The Lincoln Times

Paysour Might Again Attempt Channel Swim

Gastonia's swimming fireman 27-year-old Bob Paysour, floundered on the edge of glory in the English Channel Saturday—swimming 19 of the 21 miles from Cap Gris Nez, France, to the cliffs of Dover: only to give up blue with cold and frustrated two miles from shore and 12 hours, 50 minutes after beginning his swim.

Paysour is well-known to a number of Lincoln people. It was his second try to swim the channel. After his 1952 effort, which ended six miles from the goal, he returned to the States, and soon was followed by Sam Rockett, his trainer, who lives in Folkestone and was the 32nd man in history to swim the channel LINCOLN MAN The two got together with Del Lazenby now of Lincolnton and Southern Textile News, and for five weeks collaborated on a book on channel swimming and its history, including in dramatic form the famous swims of the past. Lyle Edwards, former Lincolnton High School coach, acted as business manager. However, publishers in both the United States and in England preferred to wait until Paysour had swum the channel before publishing the book.

After Paysour's failure Saturday, Lazenby and Edwards cabled Paysour in England to remain in Folkestone for two more weeks and make a second try of the year on the channel. Whether or not Paysour will follow this advice is not known yet.