The next occasion in which a University eight figured was in a match
which somehow seems to have slipped out of public memory, though it
occurred several years later than the first match between the
Universities. The writer was talking to old George West, the well-known
Oxford waterman, in 1882, at the L.R.C. boat-house, while waiting for
the practice of the U.B.C. crews of that year. Casually old George
remarked, 'I steered a University eight once, sir.' The writer looked
incredulous. 'Yes, against Leander--Leander won,' quoth George. The
writer had known West since his school days, and had heard him
recapitulate his aquatic memories times out of mind, but never till
that hour had he heard any allusion to this Leander match. Only the year
before, the 'Jubilee' dinner of old Blues had taken place, and all who
had ever been known to have represented their University in a match or
regatta were asked to join in the celebration. At that date not one of
the executive had any inkling of this match, although one of the Oxford
crew, the present Bishop of Norwich, could certainly have been found at
an hour's notice. Letters from old oarsmen, who had not actually rowed
for the flag (often because there was no match during their career),
used to pour in while the jubilee feast was in preparation, asking for
admittance to it. None of this Oxford crew seem to have put in any
claim. A slight, though an unintentional one, was thus perpetrated upon
all of them, whether alive or dead, by the omission to record them as
old Blues on that occasion. When the writer compiled the history of 'Old
Blues and their Battles,' which Mr. G. T. Treherne incorporated in his
book of 'Record of the University Boat Race,' and which was published
soon after the jubilee, neither of these gentlemen was aware of this
race. No speaker at the banquet seemed to remember or allude to it. Yet,
on referring to old files of 'Bell's Life,' record of this match is to
be found. Since it was recorded in that journal, it seems to have been
unnoticed in any print till now. Better late than never; the performers
in it are now officially brought to light, and their names will be found
in the tables of University oarsmen and their opponents, later on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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