The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-27

1c battle. This may seem paradoNiCnl but
1t Is nevertheless true. The collcaians
should have only arrived at Honloy q few
days before the contest, so That they would
still feel tho invigornting effects of the
strong ocean breeZes. or else have put up at
Henley months before, so TINT thoy would
have been thoroughly acclimated. Thoy
were at Henley just long enough to be-
come limp and dcbilitatod by It's soft, en-
crvating atmosphere. They felt 1t oil tho
moro by reason of the contrast with tho
health giving seq nir they had enjoyed on
their trip across tho Atlantic few weeks
before. 1t was the climate and not Court
ney that killed tho boys. 1t knocked him
as we'll Us his pupils, for, as have boon
reliably informed, the big Ithacan was rs
sick some days before the race MS n lady on
her first day at sea. He was full Of ,mala-
ria rs we'll as anxiety.
Courtney Is an adept at aquatic train
ing, and 1 do not believe he overworked
his pupils ono jot. am satisfied that no
did all mortal man could do to get them
in fit condition for the great struggle they
had to undergo
Another thing, Courtney has boon criti-
cised upon the shortness and quickness of
his crews stroke. Tho answer to that Is
this: What is ono mans meat is another
mans poison. Some crews uso n long, slow
stroke to the best advantage, others a
snappy speedy ono. Personally L favor
long stroke, especially for long race, but
have known instances where tho short,
quick stroke won notable contests Take
for example, tho famous Showaccemettes
OF 1876, who defeated the best mon OF Amor
lea and came within an AGO OF conqucring
the famous London Rowing club crew in
England in tho following year They
rowcd short, jcrky stroke, often running
up rs high rs 81 to the minute, yet they
suffered only three defeats in two years out
of twenty odd contests. Those defeats,
too, were only by u hairbreadth and duo to
bad management rather than poor rowing
Even style and symmetry In rowing some
times don't count as Is evidenced In the
famous victory of the Boyorwycks of AL
bany over the London Rowing club crew
at tho Philadelphia Centennial In 1876
The Londoners had defeated tho great Yale
team, captained by tho renowned Bob
Cook, in tho trial hent OF the day before,
and tho sturdy Northwestern and Showae-
cemette crews the day before that. Yet of
all tho crews at Philadelphia at that great
epoch in rowing history the Bcvcrwycks Of
Albany rowed the most awkward, scraggy
stroke and still Won the worlds amateur
championship.
Now, for the benefit of ambitious oars
men, whether they DO collcginns or non
collegians, amateurs or professionals, who
contemplate an aquatic invasion of Eng
land or any othor foreign country, 1 will
give leaf out of my diary. My expert
enco may do them some good. Either row
in tho country you visit almost immcdi-
ately after arrival, while you still have tho
benefit Of cid Ncptunes tonic, or four to
six months afterward, tho period in which
one will get thoroughly acclimated. If you
row soon after your arrival, take hogs
head OF your own country's water with
you. Tho water OF another country is III
most sure to sicken and debilitatc you I'M
til your system has been accustomed to it.
If you can go abroad in time to be accli-
mated--and it is the better way-train
just exactly rs you did at home. You can't
change the customs of lifetime any moro
than leopard can change his spots. Work
and play, cat, drink and sleep rs You did
ut home. You can't in few short months
learn any newfangled notions nor try q
change of regimen without danger to
either your skill or physical we'll being.
This is tho rule observed when went
to England tho year after won the cham
pionship OF America against all corners at
the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876
was over there four months before rowcd
q competitor, and he was not q champion
at that-only y rising man, John Haw-
dons of Dclaval Two months after that,
however, l met and defeated William FL
hot, the champion of England How 1
met and aftcrward defeated in succession
Ned Trickctt and +. &. Laycock, both OF
Australia, for the worlds championship is
now matter of history. pursued exactly
the same methods of training and accli-
matization with them rs l did with Haw-
don and Elliot.
The first defeat I over encountered, after
l had conquered Charles +. Courtney, Wal
lace Ross, Eph Norris James II. Riley