Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-03

~ spoon in the mouth. but when Tom
Rooney came TO they must have found
him chewing on an oar.
Babies stretch their little arms aud
kick their feet in rather meaningless
way. Not Tom Rooney.
At one month he was developing a
pretty fair arm pull and at two months
they say he was sitting up in his baby
carriage going through a daily exercise
of catching. sliding, pulling and re-
lease.
Anyhow. Tom Rooney's start to the
national seniors singles sculling cham
pionship in 1916 date way. way BACK.
He was brought up on the turbulent
shores off the rushing waters OF Hell
Gate. All the kids in, town used to srao
rowboats. dilapidated canoes or any
thing else that would float and battle
with the waters like the V ikings OF o!d.
Other kids seek out the back lots TOR
! their play.
! Tom Rooncy's gang played their
games on the bosom Of the wind-swept
waves. If they upset and the boat
sank. they swan ashore and got an
other. A little thing, like that never ever
up in boat. He learned to handle one
like another kid cnn shoot marbles. IheF
used to have their kid races and Rooney
won. Long about 1909 there cam" a
big day in kooney's life.
Gets First Shell
Fred Sheppard. a cousin Of the fam
| lily and famous for ten years as a
sculler, though he never won the tltle,
dropped in at the ROoneys'. lie dwelt
considerably on the virtues OF single
sculling.
Tom egged him on, ate it up and
| forthwith "put on the works 10 get
!
himself single -scull shell.
One proud day he got his mish.
ioined tho RdrCnScOod flnb at
astoria, l.. l.. rhcrc he Tired.
entered its c'ub race the same
ucdr, 1909. and IRON. His career
IN the field OF sports rds fred
from that day.
Running for Bryant High school, he
was winning the cross-country cham
ponship in those days, and in the endur-
ance swims through Hell Gate he hn-
| ished second twice.
But that was all off once he'd won his
| first boat race. Rooney is now in l'hil-
adelphia, where a new job has brought
him.
He has Joined the Und!ne Barge Club
and will add a flock of prestige TO that
organization, which promises to put ont
some great boats this season.
Rooney has been accepted as n chal-
lcnger for the Philadelphia Gold Cha!-
lenge Cup, which was presented to
Jack Kelly Immediately after that
champion oarsman won tho OlympicS.
The competition will be held in June.
bu, it is doubtful whr,N"r Rooney will
be able to give his best
Better Later
If the rules permit said the new
conner today, 'I'd lik" to challenge for
1t about August. think | would be
in better shape.
Rooney's start in open competition
was in 1910. Strangely, it was in n
four -oared junior boat,
They were beaten in the first race
because one Of the boys spicd his best
girl on the shore meath purple para
sol and stopped to wave to her. That
busted up the race.
This crew won the following year,
hut Rooney preferred singles. lie en-
tered the national regatta from 1912
to 1916, and the last year won sue
cessively the quarter mile, association
and national senior championships. In
the following years h" has pressed
close.
Rooney and Jack Kelly have raced
innumcrablr times. tn" count standing
S0netnlhR ike NcllA seven Wits ana
Ro"ney six.
Rooney presents all the bouquets for
his own progress to John Allen, his
old coach at Ravcnswood.
".\llcn taught me the first princi.
pies of single sculling and training"
said Rooney. "A coach has to take
into consideration an oarsman's build
and style in teaching him. No two
boats can be risged alike on account Of
difference in leg and arm reach or dif.
fcrcntlv developed muscles.
"Thcre are certain hard and
fast principles in scuilin9. These
coach must first lay domn.
After that he has to take his man
along according to the oarsman's
natural pecniiaritics. At this
Allen is one Of the best"
Rooney is firm advocate Of strict
training il the heights are to be reached.
Strict Training
"Sculling ability can be strengthened
by constant practice. by watching Others
and incorporating any methods of other
stars compatible with ones own physi.
cal powers" he says. "But after Win.
ming skill is attained; victory in a