, 1888-11-29
'TfHE CANUCK WINS.
O,Connor Toys with Teemer ON
the Potomac.
HE WILL VISIT AUSTRALIA
In Search OF Now Conquests---suiiivan
Longing to Spill Mitchoi's
ClNret.-.Yale's victory

M
jAsHrNsroN, Nov. 24.-Willism J.;
JConnor, the Canadian oarsman defeated
ohm Teemer of McKeesport, Pa, the
holder OF the title Of champion oarsman OF y
America, this afternoon In three mile
face on the Potomac river, opposite Wa:n-
in0ton, for the championship OF America
and q stake of S2500 Q side, OConnor
rowed in splendid form and LED from stsrt
to finish. Teemer at no time being aole 20
overtake him. Connor VIII now go 20
Australia to battle with Searle Tor the
.ohampionship of the world. The course
;ected was q three mile with a turn.
hen the time for the race, half.past .
o'clock arrived, the coal dumps, gas works,
wharves and boat houses were lined with
people, fully 10000 persons being the
spectators from on the shore. while many
more occupied seats on small river craft.
The spectators shivered in the chilly, raw
air while the preliminaries were being ar.
ranged. The water was smooth Out
muddy and the other conditions were nn-
favorable to good time being made. The
betting became quite lively Just before the
race and considerable money changed
hands, OConnor men first betting even
money and then giving odds of $5 to "a.
and when no takers could be found, offer
ed $50 to $50 on their man.
THE START.
IL was twenty minutes after A O'Clock
when j. II. Eden Of the Columbia Athletic
Club, who had been selected as referee.
got the men in line and when moment
later he gave the signal Co." O'Connor
was of like flash and was half length
in the lead before .Teemer could dip his
oars in the water O'Connor, with a
stroke OF thirty.four to the minute, grad
ually gained on the Mckeesport sculler,
Il -, 1lrAs
: the half mile the Canadian had q length
81 clear water between him and his COM
'Spetitor, and slowed down his stroke to
thirty.two to the minute. At the mile he
held his lead, but was out of his course
and lost some distance. so that Mt the turn
he was only length ahead. Rounding
the buoy O'Connor put on spurt, and
with long, powerful pull of thirty-two
to the minute, he gained rapidly on
Teemer, dropping his stroke Il, twenty
eight; He was good three @
snss'' siss of ss the cons.s sss aia as besS tso
gone over. The Canadian sculer was fresh
and every stroke seemed full of power,
while Teemer, though pulling tnirty.two
to O'Connor's twenty.eight, moved ahead
slowly and seemed in labor. From this
point on o 'Connor increased his lead, and
slowing up towards the finish line, he
crossed it a winner about ten lengths ahead
of Teemer. The winners time was 70
minutes and 33 seconds. Teemer's time
was not taken but was estimated to be 25
seconds slower.
O'Counor pulled over to the referee
boat and inquired il everything was all
Eight. Elder told him it was and that he
won. He padded quietly Oh to his
lighthouse without word. His hackers.
however, were jubilant and loudly gave
vent to their feelings. Joseph Rogers Of
Toronto, hacker of O'Connor. said as soon
a. the race was over that he now proposed
to 60 TO Australia and wrest the cham mpion.
ship from searle. O'Connor was trained
by George Lee and Tsemer by Albert
Hamm.
o'coNNoR's RECORD.
William ]. O'Conner, who by to-dsy's
race, becomes champion oarsman OF Amer.
ica, was born in Toronto, Canada, about
25 years ago and 6rst came into promi-
nence in 1882 as q memb Der of the Dor
Amateur Rowing club of Toronto. IL
1883 he won the senior single champion
ship Of Canada, at Hamilton. Ontario
having short time before. with his part
ner, Enright, won the championship fol
double from Lang brothers. He became
q professional oarsman il 1885 by chal
lenGing Ritz of Pittsburg. to q race fol
$1,000 q side. but the latter declined to
row. In 1887 he defeated Albert Hamm
but in his next race ut Buffalo his boa,
was swsmped and he only took thire
place, Hanlan winning. In March OF thi
year. he defeated Peterson, the Pacific
4, slope champion, ut San Francisco and sub
T. Jsequently met aud defeated George Lee
' Gaudaur, and other good men, He is five
feet ten inches in height and weighed l6'
pounds to-day.