The National Association found continual trouble with the competition of men who did not belong in the amateur class, but who did not care to go into the professional ranks where the rac ing was nearly dead, and a small living promised ; they preferred to row as amateurs and by betting, and the sale of the far too valuable prizes, find a little money. In order to attract the best crews, it was necessary for regattas to give prizes of large intrinsic worth, and most of these found their way into the pawnshop or the melting-pot. The junior class gave some trouble under the old definition, and the present description was adopted in 1884 ; and four years later the amateur definition, owing to a careful report of President Garfield on the situation, was further amplified by the addition of the following clause : " who rows for pleasure or recreation only, and during his leisure hours, and who does not abandon or neglect his usual business or occupation for the purpose of training, and who shall otherwise con form to the rules and regulations of this associa tion." The object of this clause was, of course, to get at the petty prgfessionals who lived by their rowing in summer. A few of the medal selling oarsmen were disqualified, but the majority went free. At that time the just rule was in force that a man disqualified should be considered a professional, and this, together with the certainty that the club of the oarsman would be estranged from the National Association, made the commit tee very chary about disqualifications when a firm hand and an honest purpose, free from politics, might have saved rowing the withdrawal of the better sportsmen, which was gradually coming about.
In 1885 the regatta went to Boston for the first time. The Boston clubs had not previously supported the association to any extent, because professional rowing was more firmly planted there than in any other section of the country. In 1886 the growth of rowing in Chicago caused the formation of the Chicago Navy on the same.lines as the Schuylkill Navy, with the Farragut, Delaware, Tippycanoe, Evanston, Iroquois, Ogden, Catlin, Union, Hyde Park, Quintard, and Douglas Clubs, and the clubs of the Northwest, — the Minnesota Boat Club of St. Paul, the Lurline of Minneapolis, Duluth of Duluth, and the Winnipeg of Winnipeg —combined in the Minnesota and Winnipeg Row ing Association, and started their annual regattas. The Long Island clubs, led by the Seawanhaka, formed the Long Island Rowing Association.
Although the National Regatta at Boston caused some trouble because of a close decision that went against Boston, the amateur rowing received an impetus that carried it well forward, and out of the professional atmosphere. So much so that, in 1887, a need was felt for an amateur association, and James P. Fox, president of the Crescent Boat Club of Boston, which had been instrumental in securing the National Regatta, called a meeting of all the clubs, and the New England Amateur Rowing Association was formed with Walter Stimpson as president ; the first regatta went off successfully on the Charles, and has been shifted from year to year among the New England towns, both in the spring and in the fall. The most important work of the asso
ciation has been in the elimination of the profes sional rowing about Boston and the substitution of amateur racing.
Philadelphia's rowing had been growing, but as yet no regatta was held annually in which the local clubs could meet the outside oarsmen with the exception of the race in eights for the Sharpless Cup; the Schuylkill Navy regattas were closed to the clubs of the Navy, and to give a general competition, in 1887, the People's Re gattas were instituted as a part of the city's Fourth of July celebrations.
The Iowa Rowing Association was also formed about this time ; the West had many clubs that were greatly handicapped in the way of racing by the long distances to any regatta. Some little rowing took place on the Great Salt Lake, which is quite the oddest place to row in the country because of the saline nature of the water ; a shell draws from one-half an inch to an inch less than in fresh water, and seems almost to glide over the surface, while the density of the water allows the oar to have an exceptional grip and a corre sponding difficulty in feathering; it is impossible to use other than narrow blades.
The history of the National Association from 1885 up until the present time is simply a re counting of a general decline in club rowing and racing, and, for the last few years, of an increase in boating; the decline is due to several causes, some of which have been mentioned. After the Civil War, boat clubs sprang up without the real facilities for boating, and this weedlike growth could only last for a few years at the best, espe cially since their life was bound up with victory. These clubs died, but they, in many cases, re tained their membership in the National Associa tion, and their shells each gave a vote for the men who desired to keep office more than they desired to see rowing prosper. The National Association thus came into the control of the inactive clubs, and its meetings became the scenes of petty political battles. And, while the men, who should have spent their time in bettering the sport, fought and squabbled for honors, the " ama choor " thrived wonderfully and drove out the real sportsman who did not care to compete with the man who was practically supported by his club, sold his medals, and, finally, when a better opportunity offered, left amateur competi tion and became a coach. To disqualify a man meant that his club would be lost to the Associa tion, or that it would begin an active campaign against the person who had started the investiga tion. In the interests of peace the Executive Committee kept their eyes closed as much as possible, and the work for the good of the sport came from a very few.