Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-07-23
TEN EYCK WINS.
Diamond SCullS Will Go to
America.
OF Stock of Watermen-Taugh Ey
His Father-Noungest on Record.

HENLEY on THAMES. July 20-Edward
Hanan Zen Eyck. the young oarsman from
Worcester Mass. has won the inHl for the
diamond sculls 10 the great regatta beating
Blackstatfe. He Is only Is years old and the
youngest man ever to win the trophy. He
did not row to his utmost ability but only
hard enough to keep out Of the way Of his
competitor. The Englishmen here do not
relish 1t and the finish was made almost In
silence. Later they saw the bOOrishness
Of their action and unbent a little.
The race was one and one-half miles
and the time minutes 35 seconds.
At the presentation of the prizes ColFrank
william, in presenting the diamonds and sill
ver-git sOblcts to Ten Eyck. said: This,
the most important prize Of the Henley re-
gatta, is now carried cut of the country for
the second time, 1t having once gone to Hcl-
land. | am sorry it has been won away from
US, but We must put up with it and try to
get il back, | hope the winner, when he
goes home. will tell his countrymen that he
had a clear course and fair play
Ten Eyrk l. descended from a stock OF
watermen. Peekskill on the Hudson, where
his grandfather runs a small ferry. is his
home. H. Is a few months more than Is
years old, in stature feet l-2 inches, and
in weight l62 pounds. His father is also
widely known a. a sculler. aud taught his
unassuminc and thoroughly devoted to any,
thing in life which has an interest for him.
On July +. 1885 he won his first junior race
at the \. L. \. Il. 4. regatta on the Charles
river. Old-tine sCullers who saw him go to
the front on that day with the easy grace
which makes his sculling remarkable,
said then that he would be heard
from later in events Of vaster importance.
The very next year he made prophets Of
these men by winning the national inter
mediate championship at Saratoga in faster
time than that made in the senior race.
/ The marvellous work for one so young set
the rowing world by the ears. and when on
Labor day. 1896, Ten Eyck won the senior
championship for New England. almost
every rowing patron, from the Hudson to
the Charles, was ready to back the young
wonder against Whitehead who held the
championship. The match was made, and
the two sculers met on the Quinsigamond
course. Ten Eyck won. Those who have
seen this Young man at his best say that he
can row IL miles inside record time.
Leadin: rowing men say that Eddie
Ten Eyck will, If he follows it up, be cham
piOn fthe world when he is q years old.
Many now think that he is the fastest soul
,er amateur or professional, in the world,
at a mile and half or under. 1t is doubt
| full. however. if Eddie becomes a profess
siOnal for many years. lie is ambitious,
and So Is his father. Eddie" is going to
the Worcester High School. and when he
graduates it would not be surprising to find
him a student at Harvard. The chances are
that he will never become professional,
unless indeed there is a revival of aquatic
sports.
Vel, few people have a clear conception
OF exactly what the diamond sculls are,
many believing that diamonds are shaped
like miniature skulls, and that the winner of
race is given the prize for his permanent
possession. Instead. the diamond sculls Is
perpetual prize. Ii consists of two crossed
sculls or as the unnitiated call them,
oars. about Is inches long. The sculls
are made of heavy solid gold, and at
the point of intersection a large solitaire
diamond is attached. The value of the
prize is considerable, probably about S10 900.
Since the diamond sculis were added to the
Henley program in lS44, there have been
many aspirants from countries foreign to
| England for the victory but none of them
has been successful in bringing victory from
England. with one exception. That was
OOms Of Amsterdam, Holland, who won the
! race in 1892.
! The bond of $4,000, which must be de-
! posted before the diamonds can be brought
here, has been furnished.