The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-07

EXPLAINS
Why He Did Not Row
In HeaIani Senior
Race.

Editor Advertiser: In your issue of
the 4th inst. I see that some one gives
emphatical1y my reason for not rowing
in the Healani's Senior boat crew, to
wit: There is considerable speculation
as to why Williams withdrew from the
Senior crew, as the speculation is far
from complimentary to him. He has
not given any definite reason as to why
he withdrew. Among other rumors
which will not down, is one to the effect
that he desired cash consideration be-
fore rowing" Now Mr. Editor, who
ever said that must certainly have been
indulging in something stronger than
adams Ale" and that too. freely, or
perhaps he had dreamt the night before,
a Dinky Bird or a Kahuna had appeared
to him and whispered in his ear he was
going to lose the race on the 4th, and
to get even beforehand, he must let out
some of the bile which was suffocating
him on somebody, and, poor me, was
picked out as the recipient. In other
words, to be plain; whoever said l
wanted a money consideration before l
would row, told an untruth and he
knows it; or, to be palmer still, he lied.
The whole facts of the case are as fol-
lows: In the first place | was disguised
the way we were coached. | had run
away with an idea when they put me as
stroke I was to use my own judgment
as to the best way to row to assure VIC
tory, more especially when we take it
into consideration that II do presume to
know something about rowing, having
been brought TIP from childhood with an
oar in my hand, not even knowing the
time / could not row, therefore am pre-
sumptious enough to say, | understand
something about rowing.
When we commenced practice in the
harbor I pulled 3o-stroke, what you
might CALL quick hard catch, with
quick recover with slow slide, so that it
would not interfere as the boat glided
through the water. When we got to
Pearl Harbor they insisted l must row
a 4o-stroke, which from my experience
I knew would be impossible to bring
good results considering the time we
had to practice I knew also (and they
ought to have known too) it would take
at least two or three months hard train !
ing to bring satisfactory results, as our
condition and rowing at the time were
not in the best of form. We found the !
4o-stroke a failure; it was we'll enough |
for a short distance; after that she be-
gan TO lag and wobble 1--WE were then in
the English boat. They wanted then I
to change from the English to the Am
erican boat. In so doing we were also |
to change the 4o-strOke a minute to 20. |
At this stage / concluded it was about |
time to let them row the race to suit !
themselves. knowing full we'll what the |
results would be if they persisted in their |
vacilating tactics.
Another thing which greatly annoyed |
me: If they had any discussion. as re-
CARDS to crew and boat, was not in
cluded, but was kept in the dark as to !
the outcome. One evening as | was
about to take my seat as stroke, [ was
ordered to take number ? seat. | could |
not at the time understand the reason .
for such an order, but found out later
that Damon wanted to show the boys /
now the boat should or ought to be /
rowed. being of course the whole
cheese" therefore knew all about it.
Seeing then Mr.. Damon knew all about I
what ought to be done [ let him go /
ahead and left.
Thanking you for taking so much |
space in your valuable paper, remain, I
Yours respectfully. |
Fl r WILLIAMS