, ▁he ▁explained ▁how ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁three ▁years , ▁he ▁had ▁trained ▁under ▁private ▁tu ition ▁for ▁the ▁box ing ▁ring . ▁That ▁was ▁until ▁his ▁mother ▁was ▁acquaint ed ▁with ▁the ▁fact , ▁upon ▁her ▁very ▁strong ▁ob jection , ▁and ▁preference ▁of ▁Pat ▁becoming ▁a ▁good ▁sc ull er . ▁Hann an ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁ ▁Sc ull ing ▁Result ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁of ▁his ▁joining ▁the ▁Well ington ▁Row ing ▁Club ▁where ▁he ▁came ▁quickly ▁to ▁the ▁fore front ▁as ▁a ▁sc ull er , ▁winning ▁five ▁races ▁under ▁the ▁club ▁colours . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Pet one ▁Row ing ▁Club , ▁between ▁that ▁time ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁he ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁ 1 1 ▁amateur ▁events . ▁While ▁at ▁Pet one ▁he ▁captured ▁the ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁Hand ic ap ▁of ▁one ▁mile ▁from ▁scratch . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁Pat ▁paid ▁a ▁hol iday ▁visit ▁to ▁Australia ▁he ▁decided ▁on ▁a ▁more ▁serious ▁approach ▁to ▁row ing ▁after ▁meeting ▁such ▁profession als ▁as ▁George ▁Town s ▁( ro wer ) ▁and ▁Harry ▁F loyd ▁and ▁took ▁a ▁course ▁of ▁tu ition ▁under ▁them . ▁Pat ' s ▁first ▁win ▁was ▁the ▁Par ram atta ▁H undred , ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 3 ; ▁this ▁was ▁row ed ▁over ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁two ▁miles . ▁There ▁were