Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-04
WALTER HOOVER
EPHENOMENON
Has Particular Style Tf1a,
Aspirarlts For Crown
Find Hard TO Master.

Duluth, MINI, Aug. 4.-(By tho
Associated Press.)-Walter Hoover,
the Duluth scnllins marvel, whose
phenomenal rise to the pinnacle 81
craftsmanship has attracted i~nterna-
tional attention, achieved his coveted
position by virtue Of 4 parttcular
style, Of rowing which a%spirants to his
title may have considerable diff
Guilty in mastering.
Boating experts are agreed that the
marvellous speed of the new worlds
champion as displayed in the English
stroke-a short, swift movement.
which. in actual test during the
Thames competition, produced as
high as ifty-eight complete strokes,
minute. Nothing in the annals Of
aquatic sport reveal that any other
follower of the SOULS was capable Of
such execution, and admittedly, there
sweepstakes who We're even closely
matched with the Duluth lad IN point
Of technique.
Hoover's mastery style is self
originated according, to those who
have watched him through his long
employment as an engineer, in the
OLD nome town, to seek the sculling
championship of the world. and even
the title holder himself, is not wholly
able to define or explain the creation
of his stroke
During his first six years connection
with the Duluth Boat club. Hoover
was uncertain as to his particular
ability with the cars Inc he was
doubtful in what division his efforts
would eventually place him. but dur
ing that time he followed closely his
own set of rules for physical training.
Hoover did his FIRST rowing IN 1913
9r6 in tho rfno s%>-s-s L-R~--
he. won the worlds title he guarded
his physical self religiously. During
this time he was a woodsrnan. factory
worker. soldier IN the Mexican Dor
der, student and an engineer. When
he finally decided upon a scullins ca
Ger in 1921. he had every physical
advantage and this. according to ex-
psfts, enabled him to develop his
style to perfection and triumph over
the best scullers in the world.
Rowing his first race al the age Of
seventeen, Hoover vas a member of
a Duluth Boat club junior eight crew
in 1913. lie took up sculling the
ors at the Observation-Disclosures
tional regatta AT Kenora, Ont, by
taking first place in the Junior and
senior singles events. Hoover en-
tered the senior singles event at the
national regatta at Philadelphia in
mug ISL VI LIdL year, Oul WIS GlSdIG
by several eastern scullers.
He then returned to the eight
cared crews the following year and
rowed with the Duluth Boat club
senior eight, which won the national
championship.
The new champion was soldering
on the Mexican border in 1916. He
that year and the following season
competed with the Duluth eight
cared crews. \
1t was by a trick of fate almost that
Hoover returned to sculling in 1918
when. while working at a. paper mill
borders he decided to send for a
shell n 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 clocking off the mile
and a quarter course on St. Louis bay
in remarkably fast time.
The champions first step toward
fame was on July 4. 1921, when he
delphia and earned the right to enter
the national championship races at
Buffalo a month later. Here he cap
tured the national title by winning
three straight races. defeating the
pick OF North American scullers.
Finishing first in the quarter mile
dash. the national championship
singles and the association singles.
Hoover accomplished something
which only two other scullers have in
the history Of the sport.
Capturing the national title was the
incentive to other honors for the
titleholder and he trained faithfully
all during the winter.
His victories in the preliminaries
and finals of the Gold Challenge cup
Z at PhilAdslphia early in June
stamped him az the premier sculler
Of North America and sent him to
England. where~he won the worlds
title.
Az q reward for his fame. Duluth
admirers have presented him with a
completely. furnished home. which
win be shared by his wife and mother,
boil Of whom taught school to sup
port themselves while Hoover con-
ditioned himself for-his record smash
ing career Hoover is Just twenty
seven years old.