The Telegraph Journal Saint John, N.B. Saturday, September 10^th, 1960

By: Willard Richardson

Many waters have ebbed and flooded in Fundy Bay since the storied era of hardened warriors when Hilton Belyea streaked his way to Maritime prominence as a speed skater and then courted international fame as a top-flight sculler.

But the years and the tides have been kind to this man, who now looks back more than half a century to a youth of singular prowess that flirted with greatness in the realm of sport. And even today - despite his 75 years - you might say Hilton Belyea is a young man; for speak with him and you will know that he is not a breed that ages early.

A native of Saint John, he lives in Florida today. Among his souvenirs are the cups and the trophies and all those things which he gathered from two continents for the triumphs of his young years.

Numbered among his collection are 35 cups, 32 medals, plaques, dishes, silver wear, furniture, clothing, scrolls, letters of communication and newspaper and magazine clippings.

Belyea's life has been packed with drama. He returned from the dead to set a world record, won an Olympic bronze medal, fought to maintain his amateur standing, and was never defeated by a Canadian oarsman and only once by an American while in Canada.

At the turn of the century, when he was 17 years of age Belyea was seriously injured in a spill from his bicycle. He awoke after the crash to find himself in a hospital, and from his bedside he heard a medic proclaim: "He'll go out of here in a box." Sixty-three days later he left the hospital and set a course that carried him to outstanding achievements in amateur sports.

Set A World Speed Record

Belyea set a world speed record in the one-and-one half mile single sculls over a three-quarter of a mile course with a turn, in capturing the New England championship. The year was 1921; the setting on the Charles River in Boston. This was 16 years after his first competition in which he won the Maritime junior championship at Dartmouth Lake in 1905. The hard work in the intervening years had paid off.

And his feat at Boston has never been bettered. His world record still stands. Today this type of racing is contested on straight-a-ways, so his record will probably endure as long as time and tide.

In 1907, the Maritime Provinces Amateur Athletic Association suspended Belyea for alleged monetary returns in a barnstorming tour against skater Morris Wood, amateur champion of the United States, Belyea claims he received only travelling expenses and what arrangements were made for Wood's jaunt into Eastern Canada are not known.

Belyea made every effort to regain his amateur status and did so in 1909, but not before all branches of the YMCA in Canada threatened to withdraw from the Amateur Association of Canada. The AA of Canada professed to know nothing about the case and before Belyea was back in good standing, he had missed the 1908 Olympics.

The only American to beat him rowing in Canada was W. E. Garrett Gilmore in 1923. Another rower, Bob Dibble, beat the great Jack Kelly in competition, and although Belyea never raced against Kelly, he defeated Dibble.

The old man had three trademarks way back then. He always carried a step watch in the scull with him and during every race, "I watched it and rowed as I would in training. Another was his spoon oars, each seven inches wide, while the normal biting surface of such equipment measured six inches.

The third thing he was noted for was the long billed blue cap he wore while plying the oars. He wore this to reduce the glare of the sun, a necessity due to his early accident.

British Newspaper Poked Fun

While training on the Thames River in England for the Diamond Sculls, a British newspaper depicted his cap in a cartoon with the quip "If Belyea is allowed to use the peak as a sail he will probably win the Diamonds." But he was eliminated by Donald Gallan, deaf mute of England.

Belyea went to England in March, 1924 to begin training for the Canadian team in Paris. One damp chill day he finished his workout with a pain in his hip - neuritis.

Partially crippled by the painful condition, he joined the Canadian team in Paris for the Olympic competition. He was lifted into and out of the boat for a truly sentimental race, that won for him a rare sportsmanship award by the French and a warm letter of appreciation for his effort against overwhelming odds.

One of the amazing things about Hilton Belyea's career was that he was never coached. A usual training day consisted of many miles of rowing. He believed to excel in any sport you must "punish yourself into condition." And apparently that is what he did.

Rowing was his summer sport and in winter he strapped on the skates and took to the iceways. He set a record in the Old Victoria Rink in Saint John about 1908 when he skated the mile in 2:52 4-5. Five years later it was broken by the inimitable stroking of Willie Logan.