Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-12

New York to match him to fight.
John A. st. John, the backer OF Gaudaur
for to-morrow's boat race, arrived in the
city last evening from st. Louis. The
popular and plucky patron of aquatic
| sports never looked better and Was in the
most cheerful mood. He comes here full of
confidence relative to Gaudaur's victory to-
| morrow. He talked quite freely and inter-
estingly about the race, and about rowing gen.
| orally. Regarding to-morrow's ra ce, he said:
=="Of course 1 think Gaudaur will win. and
have good reasons for thinking so. Teemer
must have improved a minute in three miles to
beat Gaudaur. had the latter row two trials
for me before he left St. Louis, and he showed
a remarkable improvement. In one instance
he rowed mile, and for half that distance he
rowed at the rate of 38 per minute, and he
finished the mile at 81. 1 am confident that he
will show the public some speed on Friday.
say this because we are not betting dollar on
the race. I don't want to bet, and if Gaudaur
wins he gets the l,00O am anxious that the
race be fair one, and that nobody outsiders
interfere with the rowers. 1 am also sorry to
hear that Teemer is not likely to get his new
boat. 1 would, indeed, like to see him get
everything that will enable him to row his very
best, so that, if he is beaten, he will have no
excuse. I think
GAUDAUR CAN BEAT HIM.
Indeed, have always inclined to the belief
that Teemer has been a slightly overrated
man. I say this in no disrespect to Teemer, but
/ merely express my opinion as reason why
deem Gaudaur a better rover than he is. Peo-
pie should not at all feel sore at Teemer be-
cause he was beaten by O'Connor. l lost money
on Teemer that day, and l was convinced that
he was beaten fairly. Fridays race is for
blood, and 1 think we'll win it. At any rate
Gaudaur will make tremendous effort to
do So"
Referring to the searle- o'Connor race, Mr..
St. John said; 1T seems to me that O'Connor
was beaten on his merits. Searle, no doubt, is
a great sculler, but am prepared to match
Gaudaur against him on American waters
whether We win Fridays race or not. A party
of gentlemen in st. Louis, In consequence of
my efforts to pOpularize professional sculling,
have informed me that they will join me in
raising stake for Gaudaur to row Searle. If
this is done our loss will be small, even though
Gaudaur is beaten. do not attach much i'm
portance to a victory or defeat on the Thames
Certainly not as much as l do to victory OF de-
feat here. At any rate we are ready to tackle
returning from Australia he visited me at st.
Louis, and he stated that Searle was undoubt-
edly the most wonderful rover that ever got in
L
that was SO for him to back Searle forme at
Toronto.
HANLAN CHANGED HIS MIND.
when Hanlan got home, ,however.a and heard
O'Connor's friends talk, he wrote me to the
effect that he was not SO sure about Searle be-
ing able to beat O'Connor, and later still Han
Ian definitely predicted that OConnor would
win However. we can find man for Searle."
Mr. st. John is engaged in organizing pro-
fessional rowing association that, if founded
on the principles suggested by him, will prob
ably elevate that good and exciting sport to its
former and honorable level. His plan in brief
is to have all the leading professional rowers
in America join the organization, and hold
series OF regattas every year. He said: For
instance, if we had II of the best rowers in the
country we could have Il starters in the single
sculls; six in the doubles or pairs, and three in
the fours. My idea is to make the distance
for the singles quarter of a mile, and every
contestant to wear brilliant colors and that
his boat and sculls be the same color as his
costume. This would make an imposing sight
and an exciting race, because OF the short dis
tance. If Il men started in race like that, all
in one heat, who could pick the winnerP
IT WOULD ELEVATE ROWING.
The distance for the doubles would be
quarter of mile and return, and for the fours
a half mile and return. Regattas of this kind
would keep the professionals much better than
they are being kept now. Besides the associa-
ton would demand honest racing in all re-
spects, and if any member was discovered act
ing crooked, he would be expelled and not an
other member would be allowed to row against
him under any circumstances. have written
all the leading rowers on the matter and they
are willing to pay an initiation fee at once. and
attend meeting TO have the organization per
fected. l think it will be 60. l have
the bye-Iaws and constitution ready to
submit to a meeting. Of course Fred
Plaisted would have to be a member.
Fred made me laugh the other day by letter
he had sent me relative to a regatta they are
arranging at Portland He says the course is
in front Of numerous residences and some of
the occupants are subscribing to the regatta
ard some are not. Here's how he figures it:
Brown is a good man and he gives SIS; his
neighbor, Jones, gives nothing. Further down
Smith gives SIS and still further down Robin
son gives nothing. At the end Clark gives $50.
Now when the rowers pass the S25 door they
row well and slack off in front the nothing
residence. They put on little steam in front
of the SIS mans house and float past the next
mean and at the $50 point they make grand
rally. Plaisted is still Plaisted."