THE STALWART TEESSIDER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 2

THE STALWART TEESSIDER.

Richard Bernard Tresidder (all abbro- | viated to "Dick" by his friends) is a 1 man, "husky," "hefty," as the latoFt adjectives go to indicate a parson of brawn. His first appearance in' this world was cm 24th January, 1871,' at Wallsend, In'owcksUo, Kew Soiith Wales, and sinco fhen ho has expanded to 5 feet 10£ inches and about 12.^ stone, in a solid" broad -fliouldered frame. "He bears the s>tarnp of courage and determination;" wrote- a Sydney critic iive years, ago,' and a glance nt the oarsman's face is r.mple corroboration of that tribute. Tlo has the jaws which stick to purpose. His debut as a racer was on 26th January, 1889, fit the Wallsond and Platt3burg regatta on Lako Macqiiarie, and •Cor several years he had vafying luck in handicap events. At. Stockton, on Ist January, 18H5, ho won the all-comers' race. Next ye.ir ho had his first contest for a stake, bet (£59 a side) with T. Jordan, whom Jib beat by half a length over a quarter-mile- in imin 25sec. Later ho vanquished James Ford in a similar race. , Early in <18SS Tresidder, disgusted to the treatment meted out to him by handicappers, advertised liis skiff for sale, and went ,into seclusion. 'Thi» Achilles did not again como out of his tent till January, 1899. In Slay he had a field day at the Plattsburg Club's regatta at Tamago. Ho triumphi cd in the all-comers' singo sculls, and oil scratch he conquered J. Ford (12sec). In j November^, he finished first/ in the all-comers' handicap, from 25 seconds behind scratch, and beat Harry Pearco oft the same mark. On 9th February, 1901, when he returned from Parramatta where ho had been training for a big handicap at the Sydney Anniversary Regatta, ho announced his refcimemont from active rowing. He did not sit in a racer again till he met and defeated Harry Pearco on 7th March, 1903, for £100 a sido and the championship of Australia. About three years ago, Trefiddcr tried to *tako the world titlo from George Towns. He made a brave effort, but his health was against him, and ho failed. In Jnnc. laf-t year Tresiddor easily overcame Benjamin Thoroughgood on 'the Hunter River for £200. "It was a good performance," states one commentator," lor Thoroughgood had given C. Towns a solid race some few month.B before, and was a much-improved man when he met Tresidder." This victory put fresh heart into Tresidder, and he quickly challenged Webb after the rout of Towns. In his bluff, hearty way Tretiddcr is not despondent about his prospefcts against the New Zealander. He had conlidence in himself when ho threw down his gage at the champion's fact, and he has not lost it. "Tho present optimism of Tresidder," wrote the Sydney Mail's critic in August, "will do him no harm, and buoyed up with such a belief he will bo freed Ivora a lot of worry. Ho is not an egotist, but a cheery fellow who can see- tho bright nido of things, and at Iho eanie time fully recognises the responsibility which the act of challenging imposes."