The Washington herald., 1916-02-13


The course was lined with various types
Of boats filled with spectators and in
the excitement near the finish one OF
these boats got into the course and in
terfered with the oarsmen.
The New York Clipper in an account
of the race written at the time. reported
that had Courteney kept on rowing he
would have won the race, but on seeing
the boat in front he stopped. HanIon
seeing that Courteney had stopped row.
ing, took brace and rowed around the
spectators boat that had gotten in the
way. winning the race by a length and
half over his opponent, who had started
to row again upon seeing the launch back
out of the way.
Hanion was declared the winner. but
the result was considered unsatisfac-
tory. and caused much comment
throughout the country. To settle the
dispute, a purse of 5000 was put up
for a race between the two, to be
rowed on Lake Chautauqua the next
year.
great deal of advertisement was
given the affair, and thousands of
people journeyed to ChautauQus to
witness the event A few hours be-
fore the time set for the race to start,
il was discovered that some one had
sawed the boat belonging to Courte-
ney.
Courteney's hackers claimed that some
outsider had gotten into his quarters and
done the damage, but those backing Han
lon claimed that some OF Courteneys peo-
pie did II In order to save him from de-
feat.
Volumes have been written about this
affair. but the question was never def
nitely settled. 1t was finally agreed that
another race should be held. and 1t was
arranged that the two should race in
Washington on May 1s, 1880
The 5000 that had been posted for the
Chautauqua race was to be the prize to-
gether with the championship of the
world. The affair was looked upon as
one of the greatest sporting events ever
held. The railroads offered excursion
rates and had special trains bring the
people from all over this country ana
Canada
Grand stands lined the banks Of the
Potomac and excursion boats charged
from 81 up for standing room. The
government departments declared a
holiday and fully 10000 people lined
the banks of the river to witness the
race.
Courteney had his headquarters at
the Potomac boathouse and Hanlon
To make sure that the people would
not be disappointed. Jim Riley,
noted sculler Of the day, was brought
to Washington to row either Of the
contestants In the event anything
happened to the other.
The race was to start just below the
Aqueduct Bridge, and the contestants
were to row down the river two and a
half miles, round a buoy and return to
the starting point.
At o'clock in the evening the two
men started. They both hit the water
about~<he same time and rowed a few
strokes together. wien it was noted that
Courteney was very unsteady. Hanlon
gradually pulled away from his opponent
and heightened the lead throughout the
race.
clared the undefeated champion. Two
days later he rowed Riley over the same
course for a purse of 81, 900 and won.
Courteney claimed that he was affected
by the heat in Washington and could not
DO his best The reports of the event
surely bear out his statements to the
effect that there was something the mat
ter with him. as he merely padded over
the course. The Hanlon- Courteney races
wereI undoubtedly the most advertised
rowing events of all times.
During this period there were a num-
Der Of great rowing races, both
amateur and professional. one of these
being the match between William ],
O'Connor and John Teemer
The race was rowed on the Potomac
River on November "A, 1883. and was
won by OConnor. The winner was
declared the champion of the United
States
In 1870 the Atlanta Boat Club, of New
York, then the champion eight of tn,
United States, rowed four mile race
with Yale.
Yale was leading at the mile and "a
quarter mark. when number broke his
oar. Without hesitating q moment. he
jumped overheard. So quickly was II
done that for good part of the race a
number Of his crew mates didn't know,
that they had only seven men In the
won the race.
wo nthe race.
There is on record only one case wher,
a man has died In a boat race. This
was when James Renforth. then cham
pion Of England, and considered by
many of the greatest oarsmen of
all times. dropped dead near the finish
of race at Halifax. In the late '70s.
The greatest period of the rowing gam,
was from 1870 to 1896. In August 1900.
America attempted at foreign invasion
with its crews
Pat Dempsey, at one time one of
the greatest coaches in the country
but now living in this city. gathered a
crew and entered 1t at Paris.
France, In the International Exposi-