There is an article in the Smithsonian Magazine, entitled “Want to Work Out Like Walt Whitman or Henry VIII? Try These Historic Fitness Regimes,” by Greg Presto. It describes the first-class gym equipment aboard the Titanic complete with a photo of the gym.
In the photo, there were two machines that really caught my attention. The first was the Rowing Machine. Yes, big wooden oars, and I think you could adjust the tension, not quite as good as the rowing machine I use at home. The second was a Bicycle Race Machine. I’m not sure it was exactly what I remember using. But I do remember there were two bikes, and you would race with your opponent. There was a clock, just like in the photo, which kept track of your speed, and who won the race. The article also mentions two other machines, a Horse-Riding Machine, and a Stomach-Massaging machine, that I used. But where?
Obviously, it had to be in my past. Some time that I was with other boys my age. The only thought that came to me, was scouting. I went through scouting from a Cub Scout, to Boy Scout, and then to Air Explorer. Probably as a Boy Scout, when I was ten years old. I remembered all the hikes, and camping trips. The meetings every week that were combined with playing basketball on a full court. We suspended meetings, and activities during the summer. So, it had to be a gym we were going to from fall through spring. It also had to be a gym with equipment that was available in the early to mid-1900’s. The Titanic started to be built in 1909, and then sank in 1912. When we went to the gym, it had to be on the week-end, and probably early in the day. Also, I remember that we were the only ones in the gym. There was some other activity associated with the gym. But what? Then it came to me. The other activity was swimming, and I’m pretty sure it was located in Brooklyn. So, I started combing the internet for indoor swimming pools, that dated back to the mid-1900’s. I finally found it!
It was the Hotel St. George in Brooklyn Heights. Brooklyn Heights is an up-scale neighborhood overlooking the East River. Most of the houses are old Brownstone’s. It was built between 1885 and 1929. That would account for the similar gym equipment. It was once the largest hotel in New York City, and hosted celebrities like Truman Capote, Duke Ellington, Leonard Bernstein, Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. But it was really renown for, was its 120-foot natural salt water pool. It was the largest salt water swimming pool in the United States. They say the pool was visited by Esther Williams, Johnny Weismuller and Buster Crabbe.
It stated to come back to me. We would ride the subway from Brownsville to Brooklyn Heights. The station was right underneath the hotel. I guess we had the gym and pool to ourselves for several hours. It was the first time I experienced a steam room. We would first work-out in the gym, then swim in the pool, finally ending with time in the steam room, and shower, before heading back home.
That was a great memory I almost forgot about.
