The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-08-27

No American competed for the
diamond sCulls competed for the
j.. Smith OF New York reached the
final heat but lost the race. In 1897
Edward II. Ten Eyck. only a IL
year-Old boy, went to England with
his father. Jim Ten Eyck of Wor-
cester, Mass, and for many years
rowing coach at Syracuse univer-
sity. Ned astonished the English by
rowing away from their champions
with ease. Next year he was barred
| from defending the trophy on the
ground that be wasn't a gentleman
amateur" as his father and grand
father were professional oatsmen.
In 1899 and 1900 y. II. Howell of
New York. studying at Cambridge.
won the event and the trophy. In
tho 90 years since then no American
has brought home the diamond
sculls.
only lnvincible determination en-
abled Walter Hoover to add rowing
to the list OF American victories this
year, and cause a certain well-known
member OF the royal family to re-
marx that's about the only trophy
foreigners hadn't taken away was
| the crown.
Hoover picked up his rowing on
Lake Superior and in Duluths land
locked harbor, He got his first in
struction from Ned Ten Eyck, who
took an interest in the boy because
OF his earnest desire TO learn. al
though at that time there was Moth
ing about Hoover to suggest COM
ing champion. Ned Ten Eyck--the
same Ned who won the diamond
sCplls in 1S97--was Hoover's idol.
An idea grew in Walters mind
/ that II would be n wonderful thing
70 win the diamond sculls and bring
! the trophy TO America again. The
idea CrystaliZed into a determination
that became stronger year by year.
Hoover didn't tell anyone about 1t
for long time.
He Sure Got atmosphere"
when he had learned a little more
about rowing he entered a few small
/ local regattas for experience. But he
| gave most of his time TO a care
| fully studied system by which he
gradually developed n rowing style
/ of his own.
Finally. Hoover told young Jim
| Ten EyCk, Ned's brother, Of mis- am
| bition, and Jim, who was stroke of
/ his freshman crew at Syracuse and a
crack single sculler, gave him a few
useful pointers.
The idea of winning the diamond
sculs. which had been almost an
Obsession with Hoover since the day
no first watched Ned Ten Eyck's
crews race under the bridge al Du-
| luth and out to the big lake, drove
every other ambition from mis- mind.
Through the winters Walter stayed
at the waters edge, and whenever
| possible he had his shell overheard
| for a row. lie slept on a cot in the
| Duluth Boat clubs hoathouse-in
| room overhanging the lake, where
| the water splashed up through the
| cracks in the floor and snow was
| driven In by the icy winds from the
| lake.
on days when It was impossible
/ to get a boat out. he worked on the
| rowing machines to develop strength
| and endurance, and spent hours
/ overhauling his single scatter and
! polishing the sweeps, quite inciden-
/ tally. and because IL was necessary
| to have some capital, he worked at
| his profession as civil engineer, or
| toilod at manuel labor I'm the shops
1 Of a marine hardware manufactur-
| ing concern near by to strengthen
| his muscles.
Before the ice left the lake in the
| spring he was already out, usually
| alone and padding between the ice
| llOes. IN tne summer uIne ne kept
| hard at work day after day. obli-
| vious Of the presence OF the many
crews of the Duluth Boat club and
| the disCouraginE remarks OF friends
who told him TO "qu!t his foolish
| ness"
ON one side OF the cracked mir
ror In his room he had a photograL n
OF Ned Ten Eyck when Ned was II
the year Ned won the diamond
sculls. on the other side was pinned
a clipping taken from news
I paper-a half tone cut OF the queer
| old trophy itself--two silver oars in
a mounting that was once a cravat
| Ornamental jeweled laurel wreath
with small diamond pendants. Every
morning Walter looked at Ned's pic-
ture' and repeated 10 himself the
| formula that "What man has done
man can dol" and then the yellow
/ frayed clipping showing the dia-
mond SOULS.
Eight years passed. But in the
! eight years Hoover developed what
! had been a rather scrawny physique
| into a trim torso, wide shoulders,
| powerful driving legs, and pair
! of forearms a calker would be proud
| OF. Meanwhile he had cut loose
! from all instruction and developed