1934: Fencing Returns to Texas A&M

By the spring of 1934, the revived A&M Fencing Club posed for their yearbook photograph. They were, no doubt, unaware of their predecessors from two and a half decades before. The caption reads, "Fencing, the newest of the sports [at A&M], has proved a very interesting and enjoyable display for those who have seen the exhibitions between the halves of the home basketball games."

"With more experience, the Aggie Fencers should be able to give a good account of themselves in the Southwest Conference." Perhaps the writer was referring to the budding interest at many Texas colleges to add fencing to the sports competitions of the Southwest Conference. In 1934 fencing was not yet a conference sport.

The photograph shows twelve young men, none identified, standing in the rassemble pose. The seven on the front row hold circle-guard foils, as does one of the five in the back row. Another holds a lunette or "figure-8" guard foil. The remaining three in the back row hold no weapons. Perhaps acquiring sufficient gear was a problem. Only two young men in the photograph hold masks. All are attired in light colored trousers and shirts with dark neckties. Gone are the heart-over-the-breast turtlenecks of 1909.

That fencing was slowly taking root across the United States can be illustrated by the fact that a second Sectional Championship was held. The first AFLA section, the Pacific Coast Section, had been organized in the mid-1920s. Now a decade later, there was a Mid-West Sectional Championship.

Texas was still a bit outside the loop.

In last few months of 1934 former Galvestonian John Fuhrhop moved to Little Rock, Arkansas from Dallas. A student of Jose Villardell, he was well grounded in the Spanish school of fencing. In Little Rock he joined the physical department of the local YMCA. By the next spring, he would take fencing from a forgotten pastime in Little Rock to an active local sport.

1935: The Spanish Conclave

In Little Rock, Arkansas John Fuhrhop continued to see his fencing classes grow at the local YMCA. His classes at the end of 1934 barely drew five students, but January of 1935 numbered 30 or more. In January of 1935, he made the following observation to the Little Rock Gazette, "Of course, much work is ahead. At present we are endeavoring to master the foils, the first course. The epee, commonly known as the dueling sword, is next and finally the sabre. It is my opinion that work with the foils commands most interest. The torso only is vulnerable. Since this style allows the least territory, one is forced to diagnose the defense and spot mannerisms to interpret properly an attack. When fencing with the epee, the entire body is vulnerable and one determines the match. The sabre is used to slash and point."

The Gazette added, "Since Mr. Fuhrhop studied under Valardell [sic], he is an exponent for the Spanish system. However in the North and East, the French system is favored. He informed that the lunging was the same in both systems but the Spanish offered a greater variety of riposte. That is, it teaches in one maneuver that not only forms a defense but also places one in striking position.

"Mr. Fuhrhop recently returned from a trip to Dallas where he met with Valardell [sic], J. B. Petta of Southern Methodist University, and Bill Hasings, Corsicana (Tex.) Y. M. C. A. The object of the conclave was to perpetuate the Spanish system of fencing in the Southwest. Rules will appear in book form soon. Mr. Fuhrhop is affiliated with the [Amateur] Fencing League of America."

The last weekend of March 1935 saw a meeting of the Southwestern Fencing League held in Fort Worth. Oskar Grunow was elected president. This organization was formed to bring clubs together, hold an annual tournament and push for fencing’s acceptance as a Southwest Conference sport.

Back in Fuhrhop’s old home, Galveston, fencing classes were available at the local YMCA by the fall of 1935. The classes were held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM and were available to all YMCA members. The YMCA, in their release to the Galveston Daily News, stated in part, "Among other activities of the Y. M. C. A. this year we hope to bring forward the sport of fencing. Clem D’Albergo will have charge of the fencing classes. Mr. D’Albergo completed and polished his fencing at the University of Texas under the direction of Col. S. N. Ekdahl, a master of the old school. A combination of the Italian and the French schools of fencing will be taught, since it is believed that a combination of the two is much more effective than either one alone.

"The boys composing the team, Joe Magliolo, Placid Arena, J. Steinbach, Herbert Winter, Clement Uroda, and James McGarvey, are working in earnest for the forthcoming matches with Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth."

September, however, drew a shadow over the Fuhrhops. John Fuhrhop’s parents, John W. and Charlotte Fuhrhop visited their son in Arkansas. Near Hope, Arkansas, there was an automobile accident and John W. Fuhrhop was killed. Over the ensuing decades, there would seem to be a particular kind of menace that stalked Galveston fencers off the island.

The 1934-1935 fencing season saw the first annual tournament of the Southwestern Fencing League.

1936: The Southwestern Fencing League

A meeting of the Southwestern Fencing League was held in Dallas on January 4, 1936. Representatives from fencers at Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, the Hudson School in Fort Worth and the Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco and Little Rock YMCA’s were invited. SFL President Oskar Grunow stated that it was expected that an application for membership in the league from Texas Christian University would be received and accepted.

League Secretary-Treasurer John A. Fuhrhop, from the Little Rock YMCA, urged the organization hold their 1936 tournament in his Arkansas base. His call did not carry the day, however, and Dallas was slated as the site for the November tournament.

The spring 1936 A&M yearbook described fencing at that college this way. "Ending its third anniversary as a minor sport, fencing is fast becoming one of the most popular of student athletic arts. It is completely a student organization endeavor, the only incentive being the desire of the members to engage in extracurricular activity." Eduardo Longoria Theriot served as captain and coach, with C. F. Meyer serving as co-captain. One of its newer members was Alvin Levy Goodstein. Years later, Goodstein reported that they had no actual coach, but instruction came from the different fencers.

Club members listed for that year included Brunble, Killingworth, Ziegenhalgh, Mortan, Anderson, Chestnutt, Routan, A. Longoria, Eduardo Longoria Theriot, Kahn, Bashan, Ruiz, Alvin Goodstein, C. F. Meyer, Larson and Bailey.

An exhibition of fencing was given at the Galveston YMCA on May 15.Clement D’Albergo, the YMCA fencing instructor picked the fencers for the evening. Interviewed by the Galveston Daily News, D’Albergo remarked, "The general public has a vague idea about this most ancient of sports and does not realize the amount of effort and practice involved in carrying out this exercise." The paper also noted D’Albergo had been an active competitor at intramural fencing competitions while a student at the University of Texas.

During the 1935-1936 season, the Texas A&M fencers managed to win four of the eight annually scheduled matches with the Dallas YMCA and SMU fencers at the Texas A&M campus.

The second annual tournament of the Southwestern Fencing League was held in Dallas the weekend of October 31-November 1. The Southwestern Fencing League included competitors in men’s fencing from SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M, the Corsicana YMCA, the Fort Worth YMCA, the Dallas YMCA, the Little Rock YMCA and Shreveport, Louisiana. Female competitors arrived from Arkansas, SMU, the Fort Worth YWCA and a second Fort Worth group dubbed the Royal Assassins.

Here the Aggies did not fare so well. The Texas A&M team was eliminated by Baylor with a score of 2-3. Aggie fencers Bashan and Ruiz did make it as far as the quarterfinals in individual foil. Longoria Theriot made it to the individual sabre quarterfinals before being defeated 5-4.

As to the ultimate victors, Texas A&M’s Alvin Goodstein did win the sabre championship. Conrad Fath of Houston won the men’s foil title. Fort Worth’s Max Ellis took top honors in epee. Caroline Webster, also of Fort Worth, captured first place in women’s foil.

Female fencers were certainly on many people’s mind in the mid-1930s. 1936 was the year the FIE changed the rules for women’s Olympic bouts. Previously they fenced bouts to five touches. For the next four decades they would fence to only 4 touches.

That fall, Texas A&M fencer Alvin Goodstein captured first place in the Southwestern Open Sabre championship.

Back east, the powers that be in the Amateur Fencers League of America announced the approved official fencing directors for the 1936-1937 fencing season. AFLA President Harold van Buskirk made the announcement of eight directors each for foil and saber and nine for epee. (Van Buskirk was, himself, on all three lists).

This was in keeping with the previous season’s policy of issuing a list of those fencing officials whose ability to analyze fencing movements during competitions had proven satisfactory. Those named would have preferential choice in the selection of officiating juries at upcoming national level competitions.

1937: The Moody Club and Professor Tata

The number of fencing groups in Texas and surrounding states was growing, but considerable travel was still required. On January 23^rd the fencers from the Dallas Central YMCA, coached by Oskar Grunow, traveled to Shreveport, Louisiana to compete with the fencers from that city’s YMCA. In addition to Grunow, the fencers traveling to Louisiana included Rois L. Brockman, Hugh Frankenstein, Allen Brazell, Charles D. Mitchell, Harry Pickett and Alford Callahan.

On April 3, John Fuhrhop was elected President of the Southwestern Fencing League. Waco’s Homer Rogers was elected vice president. Charles Mitchell was elected Secretary-Treasurer.

In 1937, for the first time, the electric scoring epee was used for the AFLA national championship competitions. It would be the other side of a world war before this development made it to the Gulf Coast region of Texas. While the epee in Texas was "dry," it was not exclusively French (at least as far as the grips went. A yearbook photograph of the Texas A&M University fencing club from the spring of 1937, does seem to show an epee with an orthopedic, or "pistol," grip.

In an interview, decades later, Alvin Goodstein stated it was, specifically, a Belgian grip. He added that they were difficult for a lot of fencers to use, at first.

The members’ names listed in that volume shows a growing organization, with many new names among the reoccurring ones: Toledo, McCorquodale, Garcia, McMain, Stambaugh, Stroud, Dexter, Loewenstein, Heflin, Chestnutt, Alvin Goodstein, Ruiz, Eduardo Longoria Theriot, Larsen, Bailey, Anderson, Kreuger, C. F. Meyer, Rutan, Krogstad, Capote, Pappas, Sparks, Colgin, Waidhofer and Drane.

Goodstein, himself, had a colorful epee encounter at about this time. At one point, he had crossed paths with a "Professor" Tata, who professed some proficiency with the dueling sword, or epee. Goodstein was also versed in its use, "Epee is my weapon." According to Goodstein, Tata made a point of suggesting a "blood duel" (a duel to first blood.) A time and place was set.

They did not, however fence with sharpened epees. "We didn’t take the buttons off." They did, however, strip to the waist. As Goodstein put it years later, "I kicked his ass."

Not long after, a brief, but interesting item appeared in a Dallas newspaper on May 26, 1937. "Paul Tata, claimant of the United States professional fencing championship, arrived in Dallas Tuesday [May 25] and announced he wished to challenge Oskar Gruno [Grunow] of Dallas and Jose Virlido [Villardell] of Forth Worth, two of the best in this section, to special matches. He recently met Alvin Goodstein, captain of the A&M fencing teams, and claims the men he has challenged wanted Goodstein’s amateur standing forfeited for meeting him, a professional."

The Southwestern Fencing League was also growing. In addition to Texas A&M, 17 other organizations were members. On April 3, John A. Fuhrhop of Little Rock, Arkansas was elected president of the Southwest Fencing League, succeeding Oskar Grunow of Dallas. He was elected during a business meeting of the league prior to their 3^rd annual tournament. Homer Rogers of Waco was elected the vice-president and Dallasite Charles Mitchell was elected secretary-treasurer.

SMU, Texas A&M, the Texas University, Baylor and the YMCAs of Dallas and Ft. Worth had sent teams to the league championship. The Fort Worth YMCA captured first place by defeating SMU in the finals. A&M was been eliminated by Baylor, earlier on.

Aggie Fencers Alvin Goodstein and Toledo managed to get as far as the quarterfinals in foil. L. Larsen had made it to the semifinals in epee, while Goodstein went on to the capture second place. Goodstein also made it to the quarterfinals in sabre.

With the end of the spring semester, departing team captain Eduardo Longoria Theriot passed the baton to Alvin Goodstein. Eduardo Longoria Theriot, class of 1937, had been one of the most versatile athletes in Texas A&M history, participating in varsity track, swimming, boxing and fencing.

The co-captain, C. F. Meyer, left his position to L. Larsen.

About May of 1937 also saw the organization of yet another fencing club, this one in Galveston. The Moody Club was so-named for their sponsors, the Moody Family of Galveston, sponsors of every type of sport group from basketball to bowling and owners of, among other businesses, the American National Insurance Company (ANICO), hence one of their other names, the ANICOs. The coach was Clement D’Albergo.

Perhaps the interest in fencing drew him back, but John Fuhrhop turned up in Galveston by that fall. It was announced that he would be teaching a fencing class at the Galveston YMCA beginning September 27, which is what D’Albergo had been doing before the ANICOs.

That fall, the Aggies hit the ground running. Happily, they also gained a faculty sponsor in Captain T. D. Roberts of the Military Department.

In their first fencing trip of the 1937-1938 season, the Aggies went to Dallas on October 16-17 for the Southwest Fencing League’s invitational tournament at the Greater Texas and Pan-American Exposition. Some 200 fencers from various groups competed. Allen Brazell of the Dallas Central YMCA won the men’s foil event. Paula Murchison of Fort Worth won women’s foil. Aggie fencing captain Alvin Goodstein defeated Max Ellis of the Fort Worth YMCA 5-4 in the sabre competition. This was the second year in a row for Goodstein. He also took second place in Dueling Sword (epee), losing to Joe Lienhard of Shreveport 3-1.

Tournaments were all well and good, but the fencers in Galveston knew to keep their name and their blades in front of the community’s eyes. On October 27 a fencing demonstration was put on for the benefit of the local Rotary Club at one of their meetings. Under Clement D’Albergo’s direction, W. A. Franks and H. L. Kerst put on a spirited display of fencing.

On November 27, Texas A&M sent a team consisting of Alvin Goodstein, Walter Benson and Leo Levine to Galveston to take on the Galveston Fencing Club at the Moody Gym. In addition to their coach, Clement D’Albergo, the Moody fencers included David Hobart, Leon Killi, Bob Rickert, Harold Kerst and Worthington A. Franks. Exhibition bouts were fenced in dueling sword and sabre, but due to the fact the Texas A&M team consisted of only three fencers, only foils were used in team play:

Galveston’s Leon Killi defeated Walter Benson 5-1.

Aggie Leo Levin beat Harold Kerst 5-3.

Texas A&M’s Alvin Goodstein defeated Galveston coach Clement D’Albergo 5-4.

W. A. Franks from Galveston beat Walter Benson 5-3.

Leo Levine from A&M defeated David Hobart 5-4.

Kerst beat Benson 5-2.

Killi beat Levine 5-4.

Benson defeated Bob Rickert 5-2.

This left the teams tied at four matches won by each side. Goodstein settled matters when A&M defeated the Galveston epee and sabre teams.

On December 3, however, the Galveston club’s W. A. Franks, Leon Killi, Harold Kerst, David Hobart and Clem D’Albergo paid a visit to A&M to return the favor. The Moody Club won eight of the eleven bouts fenced, defeating an Aggie team consisting of Kreuger, Leo Levine, Walter Benson, Thomas H. Akarman, James C. Rominger, John P. "Jack" Baird, Leroy B. Everett, and Alvin Goodstein. Captain Parker,the Texas A&M University fencing sponsor complimented the Moody Club fencers’ skills.

The island fencers had their work cut out for them. Goodstein at this time was a national sabre champion and runner-up nationally with the dueling sword. Still, W. A. Franks was able to win his bout with Goodstein with sabres and Leon Killi won his encounter with Goodstein in dueling sword. Overall, in five foil bouts it ended with three wins for Galveston and two for A&M. In Sabre the islanders won three out of three bouts. In dueling sword, the Galveston team won two bouts and the Aggies won one.

On December 18 the Moody fencers journeyed to Austin for a meet with the University of Texas team. Galveston coach Clement D’Albergo and UT coach Conrad Fath agreed in advance that all bouts would count toward victory or defeat.

In the foil competition, the results were:

David Hobart (ANICO) defeated Gonzalo Ramirez (UT) 5-4.

A. W. Phillips (UT) defeated W. A. Franks (ANICO) 5-3.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Grier (UT) 5-4.

Anderson (UT) defeated Leon Killi (ANICO) 5-3.

Conrad Fath (UT) defeated Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) 5-1.

In epee, the results were:

Cook (UT) defeated Harold Kerst (ANICO) 5-4.

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated A. W. Phillips (UT) 5-2.

Leon Killi (ANICO) defeated Conrad Fath (UT) 5-2.

The sabre results were:

Leon Killi (ANICO) defeated Conrad Fath (UT) 5-4.

Hugo (UT) defeated Harold Kerst (ANICO) 5-4.

Cook (UT) defeated David Hobart (ANICO) 5-3.

W. A. Franks (ANICO) defeated Anderson (UT) 5-4.

Johanna Blumel of the Moody club crossed foils with A. W. Phillips from Texas, defeating him 5-1. Initially reported erroneously as just an exhibition match (no doubt due to the novelty of a man and a woman crossing blades with each other), her win gave Galveston the single-point they needed to lead. Galveston and UT tied in foils each winning three out of six bouts, and in sabre with each winning two out of four. In epee, however, the Moody Club won two of the three bouts.

1938: Fencing Joins the Southwest Conference

On January 23, 1938 the Moody Club played host in a tournament with the Los Verdugos of Fort Worth at the Moody Gym. All told 17 bouts were fenced: 5 in men’s foil; 3 in women’s foil; 5 in dueling sword; and 4 in sabre. The day before the tournament the Galveston Daily News ran a photograph of several club members fencing.

There may have been some trepidation about this venture among the island fencers. The Los Verdugos squad was composed of tournament-hardened veterans from Texas Christian University and the Fort Worth YMCA. One of the most formidable of their number was Max Ellis who had recently won a national-level epee competition in Dallas and had finished as a runner-up in sabre.

The female star was Carmen Villardell, wife of the team’s coach, Jose Villardell. There may also have been a score to settle. Carmen Villardell had defeated Galvestonian Johanna Blumel in the semi-final of that same Dallas tournament, only to be defeated, herself, in the final round.

In men’s foil, the Los Verdugos started by winning 3 out of the 5 bouts:

Harold Kerst (Moody Club) defeated Max Ellis (Los Verdugos) 5-2.

Jose Villardell (Los Verdugos, coach) defeated Clement D’Albergo (Moody Club, coach) 5-4.

Clifton Morgan (Los Verdugos) defeated Leon Killi (Moody Club)

W. A. Franks (Moody Club) defeated Harry Boucher (Los Verdugos) 5-3

Carter Phillips (Los Verdugos) defeated David Hobart (Moody Club) 5-4.

In women’s foil, the Galveston fencers won 2 out of 3 bouts fenced:

Johanna Blumel (Moody Club) defeated Paula Murchison (Los Verdugos) 5-4.

Emily Stjepcevich (Moody Club) defeated Carmen Villardell (Los Verdugos) 5-3.

Elizabeth Rogers (Los Verdugos) defeated Elizabeth Lauzon (Moody Clubs) 5-2.

In the dueling sword event, the Galveston group won 4 out of 5 bouts:

Leon Killi (Moody Club) defeated Max Ellis (Los Verdugos) 3-2.

Clement D’Albergo (Moody Club) defeated Jose Villardell (Los Verdugos) 3-1.

Clifton Morgan (Los Verdugos) defeated David Hobart (Moody Club) 3-2.

Harold Kerst (Moody Club) defeated Harry Boucher (Los Verdugos) 3-1.

W. A. Franks (Moody Club) defeated Carter Phillips (Los Verdugos) 3-1.

In the sabre event, the Galveston fencers won 3 of the 4 bouts fenced:

W. A. Franks (Moody Club) defeated Max Ellis (Los Verdugos) 5-3.

Clifton Morgan (Los Verdugos) defeated Leon Killi (Moody Club) 5-2.

David Hobart (Moody Club) defeated Harry Boucher (Los Verdugos) 5-4.

Harold Kerst (Moody Club) defeated Carter Phillips (Los Verdugos) 5-3.

In an exhibition match that did not count towards the score, Johanna Blumel defeated Carmen Villardell by a score of 5-3. The young club had made it through the fire.

The ANICOs, the University of Texas and Texas A&M went at it on February 4-5, 1938. Certainly the ANICOs of Galveston took nothing for granted. Coach Clement D’Albergo stated, "Conrad Fath of the Longhorn team and Alvin Goodstein of the Aggies are fencers of national ranking.

"Fath won the national open in foils in 1936, as well as the Michigan and Chicago Open. Goodstein, coach and captain of the Aggie team, in 1937 won the national open sabre championship and was runner up in dueling swords."

On the other hand, the Moody Club was fresh from its victory over Los Verdugos. Besides which, both Leon Killi and Worthington A. Franks had previously defeated both Fath and Goodstein. D’Albergo put together a team consisting of Franks, Hobart, Kerst, Killi and himself.

In February Clement D’Albergo announced receipt of an invitation for their club to fence in a Mardi Gras tournament in New Orleans, February 26-27. According to D’Albergo, the tournament would attract leading fencers from every section of the United States, several South American countries, Italy, and France. The club selected as its competitors, Johanna Blumel, Emilie Stjepcevich, Elizabeth Lauzon, Clement D’Albergo, Harold Kerst, Leon Killi, and Worthington A. Franks.

The Galveston team fared well. Johanna Blumel took second place in women’s foil with Emilie Stjepcevich taking third. First place had gone to Aida Principe, a member of the Washington Fencers’ Club. Principe received a gold-plated, engraved Italian foil. Blumel received a similar foil as second prize.

Clem D’Albergo captured second place in men’s foil with Harold Kerst in third. In dueling sword, D’Albergo took third place. W. A. Franks came in third in saber.

The Oleander City fencers got a bit more excitement just days later, when noted Olympic fencing coach Joseph Vince and wife, Marion Lloyd, paid Galveston a visit. D’Albergo announced to the local press that Vince would give a 3PM exhibition of fencing at the Moody gymnasium. Mrs. Vince, herself a two-time member of the US Olympic fencing team would also exhibit her skills.

Meanwhile, the Texas A&M University Fencing Club succeeded in having its bid to host the Southwestern Fencing League’s championship accepted. The event was held March 26-27, 1938. Seventeen fencing teams arrived to compete, marking the largest assemblage of fencers on that campus for years to come.

This explosion of interest in fencing during the 1930s sent shock waves that reached the campus of the young, University of Houston. The U of H Foil Club was first organized in the fall 1938 semester. Its officers included Wilson Morris (President), Conrad Mang (Vice-President), Frances Sherrill (Secretary), and Hill Feagin (Treasurer). The Publicity Chairman was Henry Taub. The Activity Chairman possessed what was arguably the best name for any fencer in local history, Jack Fightmaster. The Foil Club’s remaining membership included Ray Campbell, Janet McClendon, Edelyn Briggs, Virginia Brunner, Bettie Ann Guenard, Bob Tennant, Mary Jo Weir, J. D. Hutchinson, Sherwin Ball and Gabriel Fransee.

The University of Houston Recreation Department organized a fall tournament, allowing four of the club’s member to achieve placements. The Foil Club also ran a weekly column in the newspaper.

Another fencing group that got itself organized about this time was one associated with the Pan American Employees Association in Texas City, between Houston and Galveston. Interestingly, while they began with study in only one weapon, that weapon was sabre, as opposed to foil which was traditionally taught first.

In Galveston, the Moody Club played host for their first tournament of the 1938-1939 fencing season by meeting a Fort Worth contingent at Moody Gym dubbed Los Verdugos and El Florete, on October 29. Once again the Galveston fencers would be up against a combined TCU/Fort Worth YMCA team.

For the island fencers, there were real concerns. The previous year they had defeated the Los Verdugos squad from Fort Worth rather handily. Since then, however, they had lost mainstays Worthington A. Franks and Leon Killi. Additionally, they had lost two other fencers. Arthur Gordon had gone off to Colorado College, while Owen Holtzhouser had left to attend the University of Texas in Austin.

Moody Club coach Clement D’Albergo admitted to a reporter that the strength of the male fencers on the team was uncertain. Much would depend on two newcomers to the team, Campbell Kirkpatrick and Steve van der Wal. Among the returning veterans were David Hobart, Harold Kerst and D’Albergo, himself.

The female fencing contingent, however, was as strong as ever, consisting of Johanna Blumel, Francis D’Albergo, Mabel Holtzhouser, Sylvia D’Albergo, Elizabeth Lauzon, Virginia Thompson and Peggy Hobart, among others.

Once again, the local newspaper ran a photograph in the sports section a day ahead of the tournament. In a posed shit, it displayed Johanna Blumel, Harold Kerst, Mabel Holtzhouser, Elizabeth Lauzon, Steve Vander Wal, David Hobart, Virginia Thompson, Frances D’Albergo, Campbell Kirkpatrick and Sylvia D’Albergo, facing the camera en garde, unmasked but in their fencing whites. In the center, facing the camera en garde, in traditional fencing coach black, was Clement D’Albergo. All were wearing ankle-length slacks. The fencing knickers had not made it to the hinterlands as yet.

With so much activity in Texas, perhaps it was inevitable. In 1938, fencing joined the competitions of the Southwest Conference. The Conference had been first organized in 1914. The charter member schools were Texas University (later the University of Texas), Texas A&M College (later Texas A & M University), Baylor University, the University of Arkansas, the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) University, Southwestern University of Georgetown and the Rice Institute (later Rice University). Southern Methodist University joined the conference in 1918. Texas Christian University was added in 1923.

Despite the membership of Rice and Texas A & M, it would be their rivals to the north who would initially capture the conference fencing titles. Whether collegiate or otherwise, the Dallas and Fort Worth region was the nucleus of Texas fencing in the decade of the 1930s. In 1938, SMU took the top place for fencing. At the 1938 meet Texas A&M did, however, come in second. A&M’s Alvin Goodstein took first in sabre, while his club-mate L. Larsen took second in epee.

Back at Texas A&M, the Aggie fencers kept busy. On October 30, in what a newspaper described as a Texas Fencing League tournament, A&M won in all of their matches against fencers from the Dallas YMCA.

On November 19 the peripatetic Galveston fencers boarded a train for Big D. The men’s team (Clement D’Albergo, Harold Kerst, David Hobart, Campbell Kirkpatrick and Steve van der Wal) were en route to cross blades with an SMU team. The women’s contingent from Galveston (Johanna Blumel, Virginia Thompson, Frances D’Albergo, and Sylvia D’Albergo) were scheduled to cross steel with the Dallas Women’s Fencing Club.

In late November, the Moody Club, now more frequently called the ANICO fencers or, simply, ANICOs (The Moody family wealth largely derived from their ownership of the American National Insurance Company), competed against the Houston national guard team at Houston Municipal Airport, winning 15 out of 15 bouts. The ANICO team included Johanna Blumel, Frances D’Albergo, Clement D’Albergo, Harold Kerst, David Hobart, Campbell Kirkpatrick and Steve van der Wal. A newspaper item described a man named McCluskey as the mainstay of the Houston team, adding he had, "studied under Greco, New York fencing master."

A week later, on Tuesday, December 6, the ANICOs and the Houston National Guard team staged a rematch at Moody Gym on the island. While not a clean sweep as in the previous encounter, the ANICOs won 13 out of 16 bouts fenced.

In the men’s foil competition, the ANICOs enjoyed total victory:

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated McCluskey (Houston National Guard) 5-2.

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Aimes (Houston National Guard) 5-1.

David Hobart (ANICO) defeated Wells (Houston National Guard) 5-2.

Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) defeated Baltman (Houston National Guard) 5-2.

Steve van der Wal (ANICO) defeated Pulley (Houston National Guard)5-3.

In the dueling sword event, the ANICOs won 4 out of 5 bouts fenced:

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Wells (Houston National Guard) 5-2.

David Hobart (ANICO) defeated Aimes (Houston National Guard) 5-3.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated McCluskey (Houston National Guard) 5-4.

Pulley (Houston National Guard) defeated Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) 5-4.

Steve van der Wal (ANICO) defeated Morris (Houston National Guard) 5-2.

In the sabre event the ANICOs again won 4 out of 5 bouts fenced:

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Baltman (Houston National Guard) 5-2.

David Hobart (ANICO) defeated McCluskey (Houston National Guard) 5-1.

Wells (Houston National Guard) defeated Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) 5-3.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Pulley (Houston National Guard) 5-4.

Steve van der Wal (ANICO) defeated Aimes (Houston National Guard) 5-3.

In the single women’s foil bout, the ANICOs Virginia Thompson lost to Miss Aimes, 3-5.

1939: Aggies and ANICOs

On February 5, 1939 the Moody Club fencers participated in a particularly hard fought event with fencers from the Dallas YMCA at the Moody gym. The Dallas YMCA won 3 out of 5 bouts fenced in men’s foil.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Cowman (Dallas YMCA) 5-4.

Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) defeated Max Ellis (Dallas YMCA) 5-4.

Rois Brockman (Dallas YMCA, coach) defeated Clement D’Albergo (ANICO, coach) 5-4.

White (Dallas YMCA) defeated David Hobart (ANICO) 5-2.

Council (Dallas YMCA) defeated Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) 6-5.

The Galveston fencers had a bright spot in the dueling sword event, which saw them win 4 out of 5 bouts fenced.

Max Ellis (Dallas YMCA) defeated Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) 6-4.

David Hobart (ANICO) defeated Cowman (Dallas YMCA) 5-3.

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO, coach) defeated Rois Brockman (Dallas YMCA, coach) 6-5.

Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) defeated White (Dallas YMCA) 5-4.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Council (Dallas YMCA) 6-5.

The fencers from Big D then won another 3 out of 5 bouts fenced in sabre.

White (Dallas YMCA) defeated Harold Kerst (ANICO) 5-4.

Stiles (Dallas YMCA) defeated Vander Wal (ANICO) 5-3.

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Council (Dallas YMCA) 5-4.

Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) defeated Max Ellis (Dallas YMCA) 5-4.

Rois Brockman (Dallas YMCA) defeated David Hobart (ANICO) 5-4.

The Galveston Daily News noted that the sabre match between Rois Brockman of Dallas and David Hobart of Galveston was the most intensely contested of the night, a considerable statement for an evening of bouts that frequently ended 5-4.

On Thursday, February 16, the Moody gym was the scene of another competition, this one between the ANICO fencers and a cadre from Baylor University. The local newspaper reported that, "a fair-sized crowd was on hand to witness some hotly contested matches." In foil, the ANICO fencers won 3 out of 5 bouts fenced:

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Pearce Shaundies (Baylor) 5-4.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Taylor (Baylor) 5-3.

Alvin Adelman (Baylor) defeated David Hobart (ANICO) 5-4.

Clark (Baylor) defeated Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) 5-4.

Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) defeated Lattimore (Baylor) 5-4.

In the dueling sword event, the locals won 4 out of 5 bouts fenced:

Pearce Shaundies (Baylor) defeated David Hobart (ANICO) 3-2.

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Taylor (Baylor) 3-2.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Falls (Baylor) 3-2.

Clark (Baylor) defeated Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) 3-0.

Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) defeated Alvin Adelman (Baylor) 3-2.

In the sabre competition the ANICOs again won 4 out of 5:

David Hobart (ANICO) defeated Pearce Shaundies (Baylor) 5-2.

Clark (Baylor) defeated Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) 5-3.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Alvin Adelman (Baylor) 5-3.

Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) defeated Taylor (Baylor) 5-4.

Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) defeated Lattimore (Baylor) 5-4.

The next morning both clubs left Galveston together to participate in a more international competition in New Orleans.

By early March, the ANICOs were back homein the Oleander City. On March 2, 1939 they crossed blades with the S. E. S. Club of Houston at Moody gym in Galveston. Local newspapers noted that this would be a "non-conference" tournament.

The Texas A&M fencing club enjoyed a more than respectable season. Tom Akarman won the Mid-Atlantic Foil competition. Leo Levine won the Houston award for 3-weapon fencing. Alvin Goodstein took first place in epee at the spring Southwestern Fencing League competition. It was a strong team. The other members included Walter Benson, R. B. Clements, Jim Rominger, Leroy B. Everett, Jack Baird and Worthington A. Franks.

On March 11, the Texas A&M University Fencing Club paid a visit to Galveston Island for meet the ANICO fencers in competition. It was particularly interesting because the Moody Club’s former stalwart, Worthington Franks had gone off to college and now fenced for Texas A&M.

In the men’s foil event, the ANICOs won 3 out of 5 bouts fenced. Noticeably, one of their defeats was to their old colleague:

W. A. Franks (A&M) defeated Leo Brown (ANICO) 5-4.

Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) defeated Leroy Everett (A&M) 5-4

R. B. Clements (A&M) defeated Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) 5-3.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated Jim Rominger (A&M) 5-4.

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Tom Akarman (A&M) 5-4.

In the epee event, the Aggies reversed the trend, taking 3 out of 5 bouts:

Leo Brown (ANICO) defeated W. A. Franks (A&M) 3-1.

Leroy Everett (A&M) defeated Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) 3-0.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated R. B. Clements (A&M) 3-1.

Jim Rominger (A&M) defeated Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) 3-1.

Tom Akarman (A&M) defeated Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) 3-1.

In sabre the Moody Club regained a lead:

Leo Brown (ANICO) defeated Leroy Everett (A&M) 5-3.

W. A. Franks (A&M) defeated Campbell Kirkpatrick (ANICO) 5-3.

Harold Kerst (ANICO) defeated W. T. Swigert (A&M) 5-2.

Clement D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated R. B. Clements (A&M) 5-2.

Steve Vander Wal (ANICO) defeated Tom Akarman (A&M) 5-4.

Interestingly, while Texas A&M University admitted no women and yearbook photographs of the A&M Fencing Club show no female members, they did bring a female contingent along with them to challenge the islanders in women’s foil:

Sylvia D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Adamson (A&M) 5-2.

Virginia Thompson (ANICO) defeated Jones (A&M) 5-1.

Frances D’Albergo (ANICO) defeated Roberts (A&M) 5-3.

Johanna Blumel (ANICO) defeated Wrenn (A&M) 5-3.

The ANICO women’s foil contingent also won one forfeit match.

Around mid March of 1939, Bob Spaugh of Fort Worth, secretary of the bout committee of the Southwestern Fencing League began sending out ratings notices to all of the participating clubs.

In Galveston, Clement D’Albergo learned that the ANICO fencers were to compete in the finals of all four events (men’s foil, women’s foil, epee and sabre) in the annual Southwestern Fencing League meet in Fort Worth, March 25-26. The format was such that the clubs would compete as teams and for individual trophies with other team members in the league.

The Moody Club’s women’s foilists earned the right to vie with the women of El Florete of Forth Worth. The third place women’s foilists were from the Dallas YMCA. The Royal Assassins of Fort Worth were rated fourth. The fifth place ranking going in went to Texas A&M’s women’s team.

In men’s foil, the male fencers of the Moody Club were ranked at the top, neck and neck with the fencers from Texas A&M University. In rankings going in to the tournament the ANICOs and Aggies were followed by Baylor University, the Dallas YMCA, Los Verdugos of Fort Worth and SMU.

In sabre, again the ANICOs and Aggies led in rankings going in, followed by the Dallas YMCA, Baylor, SMU and Los Verdugos.

For the Moody Club, coach Clement D’Albergo had some concerns. He knew going in that they might have to forfeit one bout in each weapon because Campbell Kirkpatrick was currently out with a back injury. The male fencers going to the event would consist of D’Albergo, Harold Kerst, Steve Vander Wal and Leroy Brown. The women competing for Galveston would consist of Johanna Blumel, Sylvia D’Albergo, Frances D’Albergo, Virginia Thompson and Valerie Tebbins.

The Southwestern Fencing League Championships drew fencers, not only from Texas, but from Louisiana and Oklahoma. By the end of the first day, Texas A&M had won 4 out of 5 bout with the Moody Club. The ANICOs, in turn, won 3 out of five matches with A&M in epee. In men’s foil, the Aggies won 3 out of 5 from the ANICOs. In women’s foil, El Florete of Fort Worth won 4 out of 5 matches with Texas A&M’s "girl team."

To be successful competitively, clubs had to constantly seek out and train new members. For the Moody Club fencers, who were part of a larger sports organization on Galveston Island known collectively as the Moody Club, the advanced fencing coach was Clement D’Albergo. Harold Kerst had been selected as the assistant coach for men. The women’s coaches were Johanna Blumel and Frances D’Albergo.

On May 6, 1939 Baylor won the overall Southwest Conference fencing championship, which was held at Southern Methodist University. In the competition for best team, Texas A&M won first place. Baylor came in second. SMU and the University of Texas tied for third place. (There were only four competing schools). A&M’s victorious foil team was comprised of Alvin Goodstein, Tom Akarman, Jim Rominger, John P. "Jack" Baird and Leroy Everett. Leroy Everett won the individual saber title. Jim Rominger won the individual epee event and Tom Akarman took the top spot in individual foil.

Years later, Alvin Goodstein remarked, "Akarman was a really, really, good fencer. He was one of my best."

Goodstein, himself, graduated in 1939, but events would conspire to keep him out of the fencing loop for sometime to come. He was in the Army in 1940. He was sent to the Philippines. As he put it, he "wrote the book" on radar at Ft. Monmouth. With the war he in for the duration. After that there would be a couple of years working in New York before returning to Texas.

The AFLA was also growing. The year 1925 had seen the successful organization of the Pacific Coast Section, the first AFLA section. The Mid-West Section came about almost a decade later. Now, in 1939 there was a third Sectional Championship tournament to qualify fencers for the national championships. The All-Eastern Sectional Championships would not survive the 20^th century, but for now marked the accelerating growth of fencing in the second half of the 1930s.

On the national level, there was an interesting turn. From its inception in 1891, the AFLA had always held its national championships in the Metropolitan New York area. Given that New York City and its environs had always held, by far, the greatest concentration of fencers in the country, this should come as no surprise.

In 1939, however, the AFLA National Championships were held in San Francisco, California.

At the Rice Institute, the Intramural Athletic Council was organized in September 1939 out of a desire from the students for a more extensive program of intramural athletic options.

The Foil Club at the University of Houston, which in spite of its name included epeeistes and sabreurs, continued to grow. With the fall of 1939, the presidency passed to Henry Taub. Rosemary Summers served as vice-president and Patsy Adams as secretary. George Hogwood and John Taub were the club’s representatives to the student assembly.

At Texas A&M, Tom Akarman assumed the position of team captain. Other members of the 1939-1940 team were Jack Baird, Jim Rominger, Leroy Everett, W. F. Swigert and R. B. Clements.

In Texas City, the fencing group of the Pan American Employees Association had grown. They now pursued the study of all three weapons. V. J. Schmitt taught beginners the foil. J. A. Ridgeway taught the more advanced fencers the epee, while the peripatetic John A. Fuhrhop taught sabre. Schmitt served as the president of the group. The vice president was G. D. Walters. Al Gerdes was club secretary. The group of twenty men worked out each Thursday night at the old school in La Marque.

In late September 1939, Clement D’Albergo organized an intra-salle multi-night round robin tournament of his current competitive fencers to begin getting them back in a tournament mindset. Among those participating at the start of the season was a returned W. A. Franks. Also competing among the male cadre were Steve Vander Wal, Maurlin Steinback, Harold Kerst, C. J. Daly Leroy Brown, Andrew Dralkovich, Owen and Holzheuser. The women who were competing included Francis D’Albergo, Verda D’Albergo, Sylvia D’Albergo, and Valerie Tebbins.

On November 4, 1939, the ANICOs faced off against the Aggie fencers at Texas A&M University. The ANICO team consisted of Clem D’Albergo, Harold Kerst, Steve van der Wall, Leroy Brown, Andrew Barkovich and Worthington A. Franks.

1940: Fencing at the Mardi Gras and the Oleander Festival

For the Galveston fencers, the post-holiday competitions really got started February 3-4, 1940 with five of their number in New Orleans to compete in the Mardi Gras international fencing competition. Those making the trip were coach Clement D’Albergo, Owen Holzheuser, Leroy Brown, Steve Vander Wal and Worthington Franks. This was the Galveston club’s third Mardi Gras tournament.

Ultimately Franks and Holzheuser were eliminated in the semi-final rounds of the foil event. D’Albergo made it to the finals in foil before being eliminated. Vander Wal made it just as far in the dueling sword event.

Once back in the Oleander City, Galveston fencing coach Clement D’Albergo did not let any grass grow under his feet. He continuously worked to put fencing in front of a public that might otherwise never see or hear of a fencing match. In mid-February, he organized a single exhibition bout each in dueling sword and sabre during the intermission of a local wrestling match.

The Southwestern Fencing League’s 1940 Championships were held March 30-31 at the Baker Hotel in Dallas. They expected about 125 entrants. The ANICOs of Galveston sent Clement D’Albergo, W. A. Franks, Steve Vander Wal, Harold Kerst, Leroy Brown and Owen Holzheuser.

The Texas A&M contingent was particularly hot, however. Texas A&M won team foil and team sabre. The Aggies took second place in team epee. Additionally, Texas A&M’s Tom Akarman captured another individual foil first place.

At the Rice Institute, fencing was now among the activities sponsored by the Intramural Athletic Council.

At the University of Houston, by the spring of 1940, the Foil Club won the majority of the competitions its members had entered. In May the club also competed in the Oleander Festival Tournament in Galveston.

Throughout the 1940s, a Southwest Conference fencing title continued to elude the Gulf Coast colleges. On the Friday and Saturday of May 10-11, 1940, the Southwest Conference Fencing Championships were held at the University of Texas in Austin. Four schools competed: UT, Texas A&M; Baylor; and, SMU.

The coach of the UT Longhorn fencers was now Conrad Fath. Ed Barlow was still around, however, and served as a referee at the event, along with Lt. Morrie Tabor and Lt. Saul Manza, both former Olympic fencers, who came up from Randolph Field.

Baylor retained the Conference title for another year, with Texas A&M placing second. John "Jack" Baird won the individual sabre honors, with Tom Akarman taking second in individual foil.

Another Gulf Coast fencer at UT at this time was Johanna Blumel of the ANICOs. In 1940 she came as a student and would remain active in fencing until her senior year, retiring with only a single loss on her record. She would also serve as the president of Touche, the women’s fencing club of the University of Texas.

The Galveston Open was held May 18-19, 1940 at the Buccaneer Hotel. Dick Morgan from Harvard won the sabre competition, with Texas A&M’s Jack Baird coming in second. Local fencer Harold Kerst took the top spot in men’s foil. ANICO fencer Steve Vander Wal captured first place in the dueling sword, while Texas A&M’s Jim Rominger came in second.

The most active hub of fencing in Texas, however, remained far to the north, in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. There, one local coach Rois L. Brockman served as president of the Southwestern Fencing League and of the Texas Division of the AFLA for 1940-1941.

On the somewhat ironic date of December 7, 1940 eight members of the ANICO fencing team traveled to compete in a tournament at the Houston YMCA. Those making the trip were three novice fencers: DeWitt Harrison, Mike Connelly and Lawrence McMillan. The more experienced fencers going along were coach Clement D’Albergo, former A&M fencer Jack Baird, Harold Kerst. Also making the trip were Steve Vander Wal and W. A. Franks, for whom the time remaining on piste was already running out.

1941: Steve Vander Wal

The Texas A&M College Fencing Club lost Captain Roberts as their coach and faculty sponsor at the mid-term. Lt. C. G. Sory, also of the Military Department, stepped in as a replacement. The club, however, remained as strong as ever, with Tom Akarman remain as captain. Other members included C. L. Adcock, J. J. Bederman, W. Chromaster, G. Coffey, Leroy Everett, D. E. Jackson, R. B. Jones, H. Kahn, Jim Rominger, Robert W. Shaw, E. R. Stillinger, W. T. Swigert, J. M. Vivian and J. K. Wells.

Baylor University held the top fencing honors in the Southwest Conference for its third straight year in 1941.

The annual championships of the Southwestern Fencing League were held at Forth Worth on March 29-30.

Galveston sent Clement D’Albergo, Leroy Brown, W. A. Franks, Lawrence McMillan, Steve Vander Wal and Jack Baird, who was coming by a circuitous route, having been recently transferred by his employers from Galveston to Laredo. The Galveston ANICOs crossed blades with the Dallas YMCA team.

In women’s foil, the only contest was between two women’s teams. both from the same Dallas club. Southwestern Fencing League President Rois Brockman coached all three of the Dallas teams. Perhaps feeling himself stretched too thin, he gave the duty of the actual directing of the women’s squads to their respective captains, stating he would be merely an interested spectator.

Dallas’ Florine Stiles won the women’s individual foil title by defeating Fort Worth’s Harriet Knight in the final. En route to the finals, Stiles defeated the defending women’s champion Ruth Eaves, also from Dallas.

Clement D’Albergo of Galveston captured the men’s individual foil championship by defeating Baylor’s Pearce Shaundies in the final. D’Albergo also made it to the epee final, only to be knocked out by his own pupil, Steve Vander Wal. Galveston did not make a clean sweep of the men’s gold, however. Hal Lattimore of Fort Worth and the University of Texas defeated W. A. Franks for the men’s individual sabre championship.

In the team epee competition, Baylor captured first place with the ANICOs in second. The result of team sabre repeated the epee results: Baylor in first, ANICO in second. In men’s team foil the ANICOs took first and the Dallas YMCA second.

Elections were also held. Rois Brockman was re-elected president of the Southwestern Fencing League. Pearce Shaundies was the first vice-president. Penny Eades of Dallas was the second vice-president. Inez Thompson of Fort Worth served a secretary-treasurer. Clearly the League’s strength was the Dallas-Fort Worth contingent.

The second annual Galveston Invitational was held April 26-27 at the Buccaneer Hotel Ballroom. Invitations were intentionally sent to the best fencers in the state, among them Rois Brockman, Cliff and Florine Stiles, Hal Lattimore, Pierce Shaundies, Alvin Adelman, Jim Rominger, Tom Akerman, Leroy Everett, and Jim Swagert.

Spring graduation hit the Texas A&M team particularly hard, with many of their most proficient swordsmen graduating. It was to be only the first, and hardly the largest drain on their manpower in the coming months.

There was also a noteworthy development in fencing that spring. At the 1941 NCAA collegiate fencing championships, the National College Fencing Coaches Association of America, or NCFCAA, was organized. In just a few year its name would be changed to the National Fencing Coaches Association of America (NFCAA) to reflect a broader base.

The summer of 1941 brought distinction to some Texas fencers. Florine Stiles of Dallas, Hal Lattimore of the University of Texas, Clement D’Albergo and Steve Vander Wal of Galveston had all qualified to participate in the national fencing championships to be held at the New York Athletic Club in June. Lattimore, unfortunately, would be unable to attend. The other three were on their way. For D’Albergo it was probably a culmination of the work he had put in since he had been a student at UT, studying under Col. Ekdahl, in the early 1930s. Stiles and Vander Wal were young fencers, still in their first few years of competition. It was a glorious moment. For Steve Vander Wal, it was one last chance to shine brightly.

Florine Stiles did not make it to the final round of women’s foil on June 10, 1941, but the significance of her presence at the national championship could not be more profound. Steve Vander Wal and Clement D’Albergo had their shot a couple of days later. As with Stiles they were knocked out before the final pool, but Texas fencers had, at last, made it to the national championships.

Not long after, on Saturday afternoon, August 30, the 27-year-old Steve Vander Wal; his wife, Estill; her sister and brother-in-law and her cousin, all ANICO employees, left Galveston Island to spend the Labor Day holiday in Mississippi. In the early morning hours of August 31, their car was involved in an automobile accident near Brookhaven, Mississippi. Estill Vander Wal and her cousin, Miss Billie Stubbs died almost instant;y. Steve Vander Wal and Estill’s sister died shortly after reaching the hospital. Only Estill’s brother-in-law, survived.

For the small fencing community on Galveston Island, this was a hard blow.

On September 20, 1941 the ANICO fencers began their season, without their team-mate, by traveling to Beaumont. The Galveston team consisted of W. A. Franks, Lawrence McMillan and Owen Holzheuser. They fenced against the Beaumont YMCA team, composed of six naval officers.

The fall of 1941 saw a largely novice club form at Texas A&M. A few did remain from the previous season, like C. L. Adcock, Robert W. Shaw, and E. R. Stillinger. Most, however, were new faces and names, such as Blakelock, Frye, Wilman, Ellifrit, Stookey, Williams and Gordon. The team practiced four nights a week to get in form.

Shaw assumed the post of club president and Stillinger became the Secretary-Treasurer. They also had a new faculty sponsor in Mr. Lambert Molyneaux. For the first time since the club was recreated in the mid-1930s, it was not sponsored or coached from the Military Department.

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese naval and air forces attacked Pearl Harbor. America was at war. Fencing would take a back seat.