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THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1960.
On the eve of the 106th Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race,
JOHN COTTRELL asks...
Where do the old Rowing Blues go?
It is
one of the curiosities of sport that the world's best-
Only a few rowing Blues have gone on to schlëve greatness in other sports as well as publie Ilfe. One such a man was William Henry Grenfell The Dare Devil of Balliol"--who now
sporismani Britain has
KNOW,
known Boat Race personality is a certain Antony ranks as the greatest all-round Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones,
the 8st Blb Jesus College undergraduate who coxed the Cambridge Eight. to a three-and-a-half-length victory in 1950.
That race was marked by an almost unprecedented incident. The two crews touched oars and the coxes swore at each other so loudly that they could be heard both sides of the river.
But who, until a few weeks 10, we have remembered that the cloquent Cambridge cos was no other than Armstrong- Jones, the famous young Court Lhotographer?
A great army of more than 1.800 rowing stalwaris have collected their coveted Blues since the first 'Varsity race of
1920,
af
Today tens of thousands peuple line the river end millions
mare crowd round their televi- alon sets to see sixteen young und husky gentlemen sweet and
tuil
the twisting four yards from Putney to
rowery.
over
miles 37 Mortlake
CHESS
by LÉONADO BARDEN
2
122
Jere 14 position from actual play: White to move and win.
London Apr Service.
It will be the same on April 1870 and later returned to Eng- 2. No other country takes to tund es French Ambassador. much interest In a single bunt Weddington, son of a natur- race. But ask any non-Varsity alised French sublect. Towed type to name some of the crow. No. 3 in the Cambridge crew men and the chances the t which won the first race in will be told: "I haven' the 1840. faintest idea."
This was the only year in which there were two
Boat Races, the second producing the only fout of the series.
In this respect, the Boat Race is unique among big sporting events. Like Armstrong-Jones, the rowing Blues who are re
nembered are those who the lasting tome in other fields of conquest. Even then their famous deeds on the Theme are often forgotten.
Where do the Old Blues Ko? Almost every member of the first two crews of 1829 weni Into the Church.
Became bishops
Sunk
Cambridge were that year because
dixaalified
after taking Oxford's Middlesex water they
tried cross back to the Surrey Ide. This forced Oxord to stop and so lose three lengths,
Ten years after, in 1859, we had the first Boat Race sinking. The race was rowed in half a gale and Oxford, having w tire tes and chosen the more sheltered Middlesex station, re- ¦ fused Cambridge's request for a Oxford's postponement,
CD-
Two of them begame bishops, three were afterds deans. and J.J. Тонжон
No 5 (at 14st 10b the heaviest
Cambridge kopt their
Grenfell played cricket for Harrow and was school mile
champion, He was diversity but pobody wire could any and Oxford's crew on
three - mile chamalonard waterman John Phelps, Oxford's No, 4 in the toughest officlal Judge, had disappeared aral most controversial Boat in ilie crush of bonis Race--the dead-heat of 1877, Mortlake without giving
verdiet.
1
Dead heat
,
Though Cambridge pulled up magnificently at the finish, Oxford were sure they find won,
Nominate YOUR
HONGKONG FOOTBALLER
OF THE YEAR
Members of the public are invited to nominate Hongkong's Footballer of the Year for the current
season.
|
Next day, in the Robing Room of the Tolls Court, Lampire Chitty received "Honest John" Phehs and officials, declared the
a dead heat. Face
For years Oxford men argued that they had won by BS much as five yards.
"There was në argument the next year when Grenfell helped Oxford to a ten-length vlciory. In 1879 he was pre- sident when Cambridge and thele revenge and later he twice cooled a winning Boat Race crow.
While still at Oxford. Gren- fell gained fume
tuineer and won a rhce up and down the Matterhorn. He b came on expert shot and cham-
Не plon punter.
siroked the
victorious 1883 Oxford crew to France in 4 hours 22 minutes
and sculled alone from Dover to Calais.
He Inted big-name in India
It is a popularity poll organised by the China Mail, and nomination coupons will be accepted until and swam the Niagara. He com- the closing date to be announced later.
are:
The two qualifications for nomination
(1) Footballing prowess.
(2) Sportsmanship on the field of play. Nominations should be addressed to the
garsman ever to row in the race) ponents waiting half an hour at Editor, China Mail, Wyndham Street,
became Prebendary of York.
In contrast, the 1950 crew has provided twe doctors, two ship- brokers, a mannging director of a large factory making ball- bearings, an administrator for a group of London brewers, one engineer, onc aeromlant-and one ex-photographer.
Two rowing Blues have be- eome Prime Ministers.
One is 76-year-old Lond Bruce
the start but they could not avoid their fate. About half wng between Barnes Bridge and the anish, they went down. rowing to the last, In their wateringged boal.
One member of that fuckle-s crew Was
L. Smith who could not swim and was only just rescued in time. The half- drowned oarsman became a Lord Justice of Appeal as did ol
and K.
et Melbourne (Australian Blues J. W. Chitty of Oxford Premier 1923–29) who rowed and W. R. Breit
No. 2 in the winning Cambridge Maenaghten of Cambridge, crew of 1904. The other was William Henry Waddington who, strangely, boenme Prime Minister
of France for a short spell in
Today all diese notable rowing men are remembered more for their law than their locomotion.
To the Editor, China Mail,
My nomination for Hongkong's Footballer of the
taking into account his playing ability and manship on the field of play, is:
of the
(Signed)
(NOTE:
No person is allowed to vota mora
than once in this poll)
Four D. JonOS THE FILFERING PIRATES STEP ASHORE... BY MADDOCKS/
KEEP YOUR EYES
OPEN FOR THE RUSSIAN GUARDS
BUT LIKE ALL GOOD RUSS THE COMMISSAR KECAS HIS EYES TO THE WEST...
NOT A CAPITALIST
SNIP IN SIGHT
AND THE PIRATES APPROACH {THE CAST
FERDINAND
000
SUPER SOVIET SI BOMB TESTS VISITORS BY REGUBET ONLY
THANK YOUS
269
EASY AS YOU GO, LADS
By Mik
Club.
peled as a fencer in the Olymple (Athenian) Games of 1000 and became Britain's top Olympic
official.
No
Lasting fame
other rowing Blue has achieved such lasting fame in sport as Grenfell, who was also
elected to Parliament and be- Desborough.
came the first and only Lord
Of course, some n
like Stephen Fairbairn and Chris Davidze have won fame through their many other feats of rowing. And who, once they heard the name, could forget P..G..-5
the tideway and THE NEW OARS
SOME ODD BOAT ¡RACE FACTS`
Hot seat
Oxford's stroke of 1007, R, G. Marsden, was cautioned on the morning of the race not to go faster then he could help The reason: 5. Willan, the Oxford No. 7, was suffering from a boil in a place unlikely to be com- forted by 20-odd minutes of Last propulsion on a fixed seat. Exclusive
A Cambridge man once found- ed The Vine Street Club.' Its
membership was confined to undergraduates who had spent Boat Race night Lendon's Vine Street police station. Mild and bitter
In 1843 Oxford lost though over-confidence. They believed Cambridge to be a mild crew be. cause two of them teetotallers.
Crazy paving
Undergraduates
were
once ccle- brated Beat Race night by taking up a large length of the road- way in Flecadilly".
Disguised as navvles, they roped bff their pitch, swung their picks and stocked up a great heap of wood-blocks,
They retired before daylight leaving one man, disguised as a hoary old watchmin, warning his hands over a fire bucket.
Neck and neck
Disaster nearly overlook the Oxford crew of 1911,
No. 7 got his scarf cantht in the runner of his silde. But he freed himself in time and Oxford won.
Lady Margaret men
The 1950 Cambridge Elght, coxe to victory by Tony Armstrong-Jones, was known
as the Lady Margaret crew. No
fewer than six of the earsmen were from Lady Margaret Boat
Club,
Stolen boat
these forgotten
Sir Robert found their fame
his
his amey, stuke to three winning the sport, and many Old Blues
Cambridge <rews (1920-22)7 have abandoned the sport til They called him "Alphabet" together after rowing something Hartier.
like 700 miles for their one day While the sport is strictly of glory on the Thomes. amateur, a rowing Blue once
Some bad tremendous commercial
of heroes have value.
Menzies, Oxford
The story is still told nt Cam-
very short-lived indeed. For rowing Bug of 1842, sided and
old "Tom"
by bridge of the
Hockin abetted
brother, telegram which instance,
who rowed for Combriago (1878- "borrowed" the boat used by once reached the University Appointment Board. It read:
79) settled in the West Country Oxford In the first Boat Race "Wanted urgently, manager for to play the squire. But when he and carted it off to his castle in Calcutta tramways. First-class volunteered for the local life- Scotland.
boat crew he was turned down.
It was discovered there in classics or rowing Blue pre-
1900, returned to the QUBC and ferred."
Local opinion said he did not Inter placed in London's Science #But A rowing Blue is no know how to row properly. Muscum guarantee of future auccess ins London Expram Service).
Sheaffer's
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