The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-08-03
Marvel
wins FAME WITH II.
PECULIAR STYLE [:
Competitors Expected to Have
Difficulty in Getting
Title From Hoover.
5{By the Associated Press.).

DULUTH, MINI, AYE. o
| Walter Hoover, the Duluth soul
ling: marvel, whose phenomenal
+; rise to the pinnacle of boatSman-
ship has attracted international at
tention, achieved his coveted posi-
ton by virtue of a particular style
OF rowing which aspirants to his
title may have considerable diff
Guilty in mastering.
Batting experts are agreed that.
i.the marvellous speed of the new
worlds champion as displayed IN
the English Henley regatta. is due
to his peculiar stroke--a short,
swift movement, which, in actual
test during the Thames competl-
ton, produced as high as fifty
eight complete strokes minute
Nothing in the annals OF aquatic
sport reveal that any other FOL.
lowers Of the SOULS was capable o.
such execution, and admittedly.
there were none at the Engllsh
water sweepstaks who we're even
closely matched with the .Souluth
lad in point of technique
Hoover's mastery style. is self
originated, according to those who.
have watched him through his long
and arduous training since heleft
old home town TO seek the scull!ng
championship of the world, and
even the title holder himself is
not wholly able to define or eX-
plain the creation of his stroke.
During his first six " IS con-
nection with the Duluth Boat CLUB.
Hoover was uncertain as to MS
particular ability with the oars aud
he was doubtful in what division
his efforts would eventua lily place
him but during that time he fol
lowed closely his own set OF ruieS
for physical training.
Hoover did his first rowing m
1913 and in the nine years interim
before he won the worlds title, ne
guarded his physical self religious
". During this time he was 4
! woodsman. factory worker, solder
on the Mexican border. student and
an engineer When he, finally de-
ciCed upon a. scullinE career in
1921 he had every physical .adyan-
tage and this. according to experts.
enabled him to deva:E-pyhts style to
perfection and triumph over the
best scullers in the world
! Rowing his first race at the age
of seevntee en-, Hoover was a mem.
/ bsr Of Duluth Boat Club junior
eight crew in 1913. He took up
sculling the following year. Win
ming his first honors at the North
ives ational-r regatta 1t
Kenofa, Ont. by taking first place
in the junior and senior singles
events. Hoover entered the SEN
ior singles event at the national
of that year, but was defeated by
Several o. nrr cc,,11orc
He then returned to the eight
cared crews the following year anu
rowed with the Duluth Boat Club
senior eight. which won the ma
tional championship.
The new champion was soldier
ing on the Mexican border in 1916.
He resumed rowing in 1917 and
during that year and the following
season. competed wit: the Duluth
eight-oared crews.
1t was by a trick of fate alNost
that Hoover returned to scullins
in 1919 when, while working at 4
paper mill at International Falls
on the Canadian border. he de-
cided to send for shell and pass
his idle hours cruising about the
picturesque Rainy river country
Returning to Duluth in the
spring of 1921, Hoover took up.
sculling in earnest and adopted a
style Of his own. Critics at first
advised against training in such
peculiar fashion, but the coming
champion was persistent and was
seen docking off the mile and
quarter course on st. Louis bay
in remarkably fast time.
The champions first step toward
fame was on July 4. 1921, when he
swept the Peoples regatta at
Philadelphia and earned the right
to ener the national championship
races at Buffalo a month later.
Here he captured the national title
by winning three straight races,
defeating the pick Of North AnAer-
lean scuI1ers. Finishing first in
the quarter-mile dash, the nation
al championship singles and the
association singles. Hoover accom-
p1ished something which only two
other scullers have inGthe history
of thesport.
Capturing the national title Was
the incentive to other h onors for
the title holder and he trained
faithfully all during the winter.
His victories in the preliminar-
les and finals of the Gold Chal-
lenge Cup races at Philad e1phia
early in June stamped him as the
premier sculler of North Amer
lea and sent him to England where
he won. the world IS title.
AS a reward for his fame, Duluth
admirers have presented him with
a completely furnished home.
which Will be shared by his wife
and mother, both Of whom taught
school to support thems elveS while
suooyar corditjoned him self FOR HE