Aldo Nadi Says
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Aldo Nadi Says
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Date
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November 12, 1937
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volume
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2
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15
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en
ALDO NADI SAYS
At the Greco Fencing Academy where my friend and colleague acted as a perfect host, we saw the other night the scheduled senior foil competition. Jose de Capriles won it twice and a half, if I may say so. Once before the fence-off, once and a half during the latter. May I add that it is not always easy to win a competition… twice and a half times? His fencing was substantial even though, sometimes, a bit too wide. Unquestionably he deserved the victory. John R. Huffman, that beautiful fencer in all weapons, evidently short in training (at least as far as his hand is concerned) was the runner-up.
Alessandroni, so terribly handicapped by his ever-increasing size, proved that he possesses the best hand in the field, by far. If he had J. de Capriles’ body it would be an entirely different story for any foil man in this country. To Alessandroni, also, as well as to Huffman and J. de Capriles, should be given a prize for sportsmanship. We have to add a word of praise for Lewis who succeeded in dominating brilliantly a man of Every’s experience.
Jose de Capriles has won in a few days two important competitions in foil and epee. We congratulate him most heartily for this not usual feat.
Let us avoid, for this time, any comment regarding the definitely unpleasant incident, or incidents, that occurred during the competition.
The judges were unbelievably inefficient — except, possibly, Mr. Cochrane — but, let us be clear, this remark which we feel it is our strict duty to make, does not concern in the least the two presidents we saw at work. They did their best, in spite of not being helped at all by the judges, who, most of the time, hampered their decisions. We ask, though, a little more authority, when it is needed, from the President of the Jury. It was badly needed at a certain moment the other night. But Mr. Mike de Capriles was indeed too kind: and he must remember, whatever happens, that a President with authority should NEVER leave his post. He disposes of hard means when it is necessary to apply them. Yes, Mr. Mike de Capriles was too kind. And we also ask of the President of the Jury to delay as little as possible the decisions — which must reign supreme as well as undisputed. A quick decision always possesses authority. A delayed decision, even if right, shall never convince anybody; and will make the fencer angry.
To sustain the early part of the previous paragraph let me inform the readers that one of the judges “abstained” nine times out of ten, as an average. A great help indeed for the President! But I shall take this matter up on another occasion, and it is of course well understood that all this is said in the supreme interest of Fencing, and, particularly, of American Fencing.
For the moment, Gentlemen Fencers, don’t you think that it is more important to talk with the point of your weapon rather than with your tongue? If the word discipline, in other sports, means little or nothing, we have one more reason for showing that in our sport, the noblest of all, we fully DO know its meaning.
ALDO NADI
