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Title
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United States vs. Cuba : Captain's Report
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Date
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January 1940
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volume
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5
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issue
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1
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pages
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1, 6-7
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content
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en
UNITED STATES VS. CUBA
CAPTAIN'S REPORT
President Harold Van Buskirk
Amateur Fencers League of America
New York, New York
Dear Sir:
I take pleasure in submitting the captain's report on the international fencing matches between teams representing the Amateur Fencers League of America and the Federacion Nacional de Amateurs de Esgrima de Cuba, which were held at the Palacio de los Deportes in the City of Havana on December 26, 28, and 29, 1939.
The matches were held respectively in foil, epee, and sabre and the teams consisted of three men and one substitute in each weapon.
The teams were composed as follows:
FOIL
U.S.A.
1. Jose R. de Capriles
2. Edward Carfagno
3. Lt. Gustave M. Heiss
Alt. Miguel A. de Capriles
CUBA
1. Ignacio Taboada
2. Sergio Luis Barrena
3. Carlos Lamar Schweyer
Alt. Luis Leon
EPEE
U.S.A.
1. Lt. Gustave M. Heiss
2. Jose R. de Capriles
3. Dr. Norman C. Armitage
Alt. Miguel A. de Capriles
CUBA
1. Carlos Lamar Schweyer
2. Dr. Eugenio Sardina
3. Eugenio Garate
Alt. Rogelio Barata
SABRE
U.S.A.
1. Dr. Norman C. Armitage
2. Miguel A. de Capriles
3. Edward Carfagno
Alt. Jose R. de Capriles
CUBA
1. Dr. Roberto Manalich
2. Eugenio Garate
3. George V. Worth
Alt. Dr. H. Eugenio Lorant
The Cuban team was captained by Comandante Ramon Fonst.
The foil match was won by the United States—5 bouts to 4. Jose de Capriles and Edward Carfagno each won two bouts, and Gustave Heiss won one. Victory was decided in the eighth bout of the series. The outstanding performance of the match was that of Carlos Lamar, Cuba's National Foil Champion, who defeated all three of his American opponents.
The epee match was won by the United States—5 bouts to 3, with 1 bout tied. In this match Jose de Capriles was outstanding, winning his three bouts. Gustave Heiss broke even with one victory, one defeat, and one tie, and Norman Armitage won the last bout of the match, which settled the issue. In this match the bouts were fought for 5 touches instead of the customary 3, in accordance with the agreement previously made between the two teams. It was a source of regret to the American team that Eugenio Sardina, Cuban National Epee Champion, was far below his usual form.
The sabre match was won by Cuba—6 bouts to 3. In this match Miguel de Capriles won two bouts and Edward Carfagno won one. Norman Armitage, our National Champion, had a distinctly off night. The outstanding performance of the match was that of George Worth, Cuban National Sabre Champion, who was in superb form and won all of his three bouts, each by a 5 to 1 score.
As a result of winning two of the three matches, the American team was the winner of the competition. It is to be noted, however, that the two teams were tied in bout victories, and that the summary of touches shows that Cuba out-scored the United States by six points. All the matches were hard fought, and ten bouts were decided by a single touch.
While the privilege of free substitutions at any stage of the match was permitted to both teams, substitutions were actually made only after the issue had been decided in each match. In the foil, Miguel de Capriles was substituted for Gustave Heiss on the American team in the last bout, which he lost to S. Luis Barrena. In the epee there were no substitutions inasmuch as the match was in doubt until the last bout. In the sabre, the issue was decided in the seventh bout. In the eighth bout, Eugenio Lorant was substituted for Roberto Manalich on the Cuban team, and he lost to Miguel de Capriles. In the ninth bout, Jose de Capriles was substituted for Edward Carfagno on the American team, and he lost to Eugenio Garate.
Specific mention should be made of the courtesy and sportsmanship of the Cuban team in asking the non-playing members on the American team to serve on the jury so as to rotate the position of director. On their own part, the Cubans made a commendable effort to place on the jury men who had been active competitors in the sport in recent years. The result was an improvement in the quality of the judging as compared with last year. Specially praiseworthy were the performances of Eugenio Garate, Carlos Lamar, Eugenio Sardina, and George Worth.
I wish to take this opportunity also to comment upon the excellent performance of Edward Carfagno in his debut as an international fencer. Despite a painful injury to the index finger of his sword hand which he suffered during the outward trip, he fenced with fine skill, judgment, and decision.
The remaining members of the team are veterans of international competition and generally their performances speak for themselves. I regret that it was necessary to use Gustave Heiss in the foil on the evening of the day that he arrived, despite the fact that I knew about his sore elbow. Norman Armitage put up a splendid fight in the epee, but I am unable to account for his sudden and unusual reversal of form in the sabre. As for Jose de Capriles, he was clearly the star of our team, and he earned the highest praise from our respected and friendly opponents.
Professor Fernando Alonso, on behalf of the Direccion General Nacional de Deportes of Cuba, under whose auspices the competition was held, awarded gold medals to the four members of the American team in foil, to the three participating members of the American team in epee, and to the four members of the Cuban team in sabre. In addition a trophy for the American team will be forthcoming as soon as it is properly engraved.
The American team entertained the Cuban team and the officials at luncheon on December 30th. It was my privilege, on behalf of the Amateur Fencers League of America, to present a special gold medal to Comandante Ramon Fonst, non-playing captain of the Cuban team. Dr. Sardina, as President of the Federacion Nacional de Esgrima de Cuba, in a brief and moving speech, expressed the thought that in honoring the man who embodies the soul and the outstanding achievements of Cuban fencing, the Amateur Fencers League of America had honored all the fencers of Cuba. Jose de Capriles then presented his foil medal to Carlos Lamar as a tribute to the latter's perfect performance in that weapon.
The detailed scores of the bouts and a statistical summary of the results are hereto attached.
Respectfully submitted,
Miguel A. de Capriles,
Captain.
January 5, 1940
—
RESULTS OF THE MATCHES
FOIL
December 26, 1939.
1. Jose R. de Capriles (U.S.A.) defeated Ignacio Taboada (Cuba) 5-4.
2. Edward Carfagno (U.S.A.) defeated Sergio Luis Barrena (Cuba) 5-4.
3. Carlos Lamar Schweyer (Cuba) defeated Lt. Gustave M. Heiss (U.S.A.) 5-4.
4. Jose R. de Capriles (U.S.A.) defeated S. Luis Barrena (Cuba) 5-4.
5. Carlos Lamar Schweyer (Cuba) defeated Edward Carfagno (U.S.A.) 5-3.
6. Lt. Gustave M. Heiss (U.S.A.) defeated Ignacio Taboada (Cuba) 5-4.
7. Carlos Lamar Schweyer (Cuba) defeated Jose R. de Capriles (U.S.A.) 5-4.
8. Edward Carfagno (U.S.A.) defeated Ignacio Taboada (Cuba) 5-3.
9. S. Luis Barrena (Cuba) defeated Miguel A. de Capriles (U.S.A.) 5-3.
Match won by the United States, 5 bouts to 4.
Touches received, 39; touches scored, 39.
EPEE
December 28, 1939.
1. Lt. Gustave M. Heiss (U.S.A.) tied Carlos Lamar Schweyer (Cuba) 5-5.
2. Jose R. de Capriles (U.S.A.) defeated Eugenio Sardina (Cuba) 5-1.
3. Eugenio Garate (Cuba) defeated Norman C. Armitage (U.S.A.) 5-4.
4. Lt. Gustave M. Heiss (U.S.A.) defeated Eugenio Sardina (Cuba) 5-3.
5. Jose R. de Capriles (U.S.A.) defeated Eugenio Garate (Cuba) 5-4.
6. Carlos Lamar Schweyer (Cuba) defeated Norman C. Armitage (U.S.A.) 5-4.
7. Eugenio Garate (Cuba) defeated Lt. Gustave M. Heiss (U.S.A.) 5-2.
8. Jose R. de Capriles (U.S.A.) defeated Carlos Lamar Schweyer (Cuba) 5-3.
9. Norman C. Armitage (U.S.A.) defeated Eugenio Sardina (Cuba) 5-4.
Match won by United States, 5½ bouts to 3½.
Touches received, 35; touches scored, 40.
SABRE
December 29, 1939.
1. Roberto Manalich (Cuba) defeated Norman C. Armitage (U.S.A.) 5-3.
2. Miguel A. de Capriles (U.S.A.) defeated Eugenio Garate (Cuba) 5-3.
3. George V. Worth (Cuba) defeated Edward Carfagno (U.S.A.) 5-1.
4. Eugenio Garate (Cuba) defeated Norman C. Armitage (U.S.A.) 5-3.
5. George V. Worth (Cuba) defeated Miguel A. de Capriles (U.S.A.) 5-1.
6. Edward Carfagno (U.S.A.) defeated Roberto Manalich (Cuba) 5-4.
7. George V. Worth (Cuba) defeated Norman C. Armitage (U.S.A.) 5-1.
8. Miguel A. de Capriles (U.S.A.) defeated H. Eugenio Lorant (Cuba) 5-0.
9. Eugenio Garate (Cuba) defeated Jose R. de Capriles (U.S.A.) 5-2.
Match won by Cuba, 6 bouts to 3.
Touches received, 26; touches scored, 37.
RESULT OF THE MEET
Won by United States, 2 matches to 1.
Bouts won 13½; bouts lost 13½.
Touches received, 111; touches scored, 105.
—
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
A.F.L.A. TEAM
Won | Tied | Lost | Touches Rec’d | Touches Scored
Foil
Jose R. de Capriles | 2 | — | 1 | 13 | 14
Edward Carfagno | 2 | — | 1 | 12 | 13
Lt. Gustave M. Heiss | 1 | — | 1 | 9 | 9
Miguel A. de Capriles | 0 | — | 1 | 5 | 3
Epee
Jose R. de Capriles | 3 | — | 0 | 8 | 15
Lt. Gustave M. Heiss | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 12
Norman C. Armitage | 1 | — | 2 | 14 | 13
Sabre
Miguel A. de Capriles | 2 | — | 1 | 8 | 11
Edward Carfagno | 1 | — | 1 | 9 | 6
Norman C. Armitage | 0 | — | 3 | 15 | 7
Jose R. de Capriles | 0 | — | 1 | 5 | 2
Totals
Jose R. de Capriles | 5 | — | 2 | 26 | 31
Edward Carfagno | 3 | — | 2 | 21 | 19
Lt. Gustave M. Heiss | 2 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 21
Miguel A. de Capriles | 2 | — | 2 | 13 | 14
Norman C. Armitage | 1 | — | 5 | 29 | 20
Total
13 | 1 | 13 | 111 | 105
—
F.N.A.E.C. TEAM
Foil
Carlos Lamar Schweyer | 3 | — | 0 | 11 | 15
Sergio Luis Barrena | 1 | — | 2 | 13 | 13
Ignacio Taboada | 0 | — | 3 | 15 | 11
Epee
Eugenio Garate | 2 | — | 1 | 11 | 14
Carlos Lamar Schweyer | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 13
Eugenio Sardina | 0 | — | 3 | 15 | 13
Sabre
George V. Worth | 3 | — | 0 | 15 | 28
Eugenio Garate | 2 | — | 1 | 10 | 13
Roberto Manalich | 1 | — | 2 | 12 | 9
H. Eugenio Lorant | 0 | — | 1 | 5 | 0
Totals
George V. Worth | 3 | — | 0 | 15 | 28
Carlos Lamar Schweyer | 4 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 28
Eugenio Garate | 4 | — | 2 | 21 | 27
Roberto Manalich | 1 | — | 2 | 12 | 9
Sergio Luis Barrena | 1 | — | 2 | 13 | 13
Ignacio Taboada | 0 | — | 3 | 15 | 11
Eugenio Sardina | 0 | — | 3 | 15 | 13
H. Eugenio Lorant | 0 | — | 1 | 5 | 0
Total
13 | 1 | 13 | 105 | 111
