ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1782, 21 June 1913, Page 13

ROWING.

(By "Morcury.")

REMARKABLE STATEMENT BY DR. THACKER. I July 21—World's Championship, Barry v. Pearcc, Thames, England. A cablegram from Sydnoy was recently published announcing that Dr. 1 hacker, of New Zealand, had issued a challenge to the world on bohalf of Dick Arnnt* Dr. Thacker, who was ono of Arnst a original supporters and backcrs» is ftt present in bydney, and, before ho loft here, ho stated that ono of the first things ho would do "on tho other sido would bo to dig up the ex-champion, with regard to getting him action again. Apparently ho has dug him up with a j vengeance, and, in an interview published I in a Sydney paper, tho doctor gives his idea of tho cause of Arnst's downfall in. I England.

iVhat Happenad to Arnst. "In his last race with Barry," said Dr. Hiacker, "nono of Dick's old supporters lad anything to do with him. Me pracjoaliy iinanccd himself, and world wondered why ho was beaten, lor ten lays beforo tho race ho was unablo to ;et fresh fruit, of which ho is very fond, lie had to eat tinned fruits, and contracted ptomaino poisoning. Six d a l' s later ho felt well, and P."t up "what ho jonsidercd ,was ono of his greatest performances. On tho day of the raco he was going wellr but ho felt tho woakncss in his stomach peculiar to ptomaino poisoning. Off Barnes Bridge ho struck tnree big waves, ono of which went clean over him, and when he got through Barry waß six lengths ahead of him. Ho had been reserving hinißelf, and that was the mistake ho made. Ho chased Barry, and in sixty strokes was up to him. Xnoa tho weakness came on again, and Barry got ahead. Thirty yards from home.ho gave up, knowing that he could not win. He says that if it had beon a hundred yards further on, he would havo caught Barry. I asked Arnst why ho did not tell tho people of his illness, and he said,, JNo. I am not the cry 'stinking tjsli when I am beaton." ' . "Now," went on the doctor, Arnst la prepared to meet anybody—Paddon, Hag-1 ney, or anyone else, and I am going to stand behind him. We will, mej)t the ivinner of tho Barry-Pewce match, nnd for any stake. Talking about Paddon, Dick will row him where he likes, although naturally tho Parramatta is preterred, on account of tho gate. I might eay that after Arnst's raco witu Barry he went to Boulogne for the pigeon matches. 'He was unnerved for a while, but he recovered, and came away ufter having beaten tho crack shots and won £ "Our challenge." concluded Dr. Thicker, "amounts- to a ohallenge to the world."

What Does Dr. Thacker's Statement Amount To? j As past history this is all very interesting, tut so far as it throws light on Arnst s present and future intentions it is too vague to be convincing. Master Dick has been shilly-shallying such a lot oi lato that the public will want borne very positive evidence before it will really believe that ho is going to make a serious onslaught on the championship again. In any case, ho may be forced to wait now. Jim Paddon, the Australian chamnion, has already posted a deposit or ±101) to clinch a match with Harry Peacre, on the latter's return, be he winder or loser in the big contest on July 21, and it is quite likely l that he will stave Arnst off until after this is settled. At present there is no hope of a match between laddon and Arnst, as tho former will not row o2 tho Richmond River, and the latter will not leavo the Parramatta. That is how the matter stands now.