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306
Hereditary Genius
by Mr. Robert Spence Watson of Newcastle, whose local knowledge
is very considerable, and whose sympathies with athletic amusements
are strong. Mr. Watson put himself into continual communication with
one of the highest, I believe by far the highest, authority on boating
matters, a person who had reported nearly every boating race to the
newspapers for the last quarter of a century.
The list in the Appendix to this chapter includes the names of nearly
all the rowing men of note who have figured upon the Tyne during
the past six-and-twenty years. It also includes some of the rowers on
the Thames, but the information about these is not so certain. The
names are not picked and chosen, but the best men have been taken
of whom any certain knowledge could be obtained.
It is not easy to classify the rowers, especially as many of the men
have rarely, if ever, pulled in skiff matches, but formed part of crews
in pair-oared, four-oared, or six-oared matches. Their performances
have, however, been carefully examined and criticised by Mr.
Watson and his assessor, who have divided them into four classes.
I have marked the names of the lowest with brackets [], and have
attached to them the phrase “moderately good.” These are men who
have either disappointed expectations founded on early promise, or
have not rowed often enough to show of what feats they are really
capable. No complete failure is included. Few amateurs can cope
with men of this class, notwithstanding the mediocrity of their abilities
when judged by a professional standard.
The next ascending grade is also distinguished by brackets [], but no
qualifying expression is added to their names. They consist of the
steady reliable men who form good racing crews.
The two superior grades contain the men whose names are printed
without brackets—whom, in short, I treat as
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