St. Paul daily globe., 1888-11-25
TEEMER is TROUNCED
0'Connor Wins the Sculling
Championship Of America
With Ease.
The Winners Time Nearly
Four Minutes Slower Than
Hanlan's Record.
fale Athletes Outkiek the
Princeton Boys Without
Much Effort.
Sullivan ISSunc g Challenge to
Sullivan Issues a Challenge to
Mitchell, Which the Lat
ter Accepts.
Rnecial to the Globe.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-William j.
O'Connor, the Canadian oarsman, de-
feated John Teemer, of McKeesport.
Pa. holder of the title of champion oars
man of America, this afternoon ina
tl.ree-mile race on the Potomac river
opposite Washington, for the champion
ship of America and stake of $500 a
side. O'Connor rowed in splendid form
and led from start to finish, Teemer at
no time being able to overtake him.
O'Connor will now 60 to Australia to
battle with Searle for the championship
of the world. The present race grew
out of quarrel in Madison
Square garden, New York, be-
tween Teemer and George Lee, the
trainer of O'Connor. Intellectual efforts
had been made before that time to bring
the two oarsmen together III a race, but
after the quarrel both men were anxious
to meet each other, and they were
quickly matched for contest at WASH
ington to-day. Both men came to Wash
ington to train for the event, and they
have been here for more than two
weeks, getting themselves in good con-
dition. The people of Washington at
first took very little interest in the
match, as they still had lively recol-
lection of the day when the whole city
turned out to see Courtney and Hanlan
race. and watched the latter row over
the course alcne. This did not
DISCOURAGE THE oARSMEN
to-day. however, who said they did not
care whether any one watched them or
not. The interest in the race increased
greatly as the time for the event drew
near and it was found that there was
bad feeling between the men, and that
there was every prospect of an exciting
contest. For the last two days the COB
VerSation on the street has nearly all
related to the boat race, and in the sa-
looms and sporting places considerable
money has been wagered, the betting
being even until to-day. A large party
of Toronto people came on To witness the
race, and they backed their townsman
freely at even money, the friends OF
Teemer refusing to give odds and being
In the minority. The morning opened
cold and chilly. north wind blowing
over the course, while the sky was
cloudy and threatening. The sun came
out at intervals during the day, and the
wind died out to a considerable extent.
The course selected was three miles
with turn. At 5 o'clock, the time set
for the race, the left bank of the river,
at the starting point and for several
hundred yards below, was lined with
crowds of people standing twenty deep.
The verandas Of the various boat clubs
were also crowded. In all not less
than 15.UOO people witnessed the start
and finish. The start was delayed
by the discovery that the anchor lines
of dredge were IN the middle of the
course, and an hour was wasted in re-
moving them. At 1855 the referees
boat, which contained. also the repre-
sentatives of the press, who were COM
PEELED to pay O'Connor's backer iber-
ally for their accommodations, steamed
up to Teemer's headquarters, and the
referee ordered him to prepare. OCon-
nor had already taken the water, and in
heavy flannels was padding about
slowly to keep himself warm. AT 4:20
the men were in line.
TEEMER WON THE TOSS,
and selected the Virginia side OF the
river. Referee j. r. Elders gave few
brief directions, and second later, at
4:23, shouted go" O'Connor's blades
flew through the water first, and five
strokes showed him half boat length
ahead of Teemer. O'ConnOr made 81
strokes in the first minute and Teemer
&c. Away they skinned, the Canadian
gaining little every moment. At the
end of the first half mile O'COnnOr was
leading by three lengths, and Teemer
occasionally looked behind him, an act
which convinced his hackers that he
was a beaten man. 81 have $3.50 on
Teemer," cried one man, land Pll sell
it for $780," Both men were out of the
course at the mile post, at
which point they veered to-
ward the Virginia shore and
steered directly for the turning buoys.
O'COnnor had made the greater loss by
bad steering, for, as the men neared
the turning flags, it was seen that
Teemer had greatly reduced the lead.
O'Connor turned at 4:33 and Teemer
turned five seconds later. Teemer be-
gan to spurt but in spite of this the
Canadian continued to gain. Oarsmen
Lee and Hamm, who acted as judges at
the turn for O'Connor and Teemer re-
spectively, now Joined the racers and
the four shells flew homeward. O'Con-
nor, who had roWed a thirty-four stroke
from the start, now reduced the rate to
twenty-eight. Teemer had fallen to
thirty-four strokes a minute. At the
end of tie second mile the Canadian
lead by four boat lengths, and Teemer
was spIashing and evidently exhausted.
ALL OVER, BUT THE SHOUTING"
said O'Connor's backer, and so it
proved. The waves and current were
making the return a slow one. The
winner was now in sight of his goal.
and the crowds on the river banks be-
gan to cheer and the boat whistles to
scream and blow. O'Connor crossed
the line amid a erfectpandemonium at
at 4:44-29. Teemer was struggling six
lengths behind, and did not finish for
ten seconds after the winner. O'Con-
nor rOWed up to the referees boat. sis
IL all right Mr.. Elder?" he said. "All
right" said the referee. "You have
won the race, O'Connor." The victor
padded to his boat house and was
dragged from his shell by his friends,
who almost pulled his arms off in their
enthusiasm. 1t was great race, but a
hopeless one for Teemer from the be-
ginning. At least $4,000 exchanged
hands in this city on the result.
Joseph Rogers, of Toronto, the backer
O'Connor, said as soon as the race was
over that he now proposed to go to
Australia and Wrest the worlds cham
pionship from Searle. The officers of
race were: Referee, J. r. Elder. of the
Columbia Athletic club; judges for
O'Connor, Joseph Rogers over the
course, George Lee at the turn, and
John Ryan, of the Toronto Rowing club.
at the finish; for Teemer, Fred Russell,
of the Smithsonian institute, over the
course, Albert Hamm at the turn and
George Payne at the finish. The race
was originally for 81 900 side. but was
Id IL