Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-01-16
Tuesday January 11e, 1906.
Americans at Henley.

The rowing coach of tho New York
Athletic Club, Mr.. Giannini. recently
wrote a long article on why we Can
not Win at Henley" He summed the
whole matter up by asserting that
American oarsmcn have not the
strength to become proficient in the
stroke which wins repeated victories
for the Englishmen at the worlds
greatest annual regatta. The article is
bringing out storm Of protests and
criticisms from all sides. The fact
that several American crews and sew
eraI individual scullers have won vic
tories at Henley is pointed out 10
prove that the Enslishmen are not in-
yincible. But although Americans have
won several notable victories at Henley
they have more often met de1eat
there, and while the Americans are not
I'm the habit of crying baby when
beaten at any game, there is not the
slightest doubt that the British lack OF
sportsmanship on the Thames is the
chief reason why neither Americans
or any other foreigners have much
show against English oarsmcn.
Case after case can be instanced to
show that Americans at Henley nave
not been given Il fair show. To begin
with. the Henley stewards have the
privilege OF rejecting any entry which
they see fit, and several times they
have disposed of American oarsmen in
this way. notably Titus. undoubtedly
the fastest sculler in the world. The
stewards also have absolute charge OF
the allotting the courses and it is
noteworthy fact that no American
crew or individual ever drew the So
called Bucks course on the river
which is admitted to be two or three
lengths faster than the other. all other
things being equal. 1t is something
more than hard luck when this al
ways happened in this way.
Again. the two American scullers.
Titus of New York. and Scholcs of
Toronto were drawn" to compete
against each other in trial heat for
the diamond sculls. Certainly no body
of American sportsmcn would make
two EngIishmen. who had come 5000
miles to row, meet in the same trial
heat. Again, at one regatta when the
Atalanta crew Of New York was easi-
ly winning its heat on the Thames,
two spectators in skiff rowcd in front
of them and shut them out of the vic
British crew that was thus enabled to
win made no offer to row the race over
again. Moreover, the Henley author
tiles refuse to let Americans pick a
crew from our various rowing univcr-
aitirs OF from moro than one club. but
their own best crew, the Lcandcrs,
who have won more races than any
other crew at Henley. is picked from
botl, oxford aud Cambridge univcrsi-
ties aud from the best rowing clubs in
Ion'lOn.
The whole thing may be continued
Indefinitely to show the absolute lack
Of fair play i'm the treatment of Amer
Jean oarsmcu at Henley. If our men
were given a fair show there. there is
every reason to believe that they
would win their share of the victories
just as Americans win their share of
victories. and more than their share,
in all other international contests. 1t
Is not greater strength or a better
strok" which has won the British vic
t,rics ut Henley. In spite of unjust
discrimination and the unsportsman
like usage. our American boys have
already won a few victories on the
Thames and propose to win a lot more
in the future.