Posted on 06/10/2021 1:34:14 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
—”Basil Rathbone”
Have not seen him around in a while.
My brother and my son were both very good fencers. Like all individual sports, it’s say goodbye to your entire Saturday. It’s a sport that a wide (and narrow) variety of body types can do, and you see middle aged people still competing at a high level. Good sport.
Or eat an apple while fencing, like Harpo Marx (I forget which movie).
Ema Peel made me hot when I was 7 years old.
George Takei signed this photo for me and he wrote “En Garde”.
Jimmy Doohan, “Scottie” told a small group of us about this scene’s prepping. Takei would exercise behind a curtain and one day his epee went through the curtain, just missing Doohan. Doohan ran around the area yelling “He’s trying to kill me”, half in gest and half seriously until he learned that it was just Takei doing his fencing exercises.
I had a chance to fence against one American Olympian, Dave Michanik, who beat the hell out of me all three times we faced off. He was smooth and fast, and a nice guy.
I managed to beat, ironically 3 times, a future Olympian, who was on the Un. of Penn. fencing team. Who knew.
Also did have the honor of being the first American fencer to be referreed by guest ref Hungarian Olympian fencer Calabrese back in the 60’s. Old school gentleman and very nice.
Never won a medal. Missed one by a point but we won the college conference championship, having two All-Americans on the team at that time. my teammate/mentor for three years was our first All-American fencer in 20 years, Geoff Hamm (Lt. USA, KIA in Vietnam 1967 - A true friend, officer and gentleman).
Surprisingly, I was chosen MVP for our team and got a beautiful trophy for it, from Jesse Owens at our Winter/Spring Sports Awards banquet. Better than any medal because it came from a great gentleman and American.
Fencing is “mano e mano”, mind against mind, body against body. Greatest thinking sport around (just as wrestling usually is, as well as tennis).
We had strict codes/rules of conduct and literally everyone followed them. Fencing is truly the “Sport of Gentlemen” and later, ladies.
Very cool. I envy people who have athletic ability, and the strength of character to develop it properly.
I once had the chance to play racquetball against the women’s NCAA champion when we both showed up at the courts and our partners didn’t. She thoroughly whipped me in three sets but I managed to score one or two points in each set. Felt pretty proud of myself!
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