THE SPORT OF ROWING 1932: A Second Gold By 1932, it was no longer Jack Beresford, Jr. To the world he had become simply “Jack Beresford.” He and three Thames R.C. teammates qualified to represent their country in the coxless-fours at the Olympics by winning the Stewards’ Cup at Henley, defeating Berliner Ruder- Club e.V. in the final by two lengths. The lineup was Beresford in bow, Tig Tyler in 2, Rowland George in 3 and fellow 1928 Eights Silver Medalist Felix Badcock at stroke. Incidentally, after losing to the Thames crew at Henley, that Berliner Coxless-Four switched events and later that summer won Olympic Gold in the coxed-fours. The 1932 Olympic Regatta, the first ever to be held outside Europe, took place in Long Beach, outside Los Angeles, California against a backdrop of oil derricks. “The racing took place with a strong cross- headwind blowing in constantly from the Pacific Ocean. This taxed the ability of crews to the utmost, but the Thames crew benefited from their Tideway experience.”1094 “Bad luck hit the Thames Four when the unfortunate Tig Tyler [168 lb. 76 kg] fell ill with influenza and could not row. “‘It’s a hell of a long way to go to catch flu,’ commented the unhappy Tig to Dick Phelps who, in his first year with Thames, had been chosen as boatman for the Olympic team. “[Hugh Robert Arthur] Jumbo Edwards [(1906-1972) 189lb. 86kg] from the pair was brought into the Coxless-Four at 3 to replace Tyler, George moving to bow, and Jack to 2. There is little doubt, however, that this combination was faster than the original crew.”1095 1094 Keith Osbourne, op.cit., p. 256 1095 www.thamesrc.atics.co.uk/history “The British Four gained an easy victory over the USA entry [from the Penn A.C.] in the first heat. In the final, Germany [Mannheimer RV Amiticia] put up a hard fight, but the British Four had clear water at the end of the race, thanks to the keen determination with which J.C. Badcock stroked his crew.”1096 “Tig Tyler wept unashamedly in the grandstand. “For Thames, and especially for Jumbo, the 1932 Olympics were a triumph. The Coxless-Pair [Christ Church, Oxford, Bow Jumbo Edwards 189lb. 86kg, Stroke Lewis Clive 185lb. 84kg] won their event, and the Four scored a resounding two and one-half length victory in their final over Germany, Italy and the USA, giving Jumbo his second Gold Medal in one day. “It was also a personal triumph for Jack Beresford, bringing him a second Olympic Gold to add to his two Silvers.”1097 Fairbairn. But it was also a triumph for Steve Stroke Felix Badcock: “In 1932, Thames were again selected to row in the Olympics held at Los Angeles, this time in the light fours,1098 and with three Steve- trained men, they won the event fairly handily.”1099 One of those three was Jumbo Edwards, who had been rowing for Fairbairn at London Rowing Club since 1927, as will be discussed in Chapter 78. Steve had completed his coaching career at London R.C.1100 R.I.P. Steve Fairbairn Fairbairn had always been a strong believer in the benefits of distance training, 1096 British Olympic Association, p. 110 1097 www.thamesrc.atics.co.uk/history 1098 coxless-fours 1099 Badcock, qtd. by Fairbairn On Rowing, p. 68 1100 See Chapter 23. 290
