Jim Paddon
| James (Jim) Paddon | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 November 1884 New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 5 May 1966 (aged 81) Evans Head, New South Wales Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Title | World champion sculler |
| Term | 1922 - 1924 |
| Predecessor | Darcy Hadfield |
| Successor | Major Goodsell |
James Paddon (19 November 1884 – 5 May 1966) was the second Australian after World War I to win the professional World Sculling Championship. Before the war seven other Australians had held the title.
Paddon was a professional sculler but unlike many of the earlier Champions he did not need to rely on sculling income to maintain his life-style. He was a successful Evans Head businessman who had interests in oyster leases, fishing, sub-leasing, farming, and tourism.
Harry Pearce had been the Australian Champion since 1909 and had challenged Ernest Barry for the world title. Not long before Pearce’s departure for England, Alf Felton, Charles Towns, and Jim Paddon all challenged Pearce for his Australian Championship. The lateness of the challenges was intended to force Pearce to forfeit his domestic title so that the challengers could decide among themselves who should be the new champion. Rather than jeopardise his World Title chances Pearce forfeited his title which was then claimed by Felton. Felton and Towns raced in January 1913 and Felton won the race by four lengths. In a subsequent race held in February 1913 Paddon handsomely beat Felton by two minutes and thus became the Australian Champion; a title he held until 1926. See Also Australian Sculling Championship.
On the strength of his win Paddon challenged Ernest Barry for the World Title. Barry was interested in travelling to Australia for a match but stated that the British public would expect any title match involving an English champion to be raced on home waters. Paddon therefore went to England and the match was held on the Thames on the Championship Course on 7 September 1914. Paddon was nicknamed "Big Jim" as he was unusually tall for the times being 6 feet 4 inches tall. At the start Barry was faster away and soon had a three-quarters length lead but Paddon, by spurting, had a small lead at the mile post. At this point the time was 4m.59s. Barry with a better stroke overhauled Paddon and by Hammersmith Bridge was more than a length in front. However Barry ‘caught a crab’ under the bridge and Paddon took advantage of this and again spurted. There was a risk of a foul and later Paddon stated that the boats did actually touch but as he did not want to win in that manner he did not make any appeal to the umpire. Barry did not believe the boats touched. Barry quickly recovered and extended his lead to nearly three lengths at Chiswick Church, by four lengths at Barnes Bridge, eased off and finally came home by two and a half lengths in a time of 21m.28s. Paddon said that he was satisfied with his rowing but that the water had bothered him. No World Title matches were held during World War I. In 1919 Barry raced and lost to Alf Felton on the Thames. In a return match in Sydney in 1920 the result was reversed. Barry was then challenged by Richard Arnst but he failed to accept as he had retired so Arnst became the holder by forfeiture, and after one defence against Pat Hannan lost the title to fellow New Zealander Darcy Hadfield in 1922.
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