The Rock Island Argus., 1885-06-15
ALL BIZ PRECONCERTED PLAN.
Saturdays Sham ON Sylvan Water.
How a Professional Regatta
Turned Out---The Races
and Records.
A SOLD AUDIENCE.

A SOLD AUDIENCE.
1t was large and refined audience
that filled the amphitheatre at Sylvan
Water Saturday afternoon for the pur,
pose of witnessing the long advertised
professional regatta. Among that audi
ence were many too, who had been ac>
customed to acquatic sports, and who
knew the difference between contest for
"blood" and one where the winner was
decided upon before the "go" was given.
The disgusted ones at Saturdays contest
were by no means confined to these ex>
perienced in Witnessing water course
races, for person with half an eye could
easily detect the sham from start to fin
ish. Rowing is one of the fine arts,
one of the manifest of physical exer
cises of modern times, and one that
il properly conducted will always
awaken public interest, and command
public respect. What shame therefore
is Is, that the sport at any time must be
reduced to the level OF ordinary horse
racing; to that degree, where merit or
speed have no place, but where all is
governed by the pool box or some other
gambling institution.
Saturdays regatta promised to give the
people of the three cities, who have seen
amatuer rowing contests-and good ones,
too--an opportunity to witness what
some of the best scullers in the country
could do. Ii was advertised that five of the
professional oarsmen of the continent
would pull for reputation as well as
prizes, and not merely enter into prac
| tice contest
THE COURSE
furnished by Sylvan water, is one of the
best for rowing purposes in the west 1t
has been the custom heretofore to have
the course mile in length, thus making
but two turns in three mile race. but
shutting the contestants from view
for good part of the race.
A quarter of mile has been cut off the
usual course and this for the three mile
races of Saturday necessitated three turrs
and reduced the time, but the oarsmen
we're always in sight Of the spectators.
In front of the grand stand the water was
at first a little lumpy, but afterwards be
came smooth
| THE JUDGES
were James P Donahue, of Davenport,
Capt. w. C. Bennett and E. B. Atkinson,
of Moline; E. L. Moses, of Clinton, was
referee, J. P. st. John, of St. Louis,
starter, G. I. Baker, of Iowa City, time
| keeper.
| THE SINGLE sCULL
race was the first called and it was
fifteen minutes after o'clock when
the FIVE oarsmen appeared in line
for a start in the following
order: John Mckay, of Halifax; G. W
Lee, Newark; Harry Parker, st. Louis;
Geo. Hosmer, Boston; Jacob Gaudaur
St. Louis. The scullers got off well to.
gether, and made the upper turning
buoys in the following time: Gaudaur,
1929; Mckay, 1890; Lee, 1880; Parker,
II &c; Hosmer, 11:27. There was no
variation in this order when the oarsmen
came in on the finish in this way Gau-
daur. 21:31; Mckay. 2134; Lee 22:37;
Parker, 2403; Hosmer, 2404 Gaudaur
was accordingly awarded the prize as
winner of the race. This contest was an
interesting one, and the tug between
Gaudaur and Mckay seemed to be an en-
ergetic one, but the other oarsmen rowed
in leisurely don't care way that was a
plain give away. Those acquainted with
skill of the five oarsmen, say that Hos
mer who came in last. would have had a
much higher glace in the score, had it
been for record
THE FOUR DARED SHELLS
This was an amateur race, particip ated
in by the Cedar Rapids and Moline
crews. The Rapids crew was composed
of E. H. Smith, W A Hull, NJ ]. Gates,
and W. A. Dawley; the Mollnes of J P
Fleming. A. H. Arp, 0. Livingston and
John Kittelsen. At the start the Rapids
t boys pulled at 4S and the Moline men al
46. Thus they dashed and splashed along
to the turn. The Rapids crew
proved the most skilled in turn.
, ing the buoy, and spun around it Sc
quickly that they were well under way
on the home stretch before the Moline
boys got fairly turned, and seeing that ii
= was all up with them they turned The
3 blame off on their rudder. and pulled fol
: the shore. The Sylvaus finished the mile
: and half in the good time of 10:4S
? THE DOUBLE sCULLs
were next called, the race being over {
mile and half course Gaudaur anC
Hosmer rowed against Mckay and Par.
ker. Both boats made good start, Gau
daur's reaching the turn In ABS, and Nc
KaY's in two seconds later. 1t was ,
, pretty race from start to finish, the boat.
keeping conveniently near together. Al
. the close both spurted, which aroused {
q wild cheer from the shore. There was
nothing else exciting about the race
Gaudaur's time was 1907, and McKay'>
a 1910.
q THE CANOEIsTS.
d Two members of the Davenport canoe
club gave an exhibition with the paddle
going over half mile of water and turn
ing. Mr.. T. L. Wilkinson made it in
5:434 and N. Kuhnen, Jr., in 6:55.