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John (Jack) W Eddie

Leichhardt Rowing Club (NSW) and Haberfield Rowing Club (NSW)

John Wilfred Eddie

Born 21st April, 1916 at Leichhardt N.S.W. Educated at Orange Grove Primary and Fort Street Boys' High School.

First interest in rowing as coxswain at Leichhardt Rowing Club started in May 1928. Commenced sculling with that club in January, 1934 in which year he won several handicap sculling races including the 1934 Walker and Hall Cup.

Jack transferred to Haberfield Rowing Club in May, 1936. Won his first crew races in the same year. In that first year with Haberfield he won 15 races including status races from lightweight maiden fours to senior eights, (Gold Cup at Riverview 1937). Won Champion Eights of N.S.W. in 1938-39, 1946-47, 1947-48, stroked the N.S.W. crew that won the King's Cup and Australian Champion Eights in Hobart, Tasmania 1948.

Accepting the King's Cup in 1948

Two years earlier he rowed bow in the Haberfield crew that won the Grand Challenge Cup at the Australian Henley Regatta. Also stroked the Club Senior Eight against the touring New Zealand crew in 1948.

Won State Champion Fours 1947-48, 1948-49, while in 1949 on a tour of the Northern Rivers of N.S.W. won the Champion Fours of both the Richmond and Tweed Rivers.

As a lightweight champion he won the Champion Fours in 1938 and Lightweight Champion Eights 1940.

On the death of Dr. J. A. Parkes, was elected Senior Coach and selector, in 1947 he had coached the State Junior Champion Eight. In the 1949-50 season his crews won the Stewards Cup at Henley and the Australian Empire Games Test Four at Ballarat, Victoria. Was selected as the coach of the four-oared crew at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland.

1948 Test Races team coached by Eddie

Seved in the Army from 1941 to discharge in January, 1946. Hon. Treasurer part 1941, while he has been Captain from 1942, 43, 47, 48, 49, 50. Has also served as a Delegate to the N.S.W.R.A. In his fourteen years of active rowing with the Haberfield Rowing Club (of which he is a life member) he won 88 races.

Kevyn P Webb
1950

Sources:

Extracted from the Haberfield Rowing Club 25 year history by Kevyn P Webb and published by him in 1950
Images from the Guerin collection

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The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
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