EDWARD TRICKETT'S CAREER.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1747, 25 September 1879, Page 3

EDWARD TRICKETT'S CAREER.

["Sydney Town and Country."]

Edward Trickett was born at Greenwich, at the entrance to the Parramatta River, in ISSO, and is consequently twenty-nine years of age. Before taking to rowing as a profession, he was a quarryman by trade. He is Gft 3in in height, rather lean, with broad shoulders, but falls away somewhat towards the loins, and is, like most men who have done a great deal of rowing in the old style, particularly powerful in the upper part of the body. He made his debut as a sculler thirteen years ago at the Anniversary Regatta, in two races for youths, in both of which he suffered defeat. Two years afterwards he scored his maiden win in a pairoared race for youths under eighteen years of age ; then in a private sculler's match he defeated Smith, McNeil, Manning, and Bulli vant. In a private match rowed almost immediately afterwards, he defeated M'Cleer in light skiffs. On 27th December, 1869, at the Woolloomooloo Bay Regatta, he was defeated by W. Hickey, the- champion of the day, in outriggers. Bracketed with his elder brother TV T illiam, who even to-day is a sculler of no mean order, he competed successfully at the Anniversary Day Regatta in a pairoared race for youths under twenty-one. Subsequently, the same pair defeated Rush and Colon •in a double-scullers' match. Edward Trickett was then- beaten by Colon in a private match on the Parramatta River. At the Balmain Regatta, the Brothers Trickett won a double-scullers' match ; but at the same regatta, in the following year, they were defeated by M'Cleer and Lyons owing to the swamping of their- boat. At the Anniversary Regatta, 1874, JEdward Trickett rowed a winning oar in the- whaleboat race ; and at the Balmain Regatta of the same year, he won the all-amateurs-' scullers' race in light skiffs. Then in private matches, he twice defeated Pierce, who had choice of boats, in heavy skiffs. In the Clarence River champion outrigger race, in October, 1874, Trickett entered for the £2OO prize, all the crack rowers of the colony competing. Michael Rush, who held the championship from Hickey, won; Trickett coming in a good second, Laycock third 1 , Hickey fourth, and R. Green, who represented the colony in the memorable encounter with Chambers, the champion of the Thames, fifth. At the Balmain Regatta, 18744- Trickett defeated Laycock for the sculling championship, and J. Long in light skiffs. Ha also rowed a winning oar in the whaleboat race on the same day. At the Anniversary fßegatta, 1875, Trickett won the handicap match, beating E. Solomons and Laycock, and won the fonr-oared gig race- with his brother and the two brothers Lynch. On 18th September, 1875, in a private match in outriggers, for £2OO a-side, on the Parramatta River, he defeated Laycock easily. At the Balmain Regatta he again defeated Laycock and Green in ontnggers. At the Anniversary Regatta, 1876 i in outriggers, he beat Green easily, and in the same year went to England and gained the championship of the world by defeating J. H. Sadler. Prior to leaving London, Mr James Punchy who had aecom-

pained him to England and acted as his mentor while there, offered to back him against all-comers. Luansden accepted the challenge issued on behalf of Trickett, but forfeited his deposit, the result being that the champion returned to- New South Wales without taking part in any further contest in the. old country. He and Mr Punch received a great ovation on reaching Sydney, and shortly after his return Trickett again won the all-comers' race in outriggers at the Anniversary Regatta, beating Laycock (a verdiot, which, it may parenthetically be observed, was reversed on the next Anniversary Day, when the champion, who was said to be out of condition was beaten by Laycock) ; and on visiting the flagship was presented by Sir John Robertson with a cheque for JJBOO. subscribed by the public in recognition of his English victory. Then he easily beat Rush, who challenged him for the championship. Trickett's next appearance before the public was as the proprietor of an hotel in Pitt street, not far from the "Evening News" office; whancehe removed to the fine premises (the International Hotel) at the corner of Pitt and King streets, where lie is now carrying on business. It has been stated in the American Press that Trickett left England without making any further match " because he was afraid of being licked." The real fact of the matter is that no one would row him, after the sporting world had got some slight inkling of his abilities. Harry Kelley, the ex-champion of the Thames, who trained him, told_ a wellknown medical patron of aquatics that Trickett was the best man he he had ever seen; and George Tarryer, the celebrated oarsman, told the same gentleman an anecdote, the relation of which might well strike terror into the hearts of English professionals. It was to the effect that while he (Tarryer)

was training for a race one morning Trickett, who was also out sculling, drew up to him. Tarryer was pulling "his level best;" but Trickett, who was evidently not exerting himself in the 'slightest, and was pulling eight strokes a minute less than the Vauxhall sculler, went slightly ahead and actually wanted to enter into conversation with the latter. To use Tarryer's words, "My trainer told me I had never done the distance in less time, and the affair nearly broke my heart." In the race with Laycock, Trickett was so much at ease that after he had obtained a long lead he coolly took out his handkerchief and wiped his face. "Hallo, old man," said he to his adversary before the start, "are you as well as you wero on the Anniversary Day?" "Yes," replied Laycock, perhaps a little better." "You'll have to be a good deal better before we've finished," remarked the champion, who, the result shows, had good ground for the faith that was in him.