The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-29
THE GREAT RACE.
THE RIVAL SCULLERS AT THEIR
PRACTICE.
What Kennedy Thinks of the Match and
Rowing.

Yesterdays Boston Herald gives very in
teresting account of the practice of the rival
scullers at the beach Sunday and chat with
Kennedy, from which we take tho following:
SUNDAYS PRACTICE.
Hanlan aud Kennedy improved their time
at Point OF Pines Sunday, and launched their
shells in the forenoon and afternoon. Hanlan
took long row early in the day, making a
circuit around the shore to Saugus and Lynn,
and also pulling over the three-mile course.
He estimated that he covered altogether about
10 miles. Kennedy took hard and steady
row OF about five miles in the forenoon. Din
ner was had about Q o'clock, and directly after.
ward Hanlan took walk of about three miles
at moderate pace. Kennedy was satisfied
with a walk of about Il miles, and at $50 was
in his boathouse prepared for another row
Davis had discovered In Kennedy's boat a
fault OF construction in the nature of a bulk
head, which he thought unscentifc and I'M
necessary, inasmuch as Il permitted the space
inside to become damp, when, on exposure of
the boat to the sun, the covering became heat
cd, steam was generated under the canvas, or,
more properly. oiled linen, and the liability of
the boat to lose stiffness was increased With
Jaok-knife this fault was soon remedied, and
about 4.3O O'Clock Kennedy put on his rowing
clothes and walked down to the beach near
the steamboat landing, where his boat was
launched. lie was followed by a large crowd
OF spectators, who freely commented among
themselves upon his physical development
and condition for racing He rowed away
towards Lynn with stroke of SO 10 the min
ute. and kept the pace up until the strokes
could scarcely be counted by the flash Of the
blades in the sun. He returned, rowing against
the tide, with stroke which varied from "a
to ~ minute, yet he kept good motion on
his boat, and his rowing satisfied his friends
aud himself. Directly after Kennedy stepped
ashore Hanlan made preparations to lauch his
boat, and ne was soon spinning away towards
The Nahant shore at a stroke of 81 to the min
ute. After rowing out about three-quarters of
mile ne returned and went over the pre-.
scribed course of three miles, on which he will
row next Wednesday. He had intended to
conlne his afternoon exercise to walking, bat.
as Kennedy was determined to row, and the
water and weather were acceptable, Hanlan
could not resist the desire to get ahoat. He
must have rowed 20 miles in both his practice
spins yesterday. The severe work Of the day
over. the men rested about an hour and then
had supper. followed by short walk. It is
very probable that the referee will be chosen
today or tomorrow. III the men cannot agree
ON suitable person for the position, the stake
holder will appoint referee on Wednesday.
A CHAT WITH KENNEDY
John A. Kennedy was waiting for Davis aud
ODonnell to attach slide and rowing boots to
his paper boat before he went out to take
four mile row, when he and the writer took
seats on a carpenters bench and engaged in a
ten minute conversation.
''How did you come to make this match with
Hanlan?" was asked.
1T was not a new idea or suggestion to me-
answered Kennedy. "Threa years ago a num-
Der OF my friends wanted to back me against
Hanlan, and had great difficulty in resisting
their opportunities At that time 1 supposed
would have many chances to make matches
with scullers of lesser note. and once or twice
had almost closed negotiations Last August
you will recollect, authorized the Herald to
state that would row Charles E. Courtney
race of three miles for $500 to $4,000 a side,
and remarked that, while did not think it
quite fair to challenge Lee, Riley and others
with whom 1 had been campaigning, il they
desired to challenge me would row them for
less money than $780, Well, as you know,
Courtney would not accept my offer, and at
that time the other scnllers did not care to rev
me or were not in position to consider my sug-
gestion. After the Point of Pines and Massa-
besic races last fall. my hacker came here and
negotiations for match with Hanlan were
opened. indeed, matters went SO far that $1,000
a side was staked as preliminary deposit with
the aquatic editor of the Boston Herald. Sub
sequently, when Mr. Hanlan was taken in
charge by Mr.. Duryea, as his hacker, these
stakes were withdrawn, and formal negotia-
tons were resumed in New York. The 5000
is all up and we are to row for it. as to the
result of the race l have only this to say ~
know how fast am going, and think can
row three miles at pace satisfactory TO N.Y.
self, at least. recognize fully Mr. lIanlan's
ability as sculler. It is a question with me
whether Mr.. Hanlan has been fully extended
in any race he has ever rowed. But conditions
vary in every contest. Sometimes, when two
scullers have r0wed very hard for mile or so
both may be on the point of stopping from
sheer exhaustion, and il the man who stops
first should have kept on for two or three more
strokes, his opponent, though with length or
half length the best of the race, woGld have
ceased rowing; but the man in the lead, en-
couraged by his competitors distress, gets new
life and strength, and soon what at first
threatened to be q bad defeat for him changes
into what the public conclude Is hollow vic
tory. Very few have any idea Of the pluck
and determination necessary for Q close race.
Every stroke taken when an oarsman is on the
point of exhaustion seems like pulling a ton,
and, every time he pulls himself up to the
stretcher on the recover, 1t seems as ii be had
expended the last ounce of energy that was in
him.
How far can sculler row at his hardest
pace before rowing himself out?"
THAT depends on the man, the boat he
uses, the rig, etc. A good man, well boated
and in good condition, can, II he desires, row
himself to standstill in quarter OF a mile,
Did you ever realize the strain on a sculler in
hard race? Every stroke means lift Of
from 100 to 800 pounds dead weight Now
allow 200 pounds for each stroke, 36 strokes a
minute and 20 minutes (which is very fast) for
three miles, and what do we get? Why, lift
of 200 pounds minute and IA GOO pounds in
3-mile race. Perhaps you can figure out
how hard sculler works in his preparations
for race, by summing up what amount OF
lifting he is obliged to do and what the eqni.
valent that would be in lifting COAL"
In which OF your races were you obliged to
row the HARDEST"
1.-THE hardest race / remember to have row
ed was with Jim Riley at Owasco lake. He
reached the turning stake ahead of me, and
had very hard stern chase to the finish. The
next hardest was with Plaisted and Frenchy
johnson at Silver lake. At Barrie, also, when
Riley rowed the "dead heat with Hanlan, we
all struggled hard. / flushed well up with
them In that race"
"Have you any other matches on hand be-
side that with Hanlan?"
mo, have not; and doubt very mach |
that will ever row another match race. Tho |
preparation takes too much time the work IS |
consideration Many people have an idea that |
boat races ought to be as free as the water on |
which they are rowed Admission TO horse |
races and other sports may be as high as the |
public will willingly pay, but boat races-well, |
/ suppose the idea Of free exhibitions is the |
outcome Of the free regattas on Charles river |
and elsewhere. III oarsmen had received |
more consideration and encouragement, there |
would be less cause to question the honesty Of |
their races. I look in future for better row.
ing and greater confidence In oarsmen than
there have been In the past, because the public
have begun to appreciate what it costs to be
sculler, and how short a time a man has to re-
main in the business as professional"
KENnEDY's ROUTINE
The daily routine of Kenuedy's training
life Is as follows: Rising at o'clock in the
morning, he breakfasts at 30. He Is not
strict discIplinarian in dieting, but believes In
eating such nourishing food as the stomach
Graves For breakfast he usually begins with
fruit; next dish Of oatmeal porridge; then
two lamb chops or mutton chops, with French
fried pototoes, breakfast rolls and cup Of tee