 Issues ...... $1.00 sport provides a most fertile field for the 12 Issues ...... $2.00 development of international good will. "Since the government has displayed so THIS IS ISSUE # 59 much interest in creating better relations be­ Mailed on or about December 13th tween the countries of the Western Hemis­ phere, I am sure that the work of the First Pan American Sport Congress, in creating a CONTENTS Pan American Sport Federation, will meet with universal approval." Pan American Games in 1942 ...... Page 1 N. C. A. A. Championships Approved ...... Page 1 XX Editorial ...... Page 2 As we present this issue we shyly hint American Fencing Potentialities ...... Page 3 that we should be due for Birthday Greet­ ings this month. It was five years ago that Directory of American Fencing professionals...... Page 4 The Riposte was launched into the realm of The Agony of Dual Meets ...... Page 6 fact and fancy. We have passed through The Care and Feeding of Spectators ...... Page 7 many a childhood crisis under the tolerant The New Rules Book-Sidelights and protection of innocence. We haven't grown Comments ...... Page 8 as rapidly as our parents would wish but Texas News ...... Page 10 we have remained healthy and noisy and The Remise ...... Page 12 that is generally a good sign in any child. Philadelphia News ...... Page 13 Northern California ...... Page 13 XX Our Birthday is of little importance to A. F. L. A. Newsletter and National Schedule ...... Page 14 anyone but us. A most important Birthday, Western Massachusetts News ...... Page 14 the 25th of this month, is of importance to Approved 1940-41 List of Directors ...... Page 14 all the world. In Christmas Day and the Iowa News ...... Page 14 season which immediately surrounds it you Oregon News ...... Page 14 find an annual magic which affects man, Illinois News .... Page 15 woman and child. It makes us want to shout A. F. L. A. Competitions in N. Y. C ...... Page 16 our greetings to all our subscribers and st. Louis News ...... Page 16 friends. That greeting is "MERRY CHRIST­ Long Island News ...... Page 16 MAS." The Riposte Page three

AMERICAN FENCING POTENTIALITIES e IT IS ESTIMATED THAT there are between 100,000 Why are our estimates of potentialities after all of s and 150,000 fencers in the United States. . This seems this concentration and after liberal exclusions still ~. like a good number ,to anyone who has given little between 6 and 8 times as large as our best estimates thought to the sport or who has any realization of the of actualities? The answer lies in lack of profes­ 'f size of this country. To hear someone from Europe ad­ sionals. d mit that there are probably more fencers in the United The profeSSional is the bottleneck of the sport. Y States than there are (or were) in anyone country Without the professional you do not develop fencers e of Europe makes you feel that the United States is and without the fencers you do not attract the doing well by the sport and that we have arrived as professional. In other words there is a vicious circle e a fencing nation. Nothing is more ridiculous. within a bottleneck; a horrible thought. There are approximately 131,000,000 people in the There are approximately 280 professional fencing United States which means that only l/lOth of one teachers in the United States. Masters, provosts, per cent or one person in 1,000 knows anything about teachers, instructors, and poseurs, they are sca;ttered fencing. The membership of the A. F. L. A., according throughout the United States and upon their shoul­ to the latest records, approximates 1,200 which means ders lies the responsibility for maintaining and e that only one person in 109,000 is sufficiently inter­ spreading the sport. They are concentrated in the n ested in organized fencing to join the League. When urban areas along the two coasts and in the middle !S viewed in this manner, fencing is still a little known West with occasional exceptions in some cities of I­ sport in the United States. The fencer is still an the South. Many of them are located in schools and American sports' curiosity. colleges where their teaching is confined to those I­ Fencing has certain characteristics in its favor; educational centers. There are nearly 30 of them ,e characteristics which should make the sport popular. concentrated in New York City. Los Angeles and lr In the first place, fencing is fun for the beginner San Francisco have about six professionals apiece as well as the expert. The rawest neophyte gets a with every other city getting along with anywhere .e kick out of fencing from the moment he is intro­ from one to three, if any. duced to the sport. Secondly, no one has ever learned The professional's life is not an easy one. His ,0 or mastered all there is within the sport. One cannot living must depend upon the collective return from become surfeited with the sport or gain the feeling many pupils. This can be accomplished through a that there is no more to learn. There is a constant private fencing room, generally called a salle d'armes lure to learn more, to perfect one's game, to fence or an academy where pupils pay club or individual ;t better and better. Finally, there is no age limit for fees sufficient to support the club and its respective learning or practicing the sport. The oldsters re­ proprietor, the professional. On the other hand, the a main as enthusiastic as the youngsters and there is professional may become the employee of an estab­ ~t nothing so satisfactory as seeing the pleasure a man lished club and work for a fixed salary on a contract of say 40, 50 or even 60 gets from his fencing when agreement. Such a club may be devoted exclusively he is introduced to the sport even at those ages. to fencing as is The New York Fencers Club or it In various ways it attracts and holds the interest of may be an athletic club or Y. M. C. A. where fencing the youngster, the youth, and the man. is just one of many sports provided for its members. It On the other hand the sport has certain drawbacks. From the point of view of many professionals a t­ It is a gregarious sport and therefore has an urban contract to teach at a school or college is the most tt rather than a rural following. It is best taught by satisfactory. Here, the fencing teacher is employed )f example rather than by individual study and here to teach fenCing as one of the athletic activities of enters the need for a teacher or a professional fencing the school. Here he works under attractive condi­ h master. Few can afford the luxury of an individual tions with little restrictive supervision and need not It teacher and therefore clubs are formed by the ama­ operate under the constant worry that his activities teurs or Salle d'Armes are provided by professionals are returning a financial profit to the institution 'n wherein one can obtain professional instruction. This that is employing him. He does have the disad­ It limits the sport to cities or schools which are large vantage of knowing tha;t his pupils will be lost to ld enough to support a professional. him after a few years, four years at most. He also With these later thoughts in mind we must now knows that no top-notch fencer can be developed :1. revise our statistical comparisons. We can no longer in only four years. Therefore, he is constantly faced look upon 131,000,000 Americans as being potential with the feeling of being unable to complete the work f1.ncers. We should immediately delete our rural he has started. ;0 population and limit ourselves to 62,800,000 total white Many professionals combine two or more of these 'f , urban population. To be on the safe side we will activities. They operate their own salle d'armes and ;0 further limit this to the 93 cities having a popula­ have a contract at some school or athletic club for tion of 100,000 or more. Here we find 33,000,000 total the remainder of their time. Ie white population. We'll cut this by 50% to eliminate With the approach of summer weather comes the ill all those too young, too old, the halt, the blind, and closing of schools and the lessening of competitive the urban Americans whose only exercise is in read­ activities at clubs. The professional must find means 0, ing the sport section of the newspaper. This finally of supplementing his income during the summer. It leaves us 16,500,000 as a potential market. If half There are a limited number of ways of doing this. Id of these would try the sport we could hold the inter­ Some of these are summer camps, summer theatre est of 10% of them. That would give us 825,000 groups and resorts. r- fencers with 1 % or 8,250 becoming members of the Throughout the year all professionals are in a posi­ A.F.L.A. tion to supply fencing equipment to their pupils. Page four The Riposte

They profit from this either through manufacturing years of practice and experience. They separate the or importing the equipment themselves or acting as chaff from the wheat, working hard with all at the an agent for an equipment concern. They may also start only to separate the lazy, indifferent dabblers be in a year-around position to profit through ex­ from the earnest, ambitious enthusiasts and help the hib~tions at a charge for such appearances. latter on toward the finer expression that ever lures At one time, Europe was our only source of supply the true swordsman onward. for fencing professionals. That source of supply still It is to them that we assign the major job of intro­ exists but now we have the native professional devel­ ducing fencing to that 825,000 group of potential oping from domestic sources. In the past the native fencers. It is no small task and one which their own professional was generally an amateur who turned numbers can never encompass. However, here again to the sport after achieving considerable success as we mention the old familiar cycle of more fencers, an am!l!teur competitor. This is no longer neces­ more masters, more fencers, more masters. As ama­ sarily true. Such professionals as Castello, Grasson, teurs are developed into better fencers, some will Greco, Santelli and Vince have intentionally trained become interested in professionalism and take their young men to become professionals without their turn at developing other amateurs. It is a self-cre­ entering the amateur field at all. Furthermore, they ating proposition without even so much as a hint have assisted these trained boys ·to find professional anywhere of having reached the sa;turation point. We positions in various parts of the country. Then too have just scratched the surface to date. Looking there is the environmental professional. He is usually backward we have gone far. Looking forward, we an amateur keenly interested in the sport who finds have only just begun. himself located where fencing is little known. In When assigning the job to the present professionals order to continue to enjoy the sport he teaches it to we know that they stand ready to perform their task. others and soon finds himself engrossed in the teach­ The amateurs can help immeasurably. They stand ing angle and eventually turns professional. 150,000 strong. If each brings one more potential Finally there is the fencing professional who more fencer to his teacher and exposes him to fencing it or less had the sport wished upon him. He is gen­ would take only the most elementary understanding erally interested in athletics, is a physical education of arithmetic to appreciate what this would mean. coach or holds some similar relation to general sports. Cries of "More fencing teachers!" would ring out Fencing is added to the curricula through demand for from all across the land. A supply would develop to the sport and he learns the sport in order to teach it. meet the demand. There would be no alternative. Thus by one means or another America has today We have already seen the momentum of such move­ gained .the services of at least 280 men and women ments in the past ten years. who claim to be in a position to teach fencing. Many It has surprised The Riposte itself during its five of them are doing a wonderful service to the sport years of publication to witness the growth and spread and it is to them that the amateurs owe a debt of of fencing throughout this country without any pro­ gratitude. They teach the sport to many new be­ motional fanfare whatsoever. It has been the healthy ginners every year and send them forth with at least growth of a healthy sport, finally being recognized the basic principles upon which to build the deeper by Americans as an exciting, intelligent, low-cost appreciation of fencing that is gained only after many exercise. -D. E.

DIRECTORY OF AMERICAN FENCING PROFESSIONALS There are Professional Fencers' Associations in va­ throughout the United States. We realize that this rious European countries which publish lists of their list, being the first of its kind, is far from complete. members from time to time. These lists serve as There are probably 50 names missing, primarily Directories of the fencing masters and teachers in those of professionals teaching at schools and colleges those countries, since most professionals belong to where fencing has recently been introduced. We hope their respective Associations. There is no Associa­ that our subscribers will assist us in supplementing tion in the United States and consequently no list this list. has ever been prepared which would serve as a Di­ If you know of any professional not listed here rectory of American Fencing Professionals. The please drop us a penny postcard giving us his name Riposte has undertaken to fill this want and has pre­ and the place where he teaches. His address would pared a list of 231 men and women who teach fencing also be appreciated, if available. DIRECTORY W. M. Adrian, Corvallis, Ore. T. Erwin Blesh, San Jose, Calif. Constantin K. Agoeff, Fairfield, Conn. Major Walter E. Blount, Washington, D. C. B. R. Allison, Nashville, Tenn. Prof. Lyman Bothwell, Walla Walla, Wash. Valentino Argento, Philadelphia, Pa. Allen Brazell, Dallas, Texas. James Ashley, Berkeley, Calif. Dr. Scott D. Breckinridge, Lexington, Ky. August Auernheimer, Seattle, Wash. James Brock, Manchester, Ind. Robert C. Barr, New Canaan, Conn. Col. C. L. Brosius, Delafield, Wis. R. Beck, Atlanta, Ga. Rois L. Brockman, Dallas, Texas. Prof. A. O. Berger, Cleveland, Ohio. Elwyn Bugge, Stanford University, Calif. Bert Bertram, Augusta, Ga. Marcel Cabijos, New York City. H. L. Billings, Appleton, Wis. Robert F. Campbell, Washington, D. C. M. Buford Blair, Blacksburg, Va. Thomas L. Canniff, Lansing, Mich. The Riposte Page five he Leo J. Cass, Cambridge, Mass. James Herslow, Madison, N. J. he Julio M. Castello, New York City. Charles Hertler, Missoula, Mont. ~rs Frederic A. Cavens, Los Angeles, Calif. Edward Houser, San Francisco, Calif. he Don Cetrulo, New Brunswick, N. J. Abraham A. Hurwitz, Baltimore, Md. :es Gerardo Cetrulo, Newark, N. J. C. M. Hutchings, Cincinnati, Ohio. Hubert Chain, Seattle, Wash. Anthony Iannucci, Philadelphia, Pa. '0- Col. George V. Cherny, New York City. Glenn Jacoby, Moscow, Idaho. ial Dr. R. G. Clapp, Lincoln, Neb. R. P. Jameson, Oberlin, Ohio. Nn Truman W. Clark, San Francisco, Calif. Julia Jones, New York City. ~in Capt. Walter Clark, Lexington, Va. Lee Tucker Jones, Williamsburg, Va. rs, Georges L. Cointe, Ithaca, N. Y. T. H. Kalenoki, University, La. .a­ Eli Cole, Rapid City, S. D . John S. Kenyon, La Grange, Ill. rill Joseph E. Corcoran, Woodside, N. Y. Jean Kilgour, Waukesha, Wis. eir C. C. Craddock, Alcorn, Miss. William H. Knapp, address unknown. 'e- H. W. Craig, Urbana, Ill. Charles Koch, Brooklyn, N. Y. .nt Clovis Deladrier, Annapolis, Md. Alfred Krakusin, Hamilton, N. Y. 'fVe Major Deming, Ada, Ohio. Col. John V. Krasheninnikoff, Astoria, L. I. ng Duris de Jong, Hollywood, Calif. J. Kripner, Chicago, Ill. we Jerry De Rosa, Montclair, N. J. H. M. Krutter, State College, Pa. Bela E. de Tuscan, Detroit, Mich. Arthur Lane, San Francisco, Calif. als Joanna de Tuscan, Detroit, Mich. Prof. Walter Langford, Notre Dame, Ind. sk. Guy di Carlo, Salt Lake City, Utah. Hollie Lepley, Beloit, Wis. nd A. J. Dickman, Laramie, Wyo. Joseph L. Levis, Cambridge, Mass. ial Col. Anton Diettrich, address unknown. Lester Liebmann, st. Louis, Mo. it John W. Dimond, West Point, N. Y. Les Lindou, Greeley, Colo. ng Patrick Dolan, New York City. Jane Logan, Portland, Ore. m. Norman Donaldson, Bozeman, Mont. Robert MacKenzie, Granville, Ohio. IUt W. M. Dowell, Abilene, Texas. Robert H. Manzeck, San Diego, Calif. to Leonard J. Duckworth, San Francisco, Calif. A. L. Masely, Madison, Wis. ve. Ann Schley Duggan, Denton, Texas. Austin McFadden, Albuquerque, N. M. re- Major E. L. Dyer, Washington, D. C. DeLoss McGraw, Los Angeles, Calif. Maurice Erdman, Annville, Pa. John McKee, Los Angeles, Calif. lve Ralph B. Faulkner, Hollywood, Calif. Anthonino Messineo, Washington, D. C. ad Celestino Fernandez, New York City. Harlan G. Metcalf, Nashville, Tenn. '0- Joseph Fiems, Annapolis, Md. Or est Meykar, New Orleans, La. hy Hanns Fischer, Chicago, Ill. Raymond W. Miller, Staten Island, N. Y. ;ed W. E. Fitzsimmons, Tempe, Arizona. R. Russell Miller, Dayton, Ohio. )st Dr. L. Forest Free, Westminster, Md. Robert B. Miller, address unknown. Arthur H. Frederick, New Brunswick, N. J. Joan Millington, Eureka, Ill. W. C. Freeman, Delaware, Ohio. James Montague, New York City. Arthur Fregosi, New York City. Major C. H. Moore, Alton, Ill. Frank Freyer, Ft. Collins, Colo. Prof. Richard T. Morenus, Atlanta, Ga. Erich A. Funke-d'Egnuff, San Francisco, Calif. Lucien Morris, Cleveland, Ohio. his J. M. Gelas, Clinton, N. Y. Edward Murphy, Los Angeles, Calif. ,teo Thomas Gerrity, Jersey City, N. J. James Murray, New York City. ily Thomas B. Godfrey, Louisville, Ky. Aldo Nadi, New York City.

~es R. Henri Gordon, Manoa, Pa. Irven Naiman, Washington, D. C. ,pe Dr. Edwin GraeiIe, Detroit, Mich. Dr. J. H. Nichols, Oberlin, Ohio. ng Graham, Los Angeles, Calif. A. J. O'Donnell, Springfield, Mass. Albert J. Grasson, New Haven, Conn. L. Offenthal, Brooklyn, N. Y. gre Margaret Grasson, Hamden, Conn. Emanuel Olster, New York City. me Maurice Grasson, New London, Conn. L. M. Oliver, Golden, Colo. ~ld Robert H. E. Grasson, New Haven, Conn. Anthony Orsi, Hanover, N. H. Anthony Greco, New York City. Getty Page, Syracuse, N. Y. W. W. Greenwood, Spokane, Wash. Marcel Pasche, Upper Montclair, N. J. Jon Matthew Gusick, Portland, Ore. Sydney Paul, Philadelphia, Pa. Mildred Hagan, New York City. Generoso Pavese, Baltimore, Md. Hans Halberstadt, San Francisco, Calif. Rene Peroy, Cambridge, Mass. Louis Halfrich, Akron, Ohio. Rene Pinchart, New York City. Dr. Robert T. Hance, Pittsburgh, Pa. Hubert Pirotte, Princeton, N. J. E. Harpole, Institute, W. Va. J. Rulon Poole, Provost, Utah. Charles MacDonald Heard, San Antonio, Texas. G. W. Postgate, Pittsburgh, Pa. C. A. Helmecke, Gunnison, Colo. Gail Potter, Honolulu, Hawaii. Thomas Henderson, San Antonio, Texas. Edwin Preussler, Milwaukee, Wis. Albert Hern, New York City. Thomas Prouse, Forth Worth, Texas. AlvaI' Hermanson, Chicago, Ill. George H. Quinby, Brunswick, Me. William J. Herrmann, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa. James Raport, Lawrence, Kansas. William J. Herrmann, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. Avend Rasmussen, Reading, Pa. Page six The Riposte

Lawrence Ralstad, Cheney, Wash. THE AGONY OF DUAL MEETS Romulus Reese, Columbia, S. C. By WILLIAM T. PECORA Dr. Frank A. Riebel, Columbus, Ohio. Willard Ronayne, st. Paul, Minn. IN A RECENT ARTICLE in The Riposte, Mr. John William L. Roney,. Winter Park, Fla. Dimond of West Point voiced the common opinion L. Robinson, Baltimore, Md. of all followers of intercollegiate fencing by deploring steven M. Rostis, Amherst, Mass. the length of time it takes to complete a college duai John Roth, Boston, Mass. meet. In my few years of recent experience as a Michael Sage, New York City fencing official, I have noted that the average dUal Dr. Herbert Sanborn, Nashville, Tenn. meet will require between 3 to 3% hours; and it is William Sandoz, Cleveland, Ohio. only by the application of dictatorial powers by the Henry St. Leger, New York City. director that the meet can be finished under 3 hours. George Santelli, New York City. This article is written with the purpose of arousing Joseph Savich, Detroit, Mich. fencing alumni to interest the athletic associations Anthony Scafati, Newark, N. J. and fencing groups at their specific colleges in mOdi­ Capt. Theodore F. Schmidt, New York City. fying the present plan of dual meets. Charles Schmitter, Detroit, Mich. Under the present scheme of a twenty-seven bout H. G. Schurecht, Alfred, N. Y. meet, there has been a marked decrease in public Prof. Semmler, Brooklyn, N. Y. following at dual meets, a noticeable decrease in effi­ Louis Senac, New. York .City. ciency of judges after one or two hours, and an im­ William H. Setterberg, Chicago, Ill. patience of the fencers themselves. Confusion is a Arthur Sharp, Colorado Springs, Colo. common feature of the present method. Arthur Smith, Alma, Mich. Ernest B. Smith, Auburn,Ala. Mr. Dimond has suggested one plan of modification Guy M. Shockley, RantOUl, Ill. which would result in a saving of time. My objection Stanley Sieja, New York City. to his plan is only that it does not save enough time. John P. Sigrist, Chicago, Ill. The dual meets must have a drastic reduction in re­ Harry J. Smith, Ames, Iowa. quired time in order to achieve a favorable impression Joseph M. Smith, New York City. among the public, officials, and fencers. Leroy Snell, Olivet, Mich. Two alternative plans are offered; and of these, Bruce Snow, Boulder, Colo. the first is the favored one. Anton Sobocinski, Providence, R. I. F. L. Soverign, Troy, N. Y. PLAN 1. Nine-man team, three weapons, and each Robert Stetson, Pullman, Wash. weapon matched man to man to give a total of nine Paul Stevens, New York City. bouts. Victory in foil and sabre acquired when a Capt. J. H. Stodter, Fort Riley, Kansas. fencer has scored seven touches (instead of present Dean E. P. Stout, Detroit, Mich. five) . Victory in the slower and more exacting epee Capt. Stone, Culver, Ind. acquired when a fencer has scored five touches (in­ William F. Strobel, New York City. stead of the present three). This plan makes a Kurt Suskind, Memphis, Tenn. better combination of skill and strength of the indi­ Willis H. Summers, St. Louis, Mo. vidual, places a greater responsibility on the indi­ John J. Sylvestri, Loretto, Pa. vidual, make the entire team interested on the out­ Lieut. K. V. Taylor, Charleston, S. C. come of each bout, and will create a greater public Leonardo Terrone, Philadelphia, Pa. interest. Most important of all, it will save about F. Ernest Terry, Portland, Ore. 1% hours or 50% of the present method. Only a Harvey S. Therrien, Rich~ond, Ind. loss of common sense would require a fencing meet Gervase C. Thomas, Minneapolis, Minn. ,to last more than one or two hours. Carl Trieb, Los Angeles, Calif. Henri J. Uyttenhove, Los Angeles, Calif. PLAN 2. Twenty-seven bouts as per present Philemon Utley, Wake Forest, N. C. scheme, with epee reduced to one or two touches for Ella B. Vandergrift, Chico, Calif. victory, and foil and sabre reduced to four touches Thomas Vanosdall, Ashland, Ohio. for victory. This would save about one hour in George K. Vapaa, Harrington, Delaware. fenCing time, but retain the confusion of, the robin Louis Vauthier, West Point, N. Y. which should be retained only for the Intercollegiate Carl Veith, New Haven, Conn. Championships (Joke!). Capt. Charles Vical, Boston, Mass. From my many inqUiries among college fencers, Joseph Vince, New York City. officials, coaches and spectators I have concluded Edward Visconti, San Francisco, Calif. that a drastic reduction in the required time for a Boris Von Arnold, Riverdale, N. Y. dual fencing meet must be negotiated before the sport Russell K. von Wieder, Mansfield, Ohio. returns to its primeval stage in the United States. Rev. Stephen Wendell, Latrobe, Pa. Plan 1, above, is favored because of the simplicity, Ricard West, Philadelphia, Pa. captivation, and greater benefits on the individual L. R. Wilson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. fencer because of the greater responsibility he must John Winter, Easton, Pa. face. W. J. Wittich, La Crosse, Wis. Christopher Wuest, Ithaca, N. Y. A drastic reduction in time will aid in procuring Norman Wyckoff, East Orange, N. J. more willing officials for these dual meets, increase Verle Young, Northfield, Minn. the spirit of the meets, increase the number of specta­ tors which help make a meet more interesting and Dr. Henry J. Zettleman, Evanston, Ill. ~nally give fewer headaches all around, please be­ Martin L. Zubres, Schenectady, N. Y. lIeve me. The Riposte Page seven

By DONALD BARNES IT SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY that fencing will there are few spectators, there are few facilities for ever become a great spectator sport. Twenty thousand them. What seats there are are usually taken up people are never gOing to jam Madison Square Gar­ by contestants or contestants' gear. And then, as den to see an epee bout (even a one-touch epee we have already said, very little effort is made to bout). But just on the off-chance that a spectator acquaint the spectators--or even the fencers them­ might wander into a salle during the course of a selves, sometime&-with what is going on. There is competition, there might be a movement set under practically no other sport known to mankind that way to cope with the situation. goes its merry way without benefit of either score­ When fencers are confronted with spectators, there board or public address system. seems to arise a general attitude of helplessness about A recent occasion will serve as an example of how making the casual onlooker feel at home or helping this works out. The final round of the 1940 foils him to understand the rites that transpire during a championship had a good deal of drama in it. War­ It competition. In fact, officials sometimes seem to ren Dow got out in front at the very start, and by ic go out of their way to make the whole thing as ab­ the midway point had compiled what seemed. to be i­ struse as possible. an unbeatable lead. Then, with only three rounds L­ On the surface of it, fencing appears to be a fine of the round-robin to be fenced, Dernell Every and Norman Lewis began to creep up on him. A magnifi­ a sport for the novice spectator, the person whose knowledge of swordplay stems mostly from under­ cent situation for a triple-tie developed. But did the spectators know about it? Not very many of them graduate performances of Hamlet, Cyrano or Henry n did. n IV. You either hit or are hit and that's all there is to it, he thinks. Little does he know! Then came a bout that seemed to hold little in­ e. terest: Mr. Dow, undefeated in six bouts, versus Na­ A series of cardinal rules seem to have been thaniel Lubell, who had won none of six bouts. It n drawn up about the relationship of spectators to was fenced in comparative privacy, yet actually it fencing, rules to which all competitions adhere re­ was most important in deciding the championship. e, ligiously. Let's outline a few of them: Who knew this? Only a few of those aficionados 1. Identities of all fencers shall be carefully con­ who had been keeping their own score-sheets. cealed. They shall have no distinguishing numbers It is logical that fencing will never become a great h and their names shall be announced once at the most spectator sport, because the whole theory and action Le during each bout. And even when names are an­ of fencing is so precise and so minute that it requires a nounced, it shall never be mentioned which of the close and careful attention. But only a pretty hope­ It two competing fencers bears which name. less pessimist would contend that it cannot attract a 2. Scores of all bouts in progress shall be rigidly larger "gate" than it does now. There are many little L­ concealed. If the scorer goes so far as to give the ways which, since ,they would let the spectators in a a current standing, he shall only say "Three-two," or little more on the secret of what's' going on, might i­ whatever the count may be, without mentioning help to increase general interest and stimulate the i- which of the competitors is ahead. same kind of amateur and casual attendance that ;- 3. Under no conditions shall the relative won­ makes up the bulk of the audience at almost any ic and-lost standing of the fencers be revealed, unless sports event. Here are a few of them: It the bout is obviously a fence-off for a medal. In Require all competitors to wear a number, which a addition, there must never be a scoreboard of any shall be keyed either to a printed program, a score­ ~t type. If there are two pools, there shall be no an­ board or a blackboard on which contestants' names nouncement of which competitors are fencing in are printed. which pools. Require the scorer to announce the score of every It 4. The technical phraseology of decisions during bout-including competitors' name&-after the scor­ )r bouts shall never be explained. The ideal of such ing of every touch. ~s decisions is something like this: "Halt! Attack-takes­ Require the announcement of standings of the n blade-envelopment-parried-riposte-parried-foul- coun­ fencers or the teams at frequent interval&-after every n ter-riposte-for-you-yes-for-you-foul-for-me-no-benefit six bouts say-during the course of a competition. be -of-the-doubt-nothing-done-fence!" Any further ex­ Request directors to be as explicit as possIble in planation shall be looked on as callow. their discussion of a phrase d'armes so that spectators s, ~ 5. Occasionally there shall be a ceremony known may understand the interpretations of the jury. !d as "the debate." When a fencer does not agree with Try to speed up bouts and shorten intervals be­ a a director, or when judges and directors cannot agree, tween bouts. Ban any and all arguments after a rt the debate shall be quiet and prolonged. In spite of decision has been announced by the director. s. the fact that the director's decision is always final If at all possible, provide a scoreboard for at least y, and always prevails, there shall be no time-limit on the final strip in each competition, showing the won­ any debate at any time. and-lost record of each competitor. ~l st There was a time, historians of competitive fencing Maybe these ideas wouldn't increase attendance at tell us, when spectators were definitely unwelcome fencing competitions at all. At any rate, they would even at such events as National Championships. This do two other things, almost equally important: they Lg attitude has long since been outmoded, but spectators would lend a dignity and coherence to important ;e receive less of a break today at a fencing competition tournaments that are now almost totally lacking, L­ than in almost any sport with the possible exception and they would help the fencers themselves to un­ ld of underwater swimming contests. Simply because derstand what's going on. ~- Page eight The Riposte

THE NEW RULES BOOK-SIDELIGHTS AND COMMENTS

By MIGUEL A. DE CAPRILES Chairman of A. F. L. A. and I. C. F. A. Rules Committees

IF I MIGHT BE PERMITTED to paraphrase the 1932 Olympics, or the Sesquicentennial fencing events late Mr. Justice Holmes, it is not sufficient that you in Philadelphia, or the origin and highlights of the admire a father's newborn babe; you must agree British - American matches, the Cuban - American that it is the healthiest, handsomest, and most per­ matches, and the Canadian-American matches? Or fect infant you have ever seen; or you must fight; the details of the 1933 national outdoor champion­ and to a large extent the same is true about authors ships at the Chicago World's Fair, or of the excur­ and their books. The Remise, in the last issue of sions of American fencers in European competitions The Riposte, has been complimentary enough to satis­ and the World's championships? Or about the fy the conceit of the Rules Committees who produced achievements of the great names in the history of the new Rules Book. Perhaps the compliments have American fencing, such as Dr. Graeme M. Hammond, led you and all our readers to expect too much, and our first President and still active as Honorary Presi­ you will be even more critical than usual when you re­ dent; W. Scott O'Connor, A. G. Bothner, the only ceive your copy of the new Rules. However, I think man ever to win the three individual championships; you might be interested to know more of the details John Allaire, Henry Breckinridge, Sherman Hall, attending the preparation of the book, the specific George C. Calnan, the first American to place in the problems that had to be met, and the reasOn why a Olympic individual championship; Joseph L. Levis, certain solution was preferred to a host of other now a professional, but runner-up in the 1932 Olym­ possible solutions. pic foil championship; and many others who are still While the members of the Rules Committees have active in the amateur ranks? reason to be proud of the final result, they are the There is little to tell about the section on "organ­ first to recognize that their effort is far from per­ ization", except that, since the time of writing, the fect. But the road to real improvement lies with the Board of Governors has cancelled the charters of the great body of fencers rather than with a small com­ inactive divisions, and has granted a new charter to mittee. The fencers who are active in competition the Oregon Division. To this extent, our beautiful must make a real effort to understand, not only the new rules book is already obsolete! individual rules, but the general theory of rule­ SECTION B reproduces the Constitution and By­ making; and they must keep in mind the fact that, Laws of the A. F. L. A. without change. Of course, in a sport as ancient and widespread as ours, there the job of the Rules Committee was simply to see to are many diverging and legitimate points of view. it that this material was readily available to our Then, on the basis of actual experience, suggestions fencers. We had no power to make changes, and for improvement can be made which will truly be of no desire to do so. In the course of reading proof, value in drafting the fencing rules of the future. however, we did find a few minor inconsistencies In this first article, on sidelights and comments, in the By-Laws which were called to the attention I wish to take up the first part of the rules book­ of the Board of Governors, which made the necessary the introductory material that has never before been corrections in accordance with the provisions of Chap­ included in the rules-and shall leave the actual ter X. Your copy of the By-Laws is up-to-date. rules of competition for later examination. In the At the same time, we discovered certain weak­ meantime, please read the Preface, so that you may nesses in the Constitution that led us to suggest the be familiar with the fundamental attitudes that desirability of appointing a Constitutional Committee guided your Committees in solving points of conflict. to study our basic document and report. For in­ SECTION A is frankly a bit of propaganda, using stance, a minor defect in draftsmanship is to be this word in its pure meaning, without unfavorable found in Article III, as part of the long paragraph overtones. It was our intention briefly to acquaint on Active Membership really applies to all types of fencers who are not members of the A. F. L. A. (and membership; .the adequacy of our definition of an many who are), with the function, history, and or­ Amateur might be questioned; Chapter I of the By­ ganization of the League. It is propaganda born of Laws might be clarified on the subject of admission the belief that the strength of our sport is inti­ of new members; part of Chapter VI might be im­ mately tied up with the strength of its official ama­ proved, as refers to fencing rules; Chapter VII might teur organization. The factual material, we believe, need rewriting if the Board of Governors should is strictly accurate. transform the Metropolitan Committee into a full­ The history of the A. F. L. A. is extremely con­ fledged division in the future. densed. It was not intended to be complete, since THE AMATEUR CODE. SECTION C was one of the Rules Committee did not have adequate data to the most difficult and yet most interesting parts of write a real history. Greater detail would have run the new Rules book, from the point of view of the the risk of serious omissions. Then, too, we felt tha1 Rules Committee. It was difficult because it covers a even a brief mention of our history might stimulate controversial subject, upon which the members of the some of our fencers to a more ambitious effort. The Committee were far from agreement, either as to golden opportunity is here: The current fencing sea­ fundamental concepts or as to details. It was in­ son will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the founding teresting because of its history and ramifications. of the A. F. L. A. What better time than this for The subject of amateurism, as an abstract concept, someone to tell you about the famous 1912 Olympic has always fascinated me. Clear though it may seem fencing team, or the epochal victory of the United in general terms, it continually presents subtle and States over the champion French foil team in the baffling paradoxe::; when specifiC situations are en- The Riposte Page nine

countered, and the tenous line between amateur and Governors, in the interest of a "government of laws, professional (or non-amateur) has to be drawn. For and not of men" upon the question of amateur example, in our own Constitution, we find that Army standing. It is in this connection that we find some and Navy officers are exempt from the prohibitions interesting historical data. of ARTICLE III, SECTION 2, when in the discharge About ten years ago, a committee of the Board of official duty. This, of course, is based on the the­ of Governors (headed, I believe, by Leon M. Schoon­ lts ory that an Army officer has no choice; he must obey maker) was appointed to study the rules of the Ama­ ,he orders for the good of the service. Now, the Federa­ teur Athletic Union and to make recommendations an tion Internationale d'Escrime has ruled on this same for the adoption of an amateur code by the A. F. L. A. Or question and arrived at the same general result, but This was eminently proper, in view of our Articles of ,n­ with an important difference of detail. According to Affiliation with the A. A. U., and the provision for Ir­ the F. I. E., an Army officer, who is assigned co A. A. U. enforcement of penalties inflicted by the ons supervise courses in fencing in military establish­ A. F. L. A. The committee rendered a divided but ;he ments, is an amateur; but if he is required to give well-considered report; it was ceremoniously accept­ of lessons, he is a professional. This resulted in a pe­ ed-and then it was filed out of sight. It never ap­ nd, culiar situation some years ago, when Jack Dimond, peared in print; it never was made known to the si­ Army officer assigned to fencing instruction at West general membership; and even the Board of Gover­ nly Point, was an amateur as far as the A. F. L. A. was nors eventually forgot all about it. Only the pains­ ps; concerned, and yet was considered a professional by taking research through the official minute book by all, the F. I. E. (and the F.!. E. rule governed for Olym­ John Huffman brought it back to light, although ;he pic competitions.) It would perhaps be a waste of technically it has been a part of our official rules ~is, . time to consider here the justification for one or the for these ten years. With very minor variations of m­ other view; but this case illustrates rather sharply language, you will find it under the sub-heads "Acts till how thin the dividing line can be in specific situa­ of Disbarment" and "Reinstatement" in SECTION C tions. of your new Rules book. m­ The A. F. L. A. has consistently followed the policy About five years ago, the F. I. E. published a sum­ ~he of determining each case on its merits. I believe this mary of the decisions of its international Congresses ~he is fundamentally sound, and in the long run the only covering a period of fifteen years on the subject of to satisfactory method of handling the problem. How­ amateurism. This was done in order to acquaint the Jul ever, there is a strong body of opinion that the affiliated fencing organizations with the rules that members of the A. F. L. A. should be given general would prevail in connection with the 1936 Olympic 3y­ rules as to what is permissible and what is objection­ Games. A translation from the original French was rse, able, as revealed in the decisions of the Board of done either by George Breed or myself, and I re- to Jur md lof, r--'--'---'-'-----'-'--, ~ies ion I I ary The Amateur Fencers League oj America Presents: ap- I I ak­ I 1940 FENCING RULES I the I Official Rules Book of the Amateur Fencers League of I ;tee , A merica. the Intercollegiate Fencing Association, and _ in­ j the National Collegiate Athletic Association. I be lph I I of I New, up-to-date, thoroughly revised, complete. I an By­ I I ;ion I PRICE: FIFTY CENTS I im­ I (Bound in Paper) I ght mId I Active Members of the A. F. L. A. are entitled to One Free Copy. I ull- e I -, ,e ~ of Limited Library Edition, Bound in Buckram, $1.25 I ; of I the e , Ie rs a - , the I Address the National Secretary of the A. F. L. A. I : to in- e Dr. Ervin S. Ace), 25 Beaver Street, New York City, I :ept, I I eem e I and I .:._(II ___ ('.-.().-.C) ___ O.-.I) .... I) .... C .. (I .... () .... ()_t)...... 1) .... () .... I).... I) .... en- (I_CI.... C)_().... I~I' I)_I~()_() .... I)_(~C~()_I~(".....~I~(~~.:. Page ten The Riposte

member it was considered very seriously by the Board teur and professional a valid one? Or is the rUle of Governors, and duly noted. It was then filed in polo sounder? away-and lost--until Dernell Every resurrected the These questions have been raised in Rules Com­ material a few months ago. The Rules Committee mittee meetings; they have been argued strenuously; then went over the F.!. E. decisions, noting similari­ but the members of the Committee have not reached ties and differences in point of view as compared unanimity of opinion. It seems that there are good with the rules based on the A. A. U. code, eliminated arguments on both sides. This being the case, the duplications as well as certain internal inconsistencies, Committee as a whole concluded that no one view and you may now find the net addition to our body commended itself above all others as to wisdom and of general principles in the sub-section entitled expediency. Therefore the Committee did not at­ "F.!. E. Precedents". tempt to frame an ideal amateur code, but only to Finally, during the last two years, a number of summarize what the Board of Governors had done troublesome questions have come up before the Board heretofore. of Governors. The action of the Board has been Finally, a word about SECTION D. The rules on summarized in the subsection "Questionable Situa­ exhibitions were originally drafted by Dernell Every tions" and in the footnote on "Amateur Coaching." about a year and a half ago. Their purpose, like These situations are exceptionally troublesome because that of the amateur code, was to give fencers a proof of professionalism is difficult without, at times, general idea of the principles which guide the Board embarrassing investigations; and yet, these are the of Governors in approving or disapproving exhibitions. cases that in the past have given rise to "whispering These rules were published in the Secretary's News _ campaigns" or rumors which have tended to destroy Letter in the fall of 1939. The present draft in the the easy camaraderie and mutual confidence that Rules book rearranges the sequence of the original should prevail in amateur sport. In the interest of rules with minor verbal changes. The footnote on maintaining morale, such whispers should be stilled, Professional Certificates of Merit was added by the and the problem is how to clean up the matter be­ Rules Committee, and is intended purely as a descrip­ fore it gets out of control. There was strong opin­ tion of what the Certificate is.- ion on the Board and on the Rules Committee in This article, then, completes the story behind the favor of requiring the fencer in these questionable non-competitive rules of fencing. In the next article, cases to prove his amateur standing; that is, to prove I shall begin with the rules of organization of com­ that he had never been guilty of acts of disbarment. petitions, and follow through the Rules book in order. However, as Norman Armitage pointed out, such a requirement leads to an impossible result: How can a man prove that he _has never been guilty of an TEXAS act of disbarment? It is very much like requiring A round robin series of team matches among the a man to prove that he has never been married. In men's and women's teams of Texas will constitute tlie order to prove it, he might be required to produce major part of the Southwestern Division's winter evidence that not a single woman ever claimed him schedule. as a husband; that is, you would have to question The six teams entered in the men's round robin, every woman whom he might have married, and if contested from November 22 to March 22, are the you omitted a single one your_ proof might be worth­ Dallas Y. M. C. A., Southern Methodist University, the less! Of course, this is an extreme illustration but Galveston Anicos, Forth Worth Y. M. C. A., Texas A. very apt. The solution which has been incorporated & M. College, and Baylor University. in the Rules book is the one adopted by the Board Competitors in the women's round robin will be of Governors, and is intended to give warning to two teams representing the Dallas Women's Fencing people who might find themselves in such questionable Club, the Dallas Aces, Richelieu's Guards of Dallas, situations, so that they will not, perhaps inadvert­ the Royal Assassins of Dallas, and EI Florete of Fort ently, subject themselves to criticism. Worth. The competitive season runs from November In brief, the Amateur Code is a compendium of 8 to March 13. actual rules adopted by the A. F. L. A. and of actual The division's open tournament will be held in decisions of the Board of Governors. It is by no Houston during December. means a perfect code, but I think it serves a useful Early-season meets included a challenge match be­ purpose, in presenting this information to the gen­ tween the Dallas Women's Fencing Club and the eral body of fencers for the first time in printed men's team of the Dallas Y. M. C. A., contested at the form. Any improvements must await familiarity of Y. M. C. A. on October 25. The men's team triumphed, the fencers with the problems involved, and a crystal­ 5-3, after a hard struggle. Following the matches, lization of their opinion. the contestants fenced in practice bouts at the regular Many interesting questions could be raised. For Friday family-night session of the Y. M. C. A. example, our Constitution exempts writing, editing, Mildred Haskins, representing the Dallas Women's or publishing articles, magazines or books on fencing, Fencing Club, won the Texas women's open foil meet from the range of objectionable activities. What at the Dallas Y. M. C. A. on October 5. Second place about lecturing? What about producing motion pic­ went to Lovicy Eckstein of the Ace Fencing Club and ture films? Is not the rationals of the former ap­ third to Peggy Hunt of the Dallas Women's Fencing plicable to the latter? Or, to inquire further into the Club. amateur code: Is it desirable for fencers to follow The board of governors of the Southwest Fencing the A. A. U. rule which makes a professional in one League, at their fall meeting, authorized the publica­ sport, or a teacher of physical education, automatical­ tion of a league magazine, and the first issue, a 32- ly a professional fencer? Or is the rule followed page mimeographed booklet, was published in Novem­ by golfers more suitable? Or, to go to the root of ber and carried items of general interest to all south­ the whole problem: Is our distinction between ama- west fencers. The Riposle Page eieven

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Of course all of you saw the picture of Orest Mey­ others and we always enjoy watching its devotees kar, the New Orleans professional, in one of the No­ belt one another with them, but we long ago learned vember issues of Look Magazine. Many of you have that a left-hander takes a horsewhipping on his upper brought it to our attention already and so we are arm and shoulder and that you cannot parry a head­ only mentioning it in passing. Look Magazine fea­ cut by merely shutting your eyes. Nevertheless, we tured ten pictures showing a typical (?) day in the were definitely tempted and the reason was no other French Quarter of New Orleans with Meykar show­ than the beautiful set of medals designed and pre­ ing up in picture nine in a terrible fencing pose. He sented by Nicholas Muray. never looked like that when I fenced with him this We have seen a great many fencing medals in our summer. day; others have been kind enough to show them X'X' to us. Of these, three have stood out particularly Meykar's pose in the fencing picture brings up a in mind; the Arthur S. Lyon medals, one set of the subject that has been troubling us for some time. Pieter Mijer medals, and the German Helmet medals Press photographers generally have a keen imagina­ in Hans Halberstadt's collection in San Francisco. tion for the picturesque but no idea of fencing. If We are now placing Nick Muray's new gift along you permit them, they will shoot you in poses that with these as medals which are intrinsic art in them­ would make thousands of dead duelists tum over in selves. their graves and say, "GC'od Lord, even we weren't The new medal was especially conceived by Muray, that bad and see where we landed." whose artistry as a photographer is recognized Fencers should take the position that Helena throughout the world. He employed a fine sculptor Mroczkowska's coach took recently. As American Wo­ to execute the work which is simply a sabre handle men's Foil Champion, she was approached for some gripped in Nick's bare right hand against a back­ fencing pictures. They all but hung her from a ground of flag stripes and stars to symbolize the chandelier when her coach asked, "Do you want these American flag. The sabre guard is polished, the re­ pictures?" "Certainly." "You can have them only mainder of the medal is in dull finish. Robert Stoll, in correct fencing positions. None of this funny busi­ Inc., produced the medals. ness. I don't want her to look ridiculous to the real X'X' fencers who see these pictures." Correct pictures were In Mike de Capriles' article in this issue he men- then taken. tioned the opportunity and need at this time for some Fencers have to put up with a certain number of energetic writer to undertake a history of the A. F. publicity pictures taken of people who never before L. A. He gave mention of a few of the personalities saw a foil. These phonies bear some such caption as, and incidents that should not be omitted from such "Hazel Twerp, beautiful Streetville debutante, returns a work and whose accomplishments, until now 'passed from the polo field daily to don fencing ensemble and on by word of mouth, must soon be inscribed in writ­ enjoy a fast joust with her private fencing master." ten history or be irrevocably lost with the passing Then there is the one of the row of bathing beauties of time. straddled out in a line on a beach with foils in hand­ It would be a Cl'lme to permit the amusing contro­ "Lifesavers beware as these beautiful girls lunge and versy of 1891 be forgotten. In those days fencers parry at Miami Beach." No one with sane mind wele all men of means and few in number. The takes such pictures seriously. National Foil Championship was the only competition The pictures we really hate to see are those of of the year, and as Donald Barnes mentioned in his good fencers who because of photographic economy article, the fencers didn't particularly care if any are crowded so close together that they resemble spectators attended or not. The controversy arose as Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. This usually to the site of the Championship. Samuel Shaw of­ demands a definite overlunge by one and fencing's fered his estate at Oyster Bay. Eugene Higgins of­ least practical parry, prime, by the other. You can fered the special fencing Salle aboard his 306 foot count such pictures by the score during the season. yacht, The Varuna. Each offered to pay all expenses (Meykar worked the prime in his.) for a full week-end with champagne and all the Last but not least we hope never again to see those trimmings. Personally, I would have voted for the two favorite cliche captions, "Touche" and "Foiled cruise, but the fencers were so evenly divided in Again." Although hope is said to spring eternal we choice that the Championship was finally held at the have definitely given up hope of ever outliving those New York Athletic Club, followed by a banquet spe­ two old chestnuts. cially prepared by William Munchenheim, the A. C.'s X'X' famous chef of the 90's. We have always looked with scorn upon the occa- Incidentally, William Munchenheim and his brother sional fencer who may be termed a "medal-chaser." Fred, were names in the culinary art which caused He enters competitions primarily to win a medal and, epicures to sit up and drool. The fencers appreci­ if he is good enough, he becomes a collector. To ated this skill and often retained these chefs for enter a competition implies that you will do your their special annual banquets. The record banquet best to win and rightfully so. A medal should be cost such fencers as W. T. Lawson, H. K. Bloodgood. considered a reward and never an objective in itself. C. G. Bothner, Samuel T. Shaw, Eugene Higgins and We, therefore blush to admit that we nearly dusted Georg'e Lord Day $28 per plate. The present Hotel off our sabres and entered the Junior Sabre com­ Astor is said to have been built to give William petition on November 30th. Nothing but an unusual Munchenheim a proper dining room for the exploita­ enticement would make us do such a thing. Mind tion of his art. you, we think that sabre is an excellent weapon for You should be told about James P. Parker, Sr., of The Riposte Page thirteen

Boston, who placed in the Finals in 1901 but suffered of the well-known fencers in this group are Heiss, an accident in the following six months which re­ Sands, Weber, Doughty, Steere, Kunzig, Mayo, and quired the amputation of his right hand. He returned Manzo. to the Championships the next year, fenced with his This development need not be considered as all left hand and won. loss and no gain for the sport of fencing. There will Then there is t}1e paradoxical story of G. W. Post­ be fencers going into camps throughout the country. g'ate, present professional at Carnegie Tech, who won There will be many long evenings to while away. It the National Sabre Championship in 1908, because will not be long before fencers will make use of these he was hit more times than his opponents. Sabres evenings by fencing together or teaching others to in those days we\'e heavy and wielded with a vim fence. Marson, Lada-Mocarski and Donovan lost no and carry-through that would have shamed a Roman time at Plattsburg this summer in introducing fencing gladiator. Welts were the order of the day and the to their friends in camp. Should the Army ever sud­ average sabreman became so inured to a sound denly appreciate the benefits to eyes, wrists, body, thumping that he ceased to feel anything that didn't wind and general well-being Lhat fencing offers at jar his teeth. Even though hit, he continued on to little cost and without too great indoor space require­ slam his bold opponent in return. A special rule had ments, it might back a fencing program to interest to be made to prevent hitting after being hit. It its men during evenings in camp. There are possi­ stated that if any fencer hit an opponent after he, bilities here that would greatly offset the lull which himself, had been scored against he not only lost threatens A. F. L. A. activity. the touch but had one touch deducted from his own Professionals would be wise in watching for and score. endeavoring to promote any such development. . Postgate was a light hitter, a forerunner of the Thousands of physically perfect young men may cre­ modern sabreman. His opponents seldom realized ate a demand for fencing instructors that would dwarf that he had hit them. His light touches were in­ any demand to date. The whole Army program is variably followed by a return action from his oppo­ permeated with the idea of making Army life attrac­ nents. This meant a plus one touch for him "Ind tive to its new men. Sports activity is looked upon a minus one score for his opponent. He went about favorably. Fencing is ideal for the purpose and this piling up his own score and cancelling his opponents' opportunity to develop the sport further should not scores and won the Championship after a full evening be overlooked. of "whams" received. XX These are a few of the yarns that could be woven PHILADELPHIA into any history of the League. Mike has mentioned A dinner meeting at .the Philadelphia Sword Club others and there are countless more. Someone should opened the fall season for the Philadelphia Division collect them for posterity. on September 23. Among the topics discussed at XX the meeting were plans and schedules for the 1940-41 Two of our former Olympic Team members have year and the possibility of fostering classes to develop just won their bouts against white-masked surgical a larger goup of officials for divisional competitions. knife-wielders. George Breed came off with a head­ The problem of increasing the available number cut and Al Strauss took a mean cut in the mid­ of officials was described at the meeting as a vital section but both are reported as doing nicely. Al one for the sport, in view of the growing competitive Strauss is claiming a foul on the grounds that he schedule each year. It was suggested that the con­ was outnumbered and attacked when he had his eyes e stantly increasing burden on the more experienced shut. fencers might be relieved by further willingness on 1 Incidentally, when Breed is up and around again the part of younger men and women interested in S he will find that the A. F. L. A. has elected him its fenCing to aid in this important function. Y first Honorary Life Member in return for his many s A new chairman of the Philadelphia division bout years of faithful service to the League in general committee has been appointed, Louis Sarvis, former and to the difficult task of Foreign Secretary in par­ Harvard fencer. ticular. ,t XX 's 'XX NORTHERN CALIFORNIA The Selective Service Draft will undoubtedly have A team of four women representing the San Fran­ e its effect upon the fencing situation in the current e cisco Fencers Club swept the 1940 Women's Foil Team season. The A. F. L. A. has already recognized this Competition sponsored by the Northern California n problem by extending its memberships by one year e Division. without dues assessment, if called to service. The The group had a record of five wins and no losses .large bulk of active A. F. L. A. fencers come within 's in its matches with the Funke Fencing Academy First the age limit. The Collegiate groups for the most Team, the G G 5, the Funke Fencing Academy Sec­ part are under the lower age limit and not heavily ~r onds, the Funke Thirds, and Stanford University. affected but it is entirely possible that somewhere The winning group was composed of Roberta Fritz, between one tenth and one quarter of the A. F. L. A. Marcelle Woollen, Lura Morse, and Constance Dean. male membership may be called for Selective Ser­ Betty Jane Nevis, Emilie Romaine and Helen Sander vice. comprised the Funke Firsts, and the G G 5 was made One of our National Champions, Fred Siebert, a up of Amelia Riedener, Lydia Riedener, Norma Pe­ Reserve Officer. has already left for Scott Field. Ill., rotti. and Annamaria Giannini. The meets were but hopes to continue his fencing this season in St. fenced on the Funke Fencing Academy, the G G 5 Louis which is just across the Mississippi River. Jean and the Stanford University strips, between October Grombach and Winslow Cornett are reported as hav­ 4 and October 25. ing returned to the Army as Captains. Of course, Roberta Fritz of the winning San Francisco Fencers too, there are a great many A. F. L. A. members who )f Club team compiled the best score of bouts won and have been Army or Navy officers right along. Some lost with a record of twelve straight victories. Page jour teen The Riposte

A. F. L. A. NEWSLETTER AND NATIONAL APPROVED 1940-1941 LIST OF DIRECTORS SCHEDULE The Board of Governors of the A. F. L. A. has ap­ Every November the Amateur Fencers League of proved the following list of Directors in each weapon America issues an annual Newsletter and a Schedule for the use of Bout Committees in the preferred se­ of National Fencing Events free of charge to all of lection of their Juries. its members. Other interested fencers may obtain FOIL free copies of these publications upon request to Dr. Carlos Anselmi Douglas Gerard E. S. Acel, A. F. L. A. Secretary, 25 Beaver Street, New Norman Armitage John R. Huffman York City. Edward Carfagno Helene Mayer* Although an annual Newsletter must of necessity Barbara Cochrane* Leo G. Nunes repeat much of the news and facts already published Jose R. de Capriles Dr. Tibor Nyilas in The Riposte during the season, it will be found Miguel A. de Capriles of considerable interest and value for concise perma­ Harold R. Van Buskirk Warren Dow George Worth nent record. The 1940 edition is now available and Dernell Every contains the following items: * Approved jor women's competitions. Results of the National Championships. Results of the Intersectional Championships. EPEE New Trophies added during 1940. Carlos Anselmi Pieter Mijer Results of the Cuba-United States Matches. Norman C. Armitage Leo G. Nunes 1940 Certificates of Merit Awarded. Jose R. de Capriles Curtis E. Rice 1939-1940 National Rankings. Miguel A. de Capriles Alfred Skrobisch 1940 Olympic Team Selections. Warren Dow Harold Van Buskirk One Touch Epee Trial. Robert Driscoll New A. F. L. A. Divisions. SABRE A. F. L. A. Treasurer's Report. Norman C. Armitage Leo G. Nunes Constitutional Amendments. Jose R. de Capriles Dr. Tibor Nyilas News from the Divisions. Miguel A. de Capriles Harold Van Buskirk Purchase Recommendations for the new Arm Em­ Warren Dow George Worth blem, new Rulesbook and Olympic Fencing Seals. John R. Huffman Directory of Salle d'Armes extending non-resident privileges to A. F. L. A. members. It has also appointed a special committee made Directory of all A. F. L. A. National and Divisional up of Harold Van Buskirk, Chairman; Norman C. Officers. Armitage, Miguel A. de Capriles, Warren A. Dow and Leo G. Nunes whose duty it will be to watch Direc­ tors during the season and present recommendations WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS for the approved list to be published next year. A printed report on the activities of the Western Massachusetts Fencing Clubs, with headquarters at the West Springfield Y. M. C. A., won eighth place among entries from 1,200 Y. M. C. A.'s throughout the IOWA United States in a contest at the World's Fair last The Sioux City Amateur Fencers League was formed summer. The report, in the form of a 16-page booklet in Sioux City on November 6th. Mr. R. H. Huber depicting a resume of the organization's work since of that city, in seeking one other fencer with whom it was formed early in 1939, was a part of the Na­ to enjoy practice, located several and interested a tional Youth Project program, and received three good number of would-be fencers in the sport. As a prizes from the Fair as well. result, a group of twenty enthusiastic amateurs have The report was characterized as follows by Robert combined themselves into a League to learn to fence Littell, editor of Readers Digest and one of the foil. They have obtained the services of a fencing judges: teacher, have elected Mr. Huber as President of the "In contrast to the other selections, this report is League and through frequent gatherings hope to in the field of sports; but it seems to be so well or­ develop fencing to an important sport in their city. ganized and to be giving so much valuable and healthful exercise to the participants and entertain­ ment to its many audiences that I thing it should be ranked ahead of other projects which have a OREGON more serious aim." Two competitions for junior fencers wound up the The Western Massachusetts Division is planning recent summer outdoor season in Portland, Oregon. an active 1940-41 season. Lucille Poppe is president In the boys' division first place was taken by Frank of the division, Grace Sullivan secretary and Helen Haffenden, while Robert Bennett and Frederick Smith Kobera treasurer. Douglas P. Boyea, fencing coach finished in second and third places. at Springfield College, also acts as coach of the The girls' competition was divided into two sec­ Western Massachusetts Club. tions, Joan Freed sweeping all her bouts in the first Mr. J. P. O'Donnell. coach at the Springfield Y. M. division, followed by Betty Bauman and Marjorie C. A., brought about 20 of his boys and girls to New Cowlin. Phyllis Cantrell won in the second group, York City late in November to visit one of the larger with Barbara Earl second and Barbara Bauman third. Salle d'Armes. As word of the invasion spread, New The competitions were under the direction of Jon York fencers automatically assembled to practice and Gusick, fencing instructor at the Multnomah Ath­ fence with the visitors. letic Club. The Riposte Page ftfteen

ILLINOIS a record of four wins and one loss, with Wiley and Participation of a large group of Chicago fencers Herter, representing the Senn High School Fencing in the Sports Show staged at the Chicago Arena on Club, taking second and third prizes, respectively. September 21-29 was one of the major features of Arthur Cohn of Hyde Park High School defeated the fall season for the Illinois division. Floyd Traynham, Jr., of the Hermanson Fencing Included among the troupe that participated in School 5-4 in a fence-off for the Illinois Junior Foil 13 performances during the Show were Eugene C. Championship after each had tied with 3 victories Williams, former midwest saber champion; Arthur and 1 loss apiece in the five-man Finals. There were Todd, ex-state saber champion; Jerry Mau, present 23 entries in the competition which took place on state foil champion; and Norma MacIntosh, all of November 17th at Chicago University's Bartlett Gym­ the Edgewater Fencing Club; Sylvia Mikkelson, Dick nasium. Leon Strauss of Hyde Park High School Poddlesack and Ed Trier of the Northwest Fencing was third. Club; A. R. Mulligan and Shirley Haffercamp of The Lake Shore Athletic Club team of Frank Rig­ North Park College, and a group or several junior heimer, Jr., Campbell Wilson and Armand Stella won fencers. the Walbott Cup in senior men's foil over a field of Spotted number five in the Sports Show program, nine teams at the Lake Shore Club in Chicago on the group made an instantaneous hit with the spec­ November 24. tators. After a series of short saber bouts and foil The high point of the meet was the final round demonstrations, Eugene Williams and Jerry Mau match between the Lake Shore trio and the Herman­ showed their saber skill with a dramatic, maskless son Fencing School team composed of Loyal Tingley, !fuel that climaxed the presentation. Oscar Barab, and Tully Friedman. After a series of The University of Illinois, which last spring had spectacular and bitterly contested bouts, the Herman­ planned to drop fencing, reinstated the sport at the son team was finally defeated, 5-3. beginning of the fall semester. The University's A st. Louis team, composed of the Misses Carol coach will be Maxwell Garrett, recent amateur,. who King, Ervilla Droll and Lucille Haenni, won the placed ninth in the last National Foils Championship. Illinois division's women's senior foil team meet at A new organization-the Evanston Fencing Club­ the Lake Shore Club on November 24. They defeated will become active in Evanston this season under the two teams from the University of Chicago and a team guidance of Dr. Henry Zettleman, coach at North­ representing the Lake Shore Club to come through western University. the round robin undefeated. Fencing his way through the final pool without The University of Chicago "A" team, composed of defeat, Oscar Barab of the Hermanson Fencing the Misses Dorothy Ingram, Maryalice von Wesche School retained his open foil championship in the and Mary Elizabeth Grenander was second, losing only Illinois division's opening meet at the Lake Shore to the st. Louis group. Club in Chicago, October 27.

Second place went to Tully Friedman of North­ .:.I~O""'(I~)_)""'()""'(I_()_()""'{)""'I)""'()""'(I""'(I""'()""'CI_)~C.:. western University, who lost only to Barab, and third to Charles Corbett, of the Hermanson School, Who was defeated only by the two other medalists. Maryalice von Wesche, of the Hermanson School, won the undefended title in the open women's foil meet run COincidentally with the men's foil, sweeping all her five bouts. Miss Dorothy Ingram took second place with a record of four wins and one loss, and Miss Jane Wilson was third with a 3-2 score. All the six entries in the competition represented the Her­ manson Fencing School. Loyal Tingley, the country's third ranking epee fencer, defeated Fred Siebert, the national champion, 3-2, to win the Illinois division open epee title at the Lake Shore Club on November 3. Tingley, repre­ senting the Hermanson Fencing School, went through the six-man round robin without defeat, while Siebert, after losing his crucial bout to Tingley, dropped a second decision to his Lake Shore Club teammate, e Warren Huguelet, who took third place. l. Strict enforcement of the rule that contestants [{ must be on time for a competition limited the field h in the Illinois division's open sabre meet the same day to four. Joseph Molkup, University of Chicago, took the gold medal ahead of Zidak, of the Herman­ :t son School, Walter Eisen and William Sheets who e finished in that order. ' l, Ten fencers entered the prep foil competition spon­ I. sored by the Illinois division at the Bartlett Gym­ Capt. Hanns Fischer of the North Shore Fencing n nasium, Chicago, on November 10. Gordon Groh, rep­ Academy in Chicago, Illinois.-Adv. resenting New Trier High School, won first place with Page sixteen The Riposte

A. F. L. A. COMPETITIONS IN N. Y. C. The Salle Henry IV was host to the A. F. L. A. No­ vice Sabre Competition on November 20th. There The Hammond Prep Foil Competition was won by were 31 contestants. Norman Lewis won the six-man Stephen F. Salat of st. John's University on October finals with 4 wins and 1 loss, while Martin Mendel­ 15th at the N. Y. A. C. There were twelve contest­ son of C. C. N. Y., Anthony Lombardo of N. Y. U., ants. Elliot F. Slone of the Foils Club was second and Sol Gorlin of N. Y. U. were tied for second with 3 and Ernest J. Haberle of the Fencers Club was third. wins and 2 losses apiece. They finished in that order The Van Buskirk Women's Prep Foil Competition on the basis of touches. was held at the Fencers Club on October 18th. Sev­ There were 27 contestants in the Prep Foil Com­ enteen girls competed for the three special medals petition held at the Saltus Fencing Club on November presented annually by Mrs. Harold Van Buskirk. Grace 25th. Leonard Essman of the Foils Club headed the Uhthoff of the Salle Santelli won the competition with six-man finals to win the competition with Arthur Virginia Murck of N. Y. U. second and Katherine Mc­ Friedman of Brooklyn College taking second and Kenzie of the Foils Club, third. Edward Stephens of the Saltus Fencing Club, third. The Hammond Novice Foil Competition was con­ On November 30th, the new Nickolas Muray Jun­ ducted at the N. Y. A. C. on October 22nd and 24th. ior Sabre Competition (see Remise column) was held Forty-four contestants competed for the single prize at the Salle Santelli. There were 34 entries. Jack offered in this competition, which prize was won by Gorlin of the Salle Santelli defeated his clubmate, Nino Maniaci of the Saltus Fencing Club. Norman Lewis, in a 5-3 fence-off after their tie of Twelve girls competed for the three Manrique 6 wins and 2 losses apiece in the nine-man finals. Medals awarded by the A. F. L. A. in the Manrique James Welles of the Rapier Club was third with 5 Women's Novice Foil Competition on October 27th at wins and 3 losses. the Salle Santelli. Grace Uhthoff of the Salle San­ The Vince Women's Open Foil Competition was telli was first, Bessie Aboulafia of the Foils Club held at the Salle d'Armes Vince on December 1st was second and Margaret Mackey of the Salle Cherny with. 52. starting competitors. Helena Mroczkowska was third. of the Fencers Club headed the six-girl finals with There were nineteen contestants in the Hammond 5 wins and no losses, while Mrs. Marion Vince of the Novice Sabre Competition at the N. Y. A. C. on Oc­ Salle d'Armes Vince took second prize over her club­ tober 29th. The single prize was won by Peter Tish­ mate, Madeline Dalton, on a basis of touch score man of N. Y. U. in a 5-4 fence-off with Arthur D. (11-15) after they had tied with 3 wins and 2 losses Tauber of N. Y. U. after each had won 4 bouts and apiece. The finishing order of the remaining final­ lost 1 in the six-man finals. ists was: Ruth Maxwell, Hofstra College; Dolly A new competition, the Col. George V. Cherny No­ Funke, Greco Fencing Academy, and Elizabeth Brus­ vice Epee Competition, attracted 31 competitors to the kin, unattached. Salle Cherny on November 3rd. Because of the large entry, bouts were fought for two touches and the competition fenced on the repechage system-pairing ST. LOUIS by lot-fencers with three losses being eliminated. A Soiree de Gala on November 8 opened the new The three Col. Cherny medals were won by Stanley St. Louis fencing center sponsored by the fencers of Klein of N. Y. U., Louis Turner of Columbia Univer­ St. Louis. The new hall accommodates four fencing sity and Murray Kornfeld of St. John's University. strips and represents a long step forward in the local The Hammond Junior Foil Competition, limited to division's plan to popularize fencing in that area. Juniors, attracted 15 contestants to the N. Y. A. C. on Tracy Barnes has been elected chairman of the November 5th. The Hammond Prize was won by center with Ervilla Droll as secretary and treasurer. Arthur D. Tauber of N. Y. U. The management committee consists of George Curtis, The Fencers Club was host to the A. F. L. A. Wo­ Miss Droll, Robert Witte, Charles Morgan, and Alan men's Prep Foil Competition and its 20 contestants Beck. The decision to establish a center was made on November 8th. Mrs. Lucille Brandt of the Salle at a meeting of the board of governors of the St. d'Armes Vince, Lorayne Shirley of Hofstra College, Louis Division of the A. F. L. A. and Rosalind Blumberg of the Foils Club won the One of the features of the Soiree de Gala was the three medals offered. first demonstration of the division's new electlic epee The new M. de Capriles Junior Epee Competition machine. was introduced on November 16th at the Salle San­ Of course St. Louis is very proud of its girls' foil telli. There were 30 contestants, arranged in 8-man team which cleaned up in Chicago on November 24th. pools, in this first one-touch individual epee com­ (Turn to the Illinois News and read all about it.) petition held since 1931. Several fence-offs were re­ quired to decide the finalists and winners of the XX gold, silver and bronze miniature epees awarded in LONG ISLAND this competition. Andre Deladrier of st. John's Uni­ Fencing is one of the subjects included in the versity won first prize after a fence-off with Fred State-subsidized Adult Educational Program being Haberle, also of St. John's University. Arthur D. presented Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the Se­ Tauber of N. Y. U. won third prize after fencing off wanaka High School in Floral Park. Twenty-seven with Wallace H. Goldsmith of the N. Y. A. C. beginners are already reported enrolled for the fenc­ Thirty-four girls competed for the three medals of­ ing which is being taught by Henry St. Leger. The fered in the A. F. L. A. Women's Novice Foil Com­ program is offered by the State at the nominal charge petition held at the Salle Santelli on November 17th. of $1.25 for a 20-week season to residents of the The medals were won by Emily Hocher of Salle Henri School District or $5.25 to non-residents. This fee IV, Ethel Merklen of Salle' Cherny and Margaret entitles you as well to choice of any of the many Mackey, also of the Salle Cherny. adult courses offered at the same time.