Evening journal., 1912-02-20
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Misfortune Which Cost
a Worlds Champion
His HOnOrS
By Holland
By Holland

In the latter part of June. 1880,
every one who was at all interested in |
sports, and especially in sculling or in
pairoar rowing, regarded sculling |
match in which Edward Hanlon and |
Wallace Ross, were to be the chief
competitors as the most important
professional sporting event OF the /
year. An athletic association of the |
city OF Providence. Rhode Island, had |
raised purse Of twenty-five hundred !
dollars which was TO be paid TO the /
winner of the sculling match. The /
city of Providence recognizing that |
natlonae-almost jnternatitlal--in-
terest had been occasioned by this !
contest, aided the athletic association, |
so that the event was really sponsored |
by the city Of Providence, acting in CO.
operation with the athletic associa-
ton
Edward Hanlon at that time bad |
never been defeated in a professional !
sculling match. He had been trium- |
| phant in Australia, in Great Britain |
and in the United States. He had met
all of the worlds champion single
scullers and had vanquished them
Ross was the champion Of Nova Sco-
tia, and though he had not challenged
Hanlon for the championship, it was
widely recognized in the world of
sports that should Ross defeat Han
lon the Nova Scotian would be entitled
10 the honors Of the championship.
! watched the race from the banks
of the great lake between Providence
and pawtucket on which the course
/ I..I I..4.I
near the line which marked the finish
of the race. From that point saw two
scullers considerably in advance of
the others who had entered the race.
One of these two was several boat
lengths behind the other, but he was
going a beautiful stroke, steady and
rhythmic, every motion being one of
grace. The other, who, seemed to be
n much larger man, was rowing with
broad, sweeping stroke not very
gracefully, and seemed to be laboring
somewhat under the strain. He cross
ed the finish line first, and then I
heard a great cry: Ross has beaten
Hanlonl The champion is at last de-
featedl" Hanlon rowed on with un-
deviating stroke TO the finish, and
then, without pausing, turned his boat
around and rowed with the same beau
tiful stroke In the direction of his
boathouse. Ross was besieged With
many tributes, such as a great crowd
knows how to bestOw upon a victor.
and in the evening at his hotel in
Providence / saw the check paid over
to him.
The next morning ] went in search
OF the defeated champion. After a long
search / discovered a boathouse on the
bank OF the lake and entered it. A
slender man of almost boyish features
was busily engaged in polishing the
bottom of a she'll which had been
placed upon two benches with the
keel end upturned ] asked him if he
could tell me where Hanlon's boat
house was.
"This is It." the young man said,
continuing his scrubbng Of the keel Of
the she'll.
rs Mr., Hanlon here, or near BY?
I asked
Still without stopping from his work
but glancing up at me for an instant
the young man said:
Pm Hanlon"
l. was so astonished that for som,
moments I could not speak while
- Hanlon continued to polish the bottom
OF his shell. saying nothing to me.
At last ! said 10 Hanlon that ! ha'
= reported the race Of the day before fo
the New York Sun and that it seomel
TO me that my work would not b.
thoroughly done unless saw hin
and got from him some explanation @
his defeat, If he cared to give it.
4 Hanlon picked up a straw from tn
< floor Of the hoathouse. bit Il an
6 chewed the end contcmplatively
6 well" he said at last. you're th
: only newspaper man who has though
l. IL Of any consequence 10 get from m
i: an explanation. But that is always IN
E way The king is dead; long live th
m kng!
Certainly you do not regard th
defeat as having ended your career
ID l said
ie Certainly do" he replied. e
a champion once defeated remains d.
feated My day is over
But" said /. what was the re-
o son Of your defeat yesterday An
= as / looked at him and saw that ii
muscles Of his barred arms, althoue
not large. we're like steel | began
understand why this small man ha
Is been able to gain and for years hol
g. the championship.
s "If you will promise not TO print
g I will tell you how / was defeated
said HanIon "The nieht before III
race had severe cramps in the ston
l. ach; something that / ate did n'
i agree with me. Every stroke / toe
yesterday seemed 20 send a knit
through my body I should have bee
q in bed rather than in the shell. No
> you know why l was defeated
'e "Bnt,n said I. why do you obje,
s. 10 this exDlanafion hoinQ nnade7"