South Atlantic Intercollegiate Championships
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South Atlantic Intercollegiate Championships
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June 1941
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6
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3
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7
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7
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en
South Atlantic Intercollegiate Championships
By JOSE R. de CAPRILES
We journeyed down to Williamsburg last month to officiate at the annual South Atlantic Fencing Conference Tournament as guests of William and Mary. Frankly, we accepted Mr. Tucker Jones' invitation largely out of curiosity as to the calibre of collegiate fencing in the south. Like too many of our friends in New York, we had the impression that any fencing so far removed from our Metropolitan area must be in its undeveloped stages. We know better now, and our apologies go to the fencers we saw and to their coaches who have done such a good job.
With William and Mary as host, the tournament included teams from Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, Kentucky, North Carolina, Norfolk Division of William and Mary, Virginia Military Institute, and Washington and Lee. The meet was conducted on the three-pool system in each weapon, with one man from each college on every strip. Medals are awarded to the first two places in each pool, and the three-weapon team title is decided on the basis of bout victories. Mr. Anthony Greco directed the first strip, Mr. Philip Lubart the second, and I took the third.
William and Mary presented an aggressive, well-balanced team which swept through the three-team events in impressive style and took the three-weapon trophy with 45½ victories. Georgia Tech, with a total score of 33, placed second by virtue of a tie for the runner-up position with Johns Hopkins in the foil and epee team events. Johns Hopkins fared badly in the sabre, however, and was outscored for the third position by Kentucky. North Carolina garnered five individual medals and tied William and Mary for the sabre team crown, but lagged too far behind in foil and epee to challenge the home team.
Jim Glossman, captain of the William and Mary team, fenced on the first strip in each weapon and turned in a brilliant performance which was largely responsible for his team's success. Glossman topped his foil and epee strips and won second honors in sabre. The only perfect record in any weapon was made by Bill Grove, also of William and Mary, who went through the No.2 foil strip without a set-back. Manager Dave Meyer of the home team took a gold medal in epee and sabre, turning in a particularly fine performance in the latter weapon. The fourth member of the winning team, Sam Bessman, took first on his sabre strip and second in epee.
Gold medalists from the other schools were: Kinsolving, of V. M. I., who fenced his deciding bout in foil with the generalship of a veteran; Jones of Kentucky, who was closely pressed by Bessman of William and Mary on strip 3 in epee, but came through to give his school its only prize; and Hutton, of North Carolina in sabre, with the additional distinction of being the one man in the tournament who was able to out-rank Jim Glossman in any weapon. Smernoff of North Carolina won silver medals in epee and sabre, but showed to best advantage in the epee. Tolmach was the third North Carolina man to take a sabre medal, winning the silver prize on the second strip and earning a tie with William and Mary for the team crown. Davis, of Georgia Tech, won silver medals in foil and epee.
After the fencing was over the three officials gave a short exhibition at which the enthusiasm was most flattering. The consensus of opinion was that the tournament had been a huge success and we were unanimous in our praise for the sportsmanship which had prevailed.
Summary
Foil: Strip A: 1. Glossman, W. & M.; 2. Davis, Ga. Tech. Strip B: 1. Grove, W. & M.; 2. Zetlin, Johns Hopk. Strip C: 1. Kinsolving, V. M. I.; 2. Imbrey, N. Car. Team Title: 1. William and Mary; 2. Georgia Tech; 3. Johns Hopkins.
Sabre: Strip A: 1. Hutton, N. Car.; 2. Glossman, W. & M. Strip B: 1. Meyer, W. & M.; 2. Tolmach, N. Car. Strip C: 1. Bessman, W. & M.; 2. Smernoff, N. Car. Team Title: Tie between William and Mary and North Carolina; 3. Kentucky.
Epee: Strip A: 1. Glossman, W. & M.; 2. Smernoff, N. Car. Strip B: 1. Meyer, W. & M.; 2. Davis, Ga. Tech. Strip C: 1. Jones, Ky.; 2. Bessman, W. & M. Team Title: 1. William and Mary; 2. Georgia Tech; 3. Johns Hopkins.
Three-Weapon Title: 1. William and Mary, 45½ wins; 2. Georgia Tech, 33 wins; 3. Kentucky, 30 wins.
