Talk:Bill Burgess

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Reference Conflict

Number of failed attempts

We have conflicting sources for the number of failed attempts before success:

"13 failures" – "Biography: in 1911 when, after 13 failed attempts, he became the second man to swim the English Channel", sports-reference.com.
"15 failures" – "The Channel Swim: Burgess's Perseverance Rewarded After Fifteen failures", Poverty Bay Herald, October 11, 1911.

I have taken the second in preference, as the paper was contemporaneous with the event, unlike the web site. ◃Λmniarix▹ (talk) 23:25, 18 December 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Method of swimming

We have a conflict over the claim that he only used breaststroke.

"His motorcycle goggles leaked water, but they protected his eyes from water splashes during his breaststroke-only swim." – The history of goggles, International Swimming Hall of Fame.
"I used the over-arm side stroke practically all the way, except ... swam on my back." – "The Channel Swim: Burgess's Perseverance Rewarded After Fifteen failures", Poverty Bay Herald, October 11, 1911.

I haven't corrected this as I don't think it's important – at the end of the day, he swum mostly on his "front" to the extent that he found goggles useful. Perhaps the "over-arm side stroke" was not distinguished from breaststroke in 1911. ◃Λmniarix▹ (talk) 23:25, 18 December 2015 (UTC)[reply]