The New York herald., 1872-08-31

What Is an Amateur oarsman.


question "who Is the Amateur p" were received in
this city few days since, and have been carefully
read and much commented upon. Mr.. Watson's
compilation has but just come to hard-the text
after the sermon. On examination OF Mr.. Watson's
pamphlet l find that your views are so
different from notions heretofore entertained
by oarsmen OF reputation In America that
l hope 1t Is not clear presumption for
even such novice In aquatics as l confess myself
to be to address you. And If apology be needed
find 1t In the fact that until recently have been
President OF the Wah Wah Sum Boat Cuban Or
ganization to which you devote much space and
questionable comment. Your memory rs to the
incidents OF the regatta OF the Northwestern ANA
teur Boating Association for 1871 seems in many
respects quite clear.
Allow me- then, to ask you to recall the fact that
when your amateurship was questioned before the
Association the wah wah Sum Club was the only
club upon whom you know you could depend as your
friend; and delegate from this club was the only
delegate who made a remark in your favor. Out
of this triendliness to You there grew sympathy
between the Chicago and the Wah Wah Sums
which was both marked and remarked. A special
despatch to the Chicago tribune contains the
phrase Throughout the entire proceeding the
Wah Wah Sum men have shown themselves the
warm friends and firm supporters Of the Chicago
Club"
have in my possession communication ten
dered to our club signed by seven ladies and five
gentlemen ''frlends OF the Chicago Rowing Clubu
congratulating us on our success, and concluding
1--WE ieel grateful to you for the sympathy and in.
terest extended to our boys In the unpleasant mat
ter which caused their withdrawal from the races,
These facts, with the pleasant personal relations
thought to exist between you and some of our
N
not have chosen to take other cases mot 80 plainly
Marked" or even invent a case, rather than to be
so ready. to place us in the unpleasant
position OF being heralded through the cOun-
try by an oarsman of your standing as a
distinction" Doubtless 1t comes however, from
that chivalric devotion to aquatcs which would
not wreck the express train Of our aquatic prog,
still might have avoided telescoping the train OF
aquatic progress high and dry on lee shore with
out showing such apparent unkindness. The spirit
OF chivalry, you know Is merclu A simple state
ment that our crew contained some men who came
under the head OF "tradcsmen, mechanics" &c
and that they easily won the races referred to would
have made just as strong case.
But this is the way you do it:-"rhe two clubs
from the Saginaw valley-or at least their racing
crews-are made up from what are called there
river men, who, II understand correctly. are em-
pOyed by the lumber dealers In collecting logs dur
ing the understanding them down to the mills In
the Spring, and saving them. They are hardy,
robust set OF men-Out-Of-dOOr wOrkers-bright-
eyeu, Cleur-SkInucU, Immensely muScuar DrOuU-
chested, deep-lunged, averaging five feet eleven
inches or SIX feet In height, and 100 10 pounds
when trained-Iull OF life and spirit-r0w wide,
short. clumsy-looking Shells with coxswain-no
style-splash the water-catch crabs-rock the
bOat-pull three miles, with turn, in eighteen
minutes get out, dance war dance and ready
to pull three miles more, just as fast! magnif-
cent set OF men they are and 1t Is worth travelling
many miles to see them row. But what chance has
common city amateur crew to row against thems'
Now, suppOsing all this to be true, why give such
adetail OF imperfections that do not bear at all on
your argumentY And the iact Is that much Of it.
expression, is somewhat thoughtcssly wOrded For
instance, the Neptune's shell was three feet longer
than your own, same width, and was the longest
boat In the entire six entries, and without cox
swain. Our ''wide, short, lumsy-loOking shel was
the same width as the Milwaukee's, aud one inch
narrower than the ExcelsOr's, of Detroit. She was
built under the supervision OF your friend Bah
cock, of the Nassau Club, and is pro-
handsome boat. That she was not pulled more
handsomely is to be regretted but your Chicago
comrades were at the time profuse In their assur-
anccs that the performance IN this respect was
creditabe for crews FIRST season in SHE'LL And
as for the cOxswain-why, that is the way the
English gentry shOOt Barnes Bridge"
In regard to the crews. the Wah Wah Sum crew
did not contain a majority from any one class OF
employment Three OF them could classify as
amateurs under your exclusive rule, and only
two Of them were ''out-ofdoor workcrs' in any
sense. None OF them are men ''with whom we
who had cultivated and developed temperance,
and chastity, and intelligence, and endurance and
perseverance and pluck, and obedience and pa
which distinguish a man from a hog" Coming
from a little town In northern Michigan, they
lacked something OF the polish of cosmopolitan
like yourself. But not Of them was In any
respect lOafer or brute, when tried by any test
where worth makes the man and want OF It the
fellow" II you doubt the entire truthfulness of
any portion OF this statement can furnish you the
assurances OF men whose word you VIII not dis
credit. This much have felt to be due to set OF
men OF whose performances Oarsmen are
somewhat proud and whose manhood we thoroughly
respect.
And now, sir, allow me to apply your own We rds
to the Chicago crew at OcOnOInOwOc, 'Bright-e yed,
clear-skinned, unusually muscular, -chested,
deeplunged, averaging five feet eleven inches or
six feet In height, and 100 or 40 pounds when
trained lactual average being nine pounds less
than the wah Wah Sumsl. Add to this that they
were men OF mature years and long experience in
boating, accustomed to devote much time to athle-
tics all through the twelve months; most OF them
expert single sculers, numbering among them such
men as Curtis, who wears more medals for athletic
hOnOrs than any man west OF New York; New
man, formerly member OF the London Rowing
Club; Harris, Snyder and Others. Say that with
their fine physique they were beyond question,
so far as skill and style are concerned,
the most accomplished oarsman in Western waters,
and the description is almost perfect. Now tell
me, pray, what chance has common city anna
ser crew to row W.. against them ~ or their
have no means OF judging. But their physical
superiority TO most crews is apparent; and doubt
however, very much doubt your willingly consent.
ing to any classification, whether against their age
weight, experience skill or muscle, which would
debar them from ranking as amateurs. This were
carrying devotion too far
You will pardon me, then, trust, when ques-
tiOn the entire conclustveness OF your argument
against us; for, as have shown yOu common
city amateur club may be entirely Overmatched by
men who toll not. 1t cannot be that you are seek
ing to protect yourself; for understand you pub
licly proclaim yourself the physical equal OF any
man VINO walks. And II such is your object your
proposed rule, 1t seems to me, Is quite ineffective.
what are our late successful college oarsmen but
farmers boys who chance to be going to school
And what shall prevent other lab0rers from adopt
ing the educational dodge or seeking any other
temporary employment should occasion require
ioui ciassncation imso lu1loIs ana seniors is aa'
the discrimination against labor protects neither
the tyrO nor the expert. Doubtless 1t would be
competent and proper enough Tor different assOcia
ti0ns to make such qualifications as they choose
such as particular professions, membership OF
tain clubs or residence In certain localities. But
you propose to make ruling aud law for the
broad land.
And here wish to call your attention to what
vou bov va anno had tho vufIa