The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
HANLAH BEATEN ON POTOMAC
Sculler, Who Has Rowed His Last
Race, Had Great Career.
Famous Canadian Was Prominent in
AquatIcs for Twenty-Five Years.
Worlds Champion in 1915.

Edward Hanlan. who died early yester-
day morning at his home in Toronto
Canada, was one OF the most famous
scullers that ever sat In a racing shell.
The great oarsman was born in Toronto
July Il, 1855. Height. feet 10 inches
Rowing weight $50 pounds. Rowing
| career lasted twenty-five years. Rowed
more than $50 races. losing less than halt
a dozen.
His first championship was won in 1874
AT the age OF eighteen. He won the
worlds title at the Centennial Philade!-
paia, in 1876. at twenty years of age.
Tho title was disputed and Hanlan
went to England in the following year
and defeated Elliott and Trickett. thus
disposing OF the last claimants to the
title.
He first tasted defeat in 1880 on the
Potomac River, over what is known as
the ''lower course" when he was taken
with a stitch in his side and stopped
rowing The year 1883 was the busiest Of
his life. He rowed twenty-three races
that season, including several doubles. at
tending in all about twenty-five regattas.
He lost the championship in the fol-
lowing year. 1854, when, with character
istic daring, he carried the war TO
Beach's doors. in Australia. Beach was
so rowed out at the finish that he was
carried from his boat, and this in his
own climate and on the river on which
he had been accustomed TO row.
Nearly 100 OF Hanlan's races have been
for the championship. In these matches
alone his earnings were more than $50 O00
and these and other races and exhibitions
netted him at least $4,000 Hanlan rowed
his first race out Of his own country in
1916. at Philadelphia. and won three
heats in as many days. lie also cut
down the record for the three-miie course
20 2l.09. In 1878 he won the champion
ship Of America by defeating Evan Nor
ris over the Hutton course. at Pittsburg
He also defeated Charles Courtney the
same year.
The next year Hanlan journeyed TO
England and Africa He surprised the
people Of the other side By defeating
their crack professionals, HawdOn and
first exhibition as a sculler. over a
hve-mile course he cut the record from
g minutes 10 seconds to % minutes So.
seconds.
The next year Hanlan won the cham
pionship OF the world and the cup. The
next year he won from LaycOck, Of
Australia, previously defeated by him,
and became the owner Of the famous
Sportsman's Cup. In July, 1883, he broke
the worlds record for four miles, making
it in q minutes 57ia seconds. In 1884
Hanlan met HIS first defeat at the hands
OF Beach, losing the championship of the
steamer Tonk He was defeated for the
second time by Beach the same year.
Hanlan went after the three-mile record
the next year and succeeded in lowering
il from 10 minutes "a seconds 10 70
minutes o seconds In 1857 Hanlan lost
the championship Of America TO GaudaUr
at Lake Calumet. Pullman. III. A return
match was later made with GaudauT and
again Hanlan won the championship OF
America. Going to Australia once more,
Beach again won from him and turned
the title over to Kemp, who was success
ful in defending It.
Hanlan did little rowing after 1893. but
devoted himself to coaching, being for
a while in charge Of the oarsmen of Co
lumbia College New York. The home in
which the ex-oaTsman died was presented
TO him by the citizens of Toronto on his
return from his first victorious trip TO
England.