Cosentino: “Deciding THE SPORT OF ROWING [in 1884] that England and North America offered little in the way of challenge, he decided to travel to Australia, stopping in Hawaii to give demonstrations of his boating prowess. “Arriving in Australia, Hanlan was given a hero’s welcome wherever he went. However warm the receptions, it was evident that the wearying travel was beginning to take his toll. He contracted typhoid, but recovered and returned to his rigorous schedule of appearances and exhibitions. Forty thousand spectators turned out in Melbourne to see the World Champion on a tour which took him to Ballarat, Brisbane, Hooperstown, Launceton, Sydney, Walla Wago, Cockatoo Island and Western Australia from May 22 to mid July [winter in Australia].”580 World Rowing Magazine: “In 1884, the race between Hanlan and Australia’s Bill Beach practically brought the whole of Sydney to a standstill with estimates of half of Sydney’s population watching the race. “[They called Bill Beach] that ‘doughty son of Vulcan,’ the Dapto Blacksmith581.”582 Cosentino: “William Beach, a 90- steel-nerved blacksmith, kilogram,583 defeated Hanlan on the Paramatta River on August 16, 1884. Beach was not only strong physically. [He had also mastered the sliding seat,584 and he] seemed able to cope with Hanlan’s psychological gamesmanship. During the race, Hanlan’s boat strayed into 580 Cosentino, op. cit., p. 56 581 Dapto is a town on Lake Illawarra, 100 km south of Sydney. 582 Melissa S. Bray, op.cit., p. 4 583 He was actually measured as 5’9½” 177cm 170lb. 77kg with a 42” 107cm chest, 15½” 39cm biceps and 16” 41cm calfs. 584 Hunter, p. 23 www.rowinghistory-aus.info Bill Beach (1850-1935) World Professional Singles Champion 1884-1887 Beach’s lane and fouled him. Beach was able to recover and row on to victory. “Returning to the boat-house after the race, Hanlan confidently confronted the dour Australian, who was showering: ‘Beach, I am not satisfied with that race at all and request that you row me again. How soon can you oblige me?’ “‘Just wait until I finish drying myself, and I am your man’ was the matter-of-fact reply.”585 The second race finished as the first. Steve Fairbairn, perhaps history’s most influential coach ever:586 “Bill Beach, the finest sculler I ever saw, had a round back, sat abnormally high in his boat, the wheels of his slide were six inches [15cm] in diameter, and his sculls went very high in the air. No flash form about him.”587 585 Cosentino, op. cit., p. 57 586 See Chapter 19. 587 Fairbairn On Rowing, p. 292 158
