  The old theory of an amateur was that he was a ‘gentleman,’ and that the two were simply convertible terms. The amateur of old might make rowing his sport, so long as he did not actually make it his ostensible means of livelihood. The Leander oarsmen who matched themselves against University crews between 1830 and 1840 did not consider that they lost caste by rowing for a stake. In 1831 Oxford and Leander rowed at Henley for 200l. a side, with watermen steering them. Much later than this it was not considered improper for two ‘gentlemen’ to row a match (or race one) for a mutual stake (not a bet). Until 1861, when the conditions of the Wingfield Sculls were remodelled at a meeting of ex-champions and old competitors, it had been the custom for all entries for that prize to pay a fee of 5l., and But as rowing became more popular, and more widely adopted as a pastime, it began to be felt that it was invidious to leave the question ‘Is he an amateur?’ to the local opinion of the regatta committee, before whom such a question might be raised. Oarsmen came to the conclusion that some written definition of the qualification was necessary; some hard and fast rule, prospective, if not retrospective. Till then, various executives had adopted various opinions as to what constituted an amateur. One year, about 1871, the Henley executive declined to recognise one of the local crews engaged in the ‘Town Cup’ as ‘amateurs;’ and on this ground refused to allow them to start for the Wyfold Cup. It was not alleged that any of this crew had ever laboured as a mechanic, or rowed for money. The allegation of the Henley executive was that this crew were not ‘gentlemen amateurs,’ and as such they declined to admit them. A few days later another regatta executive freely admitted this same crew, and none of the recognised amateur clubs opposed to them raised any objection to the local crew’s status. This variety of opinion led to consultation among certain old amateurs whose ideas were universally respected, and as a result, on April 10, 1878, a meeting was held at Putney, at which there were present—
These gentlemen drew up and passed the following:— Definition of an Amateur.An amateur oarsman or sculler must be an officer of her Majesty’s Army, or Navy, or Civil Service, a member of the Liberal Professions, or of the Universities or Public Schools, or of any established boat or rowing club not containing mechanics or professionals; and must not have competed in any competition for either a stake, or money, or entrance-fee, or with or against a professional for any prize; nor ever taught, pursued, or assisted in the pursuit of athletic exercises of any kind as a means of livelihood, nor have ever been employed in or about boats, or in manual labour; nor be a mechanic, artisan, or labourer. In the following year the Henley executive drew up a definition of their own, much to the same effect, but slightly different in phraseology (this was on April 8, 1879). It read thus:— No person shall be considered as an amateur oarsman or sculler— 1. Who has ever competed in any open competition for a stake, money, or entrance-fee. 2. Who has competed with or against a professional for any prize. 3. Who has ever taught, pursued, or assisted in the practice of athletic exercise of any kind as a means of gaining a livelihood. 4. Who has been employed in or about boats for money or wages. 5. Who is or has been, by trade or employment for wages, a mechanic, artisan, or labourer. This definition, with a further slight verbal alteration, will be found still embodied in the rules of Henley regatta, which are given at p. 48. This new definition was adopted by the ‘Amateur Rowing Association.’ Rules of the Amateur Rowing Association, late Metropolitan Rowing Association.
1. That this Club be called ‘The Amateur Rowing Association.’ 2. That the object of the Association be to associate members of existing amateur rowing clubs for the purpose of forming 3. That the government and management of the Association be vested in a committee of fifteen members (of whom five shall be a quorum), with power to add to their number, who, except the ex-officio members, shall retire annually, and be eligible for re-election. 4. That the Presidents of the Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University Boat Club, the Captains of the Dublin University Boat Club, Dublin University Rowing Club, Leander Boat Club, London Rowing Club, Kingston Rowing Club, and Thames Rowing Club, for the time being be ex-officio members of the committee. 5. That no one be eligible as a member of the Association unless he be a member of a recognised Amateur Rowing Club. 6. That candidates for election must be proposed and seconded by two members of the committee, and unanimously elected by the committee. 7. That, when members of different clubs are selected to form a crew, they must, for the time being, place themselves exclusively at the disposal of the Association. 8. That general meetings of the members be summoned by the Honorary Secretary at such times as not less than five of the committee think fit, and that committee meetings be held once, at least, in every three months, and as much oftener as a quorum shall, from time to time, decide. This Amateur Rowing Association began modestly, and without any assumption, to dictate to the rowing world. It was content to take the patriotic part of guarding national amateur prestige in aquatics. But all leading clubs so fully recognised the value of the new association, that pressure was often put upon it to make a coup d’État, and to take the sceptre of amateur rowing and the control of amateur regattas, a position analogous to that held respectively by the ‘Jockey Club’ on the turf, the ‘Grand National Hunt Committee’ in steeple-chasing, and the ‘Amateur Athletic Association’ on the running path. To some extent the Association have followed the course urged upon them, and last season (1886) they propounded a Amateur Rowing Association.Established 1879. (Hon. Sec, S. Le Blanc Smith, Esq., Coombeside, Sydenham, S.E.)
Rules for Amateur Regattas.1. The committee shall state on their programmes, and all other official notices and advertisements, that their regatta is held under the Rules of the A.R.A. 2. No ‘value’ prize (i.e. a cheque on a tradesman) shall be offered for competition, nor shall a prize and money be offered as alternatives. 3. Entries shall close at least three clear days before the date of the regatta. 4. No assumed name shall be given to the secretary unless accompanied by the real name of the competitor. 5. No one shall be allowed to enter twice for the same race. 6. The secretary of the regatta shall not be permitted to divulge any entry, nor to report the state of the entrance list, until such list be closed. 7. The committee shall investigate any questionable entry irrespective of protest. 8. The committee shall have absolute power to refuse or return 9. The captain or secretary of each club or crew entered shall, at least three clear days before the day of the regatta, deliver to the secretary of the regatta a list containing the names of the actual crew appointed to compete, to which list the names of not more than four other members for an eight-oar and two for a four-oar may be added as substitutes; provided that no person may be substituted for another who has already rowed a heat. 10. The secretary of the regatta, after receiving the list of the crews entered, and of the substitutes, shall, if required, furnish a copy of the same with the names, real and assumed, to the captain or secretary of each club, or in the case of pairs or scullers to each competitor entered. 11. The committee shall appoint one or more umpires, to act under the Laws of Boat Racing. 12. The committee shall appoint one or more judges, whose decision as to the order in which the boats pass the post shall be final. 13. Objections to the qualification of a competitor should be made in writing to the secretary of the regatta at the earliest moment practicable. No protest shall be entertained unless lodged before the prizes are distributed. 14. Every competitor must wear complete clothing from the shoulders to the knees—including a sleeved jersey. 15. In the event of there being but one crew or competitor entered for any prize, or if more than one enter and all withdraw but one, the sole competitor must row over the course to become entitled to such prize. 16. Boats shall be held to have completed the course when their bows reach the winning post. 17. The whole course must be completed by a competitor before he can be held to have won a trial or final heat. 18. In the event of a dead heat any competitor refusing to row again, as may be directed by the committee, shall be adjudged to have lost. 19. A junior oarsman is one (A) who has never won any race at a regatta other than a school race, a race in which the construction of the boats was restricted, or a race limited to numbers of one club; (B) who has never been a competitor in any International or Inter-University match. N.B.—The qualification shall in every case relate to the day of the regatta. 20. All questions not specially provided for shall be decided by the committee. With these safeguards, and with the guidance of this leading Association, it is to be hoped that the status of amateurs in England will be preserved at that high standard which alone can properly demarcate the amateur from the professional. Foreign crews which seek to compete at our regattas are often of a very dubious character as regards amateurship. The imposture of Lee, the Yankee professional, at Henley regatta in 1878, was not discovered until too late; and his case has been by no means an isolated one. The Henley executive now impose certain conditions upon foreign countries, which enable our own authorities to make timely inquiries as to the real status of proposed visitors. These conditions will be found under No. 4 of the ‘General Rules’ of Henley (p. 49). WINDSOR. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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