The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-26


ic battle. This may seem paradoxical, but
IL is nevertheless true. The collegians
should have only arrived at Henley a few
days before the contest, so that they would
still feel the invlgorating effects Of the
strong ocean breezes, or else have put up at
Henley months before so that they would
have been thoroughly acclimated. They
were at Henley just long enough to be-
come limp and debilitated by its soft. en-
ervating atmosphere. They felt IL all the
more by reason of the contrast with the
health giving sea air they had enjoyed on
their trip across the Atlantic few weeks
before. 1t was the climate and not Court
ney that killed the boys. 1t knocked him
as well as his pupils for, as 1 have been
reliably informed, the big Ithacan was as
sick some days before the race as lady on
her first day at sea. He was full Of mala-
ria as well as anxiety.
Courtney is an adept at aquatic train
ing, and / do not believe he overworked
his pupils one jot. / am satisfied that he
did all mortal man could do to get them
In fit condition for the great struggle they
had to undergo.
Another thing, Courtney has been criti-
cised upon the shortness and quickness OF
his crews stroke. The answer to that Is
this: What is one mans meat is another
mans poison. Some crews use long, slow
stroke to the best advantage others a
snappy, speedy one. Personally favor
long stroke, especially for long race, but
have known instances where the short
quick stroke won notable contests. Take,
for example, the famous Showaecemettes
of 1875, who defeated the best men of Amer
lea and came within an ace of conquering
the famous London Rowing club crew in
England In the following year. Thcy
rowed short, jerky stroke, often running
up as high as 54 to the minute, yet they
suffered only three defeats In two years out
of twenty odd contests. Those defeats,
too, were only by hairbreadth and due to
bad management rather THAI poor rowing.
Even style and symmetry In rowing some
times don't count, as is evidenced in the
famous victory of the Beverwycks of AL
bany over tho London Rowing club crew
at the Philadelphia Centepnial in 1876.
The Londoners had defeated tho great Yalo
team, captained by the renowned Bob
Cook, In the trial heat Of the day BEFORE
and the sturdy Northwestern and Showae-
cemctte crews the day before that. Yet Of
all the crews ut Philadelphia at that great
epoch In rowing history the Boverwycks Of
Albany rowed the most awkward soraggy
stroke and still won the worlds amateur
championship.
Now, for tho benefit Of ambitious oars
men, whether they be collegians or non
collegians, amateurs or professionals, who
contemplate an aquatic invasion of Eng
land or any other foreign country, l will
give leaf out Of my diary. My expert
ence may do them some good Either row
I'm the country you visit almost immedi-
ately after arrival. whilc you still have the
benefit OF cid Neptunc's tonic or four to
six months afterward, the period in which
one will get thoroughly acclimated. If you
row soon after your arrival, take hogs
head of your own country swater with
you The water of another country Is al
most sure 20 sictcn and dob1tnte you I'M
Gil your system has bcon accustomed To 1t.
If you can 90 abroad in timo 20 be acci-
matcd-and 1t is the better way-train
Just exactly as you did at home. You can't
change the customs of n lifetime any more
shan n leopard can change his spots Work
and play, eat, drink and sleep as you did
mt home. You can't in few short months
learn any newfangled notions nor try
change Of regimen without danger to
either your skill or physical we'll being.
This is the rule | observed when / went
10 England tho year after won the cham
pionship Of America against all comcrs mt
tho Philadelphia Centennial in 1876. /
was over thc-e four months before | rowed
n competitor, and he was not n champion
M that-only n "rislng" man, John Eaw-
dons OF Dolaval. Two months after that,
however, I met and defeated william FL
Hot tho champion OF England. How i
met and aftcrward defeated I'm succession
Ned Trickctt and f.. G. Laycock, both OF
Australia. for tlr worlds championship Is
now matter n history. pursued exactly
tho same methods of training and accli-
matization with them as did with Haw-
don and Elliot.
The first defeat ever encountered, after
had conquered Charles j.. Courtney. Wal
'ace Ross, Eph Morris, James II. Riley.
Gcorre ii,-..tr. .'tUi's y .iOnnsOn, Nhr.'
smith nrd host of Ulrrs. citrilmic ..
divcriqncc from is.s rt.c. That wa
when Beach beat me I'm Australia whom