The Remise
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Title
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The Remise
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Date
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November 1939
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volume
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4
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issue
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6
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page start
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8
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page end
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8
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content
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en
THE REMISE
What with the National Championships being held in San Francisco and my purse being made of particularly inelastic material, it was pretty much up to the Editor to pinch-hit for this column last issue. I was pleased to see The Remise carry on despite me and was further amused to receive a letter from the Editor a few days ago saying, "No thanks." What comments he received for his attempt as a columnist were from those personalities he dealt with who did not agree with his deal. Therein lies one virtue of my anonymity. At times I feel like a sneak, but since people will not spar with a shadow, they leave me very much alone. I try to respect this slightly unfair position by mentioning personalities unfavorably only where it has become necessary. Otherwise, "nil nisi bonum."
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There have been two important developments since my last writing. The first is the issuance of some two pages of new rules which have been adopted by the A.F.L.A. and mailed to all its members in the latest A.F.L.A. Newsletter. (Write to Dr. John R. Huffman, A.F.L.A. Secretary, 522 West 152nd Street, New York City for a free copy.)
You can send fencers an engraved copy of a new rule in three subsequent mailings and then see a surprised and hurt look on faces in competition when the rule is applied. We hear the old familiar, "Why doesn’t somebody tell me these things?" We may save some embarrassment by reviewing the more pertinent of these rules in detail.
A Prep used to be a fencer in his first A.F.L.A. competition. This classification has now been changed to mean a fencer in his first year of A.F.L.A. competition or until he wins a medal, indicating that he is too strong for the "just beginning" class. This gives the beginner more opportunity to compete among his equals and thereby gain competitive experience without too early elimination.
"Members of composite teams must be members of the same Division." The purpose of team competition is to prove the strength of the fencers of some unit: club, college, or locality. This new rule is to prevent three good fencers, say from Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York, from ganging together for the mere purpose of winning without being representative of the fencing strength of any unit when they do so.
"In a semi-final pool from which only two qualify, if three fencers tie with only one defeat each, all three shall be advanced to the final pool without counting touches." Often we have seen three fencers thus tied and one man eliminated on the basis of one touch. Elimination after a count of touches in a close round of this type does not appear fair. The A.F.L.A. has therefore enlarged the final round to include all three men rather than cause one man to suffer elimination after such fine showing of his competitive skill.
Fleche attacks in foil or sabre are to be frowned upon henceforth. If you close with an opponent by means of a fleche or run off the side of the strip in executing a fleche attack, you shall be warned. Upon repetition of either of these offenses during a bout, you shall be penalized a touch for each offense. The fleche is not forbidden, but the penalty for its use is now so heavy that it should not be attempted without perfect timing and careful execution.
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The other development of importance is the formation of a Metropolitan Committee of the A.F.L.A. to handle the local fencing competitions in New York City. We have long felt that fencing in New York was so closely tied up with National fencing affairs that little time was being devoted to the younger fencers of that city. We argued for some such arrangement a year ago and are pleased to see that this change is now a fact. Once formed, this Committee went to work rapidly and arranged the largest Schedule of Events ever seen in these parts. It set aside some 65 separate afternoons or evenings for local competitions. It worked so hard to provide days for its competitions that it nearly scheduled some in the past. As it was, it only just got in under the wire by using a supplementary mailing early in October, that caused many a young fencer to scurry to his professional for tuning.
That many fencers were caught napping was evidenced by the fact that only 12 boys entered the first competition which had attracted a field of 29 last year. This would have been unfortunate in any other year with only one Prep competition, but this year there are four of these contests in all, and the other Preps will have their competitive opportunities later. Similarly, there are four girls’ Prep competitions and three to five Novice competitions in all the weapons.
The younger New York fencers are now being offered their fill of competitions for the first time, and the experiment should prove a huge success. If the Bouts Committee survives the season, the idea should be continued in the future.
This whole problem of building up fencing within a given territory is the same in all parts of the country. New York City has failed in the past to encourage its younger fencers. The higher the classification, the larger the number of competitions provided. This was fine for the Seniors, but it forced a beginner to pay good money to enter these competitions which were admittedly so strong that his chance of lasting beyond the first round was almost none at all. That is apparently all changed now. The beginners are now being given many opportunities to compete with their equals and therefrom should develop a new group of fencers ready to take the places of the present leaders when they falter. It has been stated that one objective of the Metropolitan Committee is to build from the bottom. This is excellent, and any other part of the country that notices that it is not exactly suffering from growing pains may well take a hint from this action.
