SOME NOTEWORTHY VISITORS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 724, 21 January 1904, Page 23

SOME NOTEWORTHY VISITORS.

Mr “Ted” Fox, landlord of the Halfmoon Hotel, Putney, England, is expected to arrive here shortly. He is one of the three well-known' supporters of rowing who are touring Australia and New Zealand, mostly for pleasure. The other two (also hotel-keep-ers). are Mr Field and Mr Hodgkinson, and they will accompany him. Mr Fox and his fellow tourists did a great deal for the colonial scullersi in England (not forgetting Tom Sullivan). Apropos of the visit of these gentlemen, I quote the following from last week’s “ Sydney Referee ” :— “ The sports from the Thames Side arrived by the mail boat last week, and lost no time in reporting themselves at the ‘ Referee ’ office. They were brought round by champion George Towns and Mr Andreoli (who had the care of Dick Cavill, the champion swimmer, when in England a season ago), both of whom had received many kindnesses at the hands of the visitors from London. They comprise Mr ‘Ted’ Fox, of the Half Moon, Putney, whom many readers of the ‘ Referee ’ will have heard of in connection with rowing affairs, Mr ‘ Jim ’ Field, of the Queen .Adelaide, Wandsworth, and Mr ‘ Dick ’ Hodgkinson. Mr Field accompanied George Towns and party to Canada on the successful trip which the Hunter River sculler made to get back the world’s championship for Australia. ‘ Ted ’ Fox, as the boys call him. has. met most of the scullers who have appeared on the Thames for many years. He used accompanying Bill Beach in his walks when the daddy of them all was in England to meet the best the world could produce, and he, of course, met Hanlan, Searle, Stanbury, O’Connor, and all the other aqUatic celebrities in their various days. ‘ The visitors would probably never have seen Australia were it not for their association with' the grand old sport," and particularly their meeting Towns and other famed athletes from this part of the world. As a matter of fact, they arranged the trip in the expectation of being here in time to see Towns and Tressider row for the championship. Unfortunately. various circumstances caused a postponement, and they will not be witnesses of the struggle unless, like many another -visitor to the ‘ Sunny South/ they become enamoured of Sydney and prolong their stay until May. It would be a good thing for the " sport if they could, and in this connection ‘ Teddy ’ Fox told George Towns on Monday that if he stopped he’d guarantee he (George) would be a couple of lengths faster Over the course on the great day. And there is truth in it, too, for there is no end of benefit to be derived from the presence af a good pal and a good sport on such occasions.

“ Yesterday the Londoners visited George Towns’ quarters at Drummoyne, and had a look at the famous Parramatta River. Later on they are going to have some shooting under the guidance ei that greatest of enthusiasts, Mr Charles Sanger.”