Hoover vs. Beresford

Two sculls moved up the Thames. The two scullers were Walter Hoover of the U. S., who had gone to London to bring home the Philadelphia Gold

Challenge Cup, and Jack Beresford Jr. of England.

For two minutes oars went back and were pulled forward. Then -- bump! Hoover's craft hit that of Beresford. "In the heat of the race," he afterward said, "I judged . . that Beresford was crowding in to my water and I thought: 'If you think you can get away with that, I'm going for you. And I did. I see now I was mistaken."

The craft were speedily disentangled. But Hoover found it impossible to resume rowing until Beresford's boat had cleared out of the way of his oars. Thus did Beresford acquire a lead of over a length. Six min. 48 sec. after leaving Putney Bridge, Beresford won the 1 mile 707 yard race by three lengths.

"The best man won,"* was Hoover's declaration.

* Beresford is without question the best man. The week previous he defeated Hoover in the Diamond Sculls of the Henley' regatta. Previous to this the English rowing authorities had ruled that the Diamond Sculls, and not the Philadelphia Cup, is emblematic of the World's Amateur Rowing Championship.