Hall of Fame

1987 Hall of Fame Inductees

Samuel Joseph Ebsary (1879 - 1916)
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Sam Ebsary whose impressive and versatile record of active association with our annual Regatta, both as an oarsman and coxswain, spanned 15 years in the annals of that historic event, merits recognition as a nominee and ultimate inductee into the St. John's Regatta Hall of Fame.

Sam Ebsary's distinguished career as an active participant in our annual Regatta began in 1899 when as a member of the Church Lads' Brigade (C.L.B.) rowing in the Brigade race and he and his team mates recorded their first victory. The following year he was a member of the crew which finished second in the Society race. That same year, he rowed #5 oar for a crew which manned the Glance in the Tradesmen's race. That race was unique in that the Glance and the 'Bob Sexton' finished in a dead heat.

Both in 1901 and 1902 the C.L.B. continued to dominate the Brigade race on the Regatta program with Ebsary a member of those two victorious crews. The 1902 Brigade race was made memorable by the #4 oar in the C.L.B. crew shattering his oar at the oar lock as the boats pulled away from the stakes. Despite the ensuing disadvantage of the loss of support of one oarsman, the C.L.B. crew won the race in the remarkable time of 10:10.

By 1903 Ebsary was still active as an oarsman and was a member of winning crews in the Brigade and Naval Races. At that same Regatta, Sam Ebsary took the tiller ropes for the first time. He coxed Knowling's mercantile crew in the 'Bob Sexton'. In his role of coxswain for that mercantile race, the venture proved to be an inauspicious start. His crew finished out of the money in fourth place. The mercantile race itself however of that year was made memorable for posterity for Knowling's crew in the 'Bob Sexton', in addition to Sam Ebsary as coxswain, had at stroke oar another aspiring tiller-man in the person of Phil Brown. Both Ebsary and Brown would in time occupy well deserved niches in the temple of Regatta lore.

The Come-Home-Year Regatta of 1904 reflects a developing demonstration of Ebsary's versatility as an oarsman and coxswain. As an oarsman he was a member of the winning crews in the Amateur and Brigade races and took the tiller ropes in the Juvenile race.

By 1907, Sam Ebsary had become exclusively a coxswain. In that capacity during the Regatta of that year he participated in four races in coxswain capacity and had second place finishes in all four events. By 1908 his fortunes as a coxswain showed improvement. He steered crews to victory in four races on the program, finished in second place twice, and out of the money with a fourth place finish in the Society race.

From 1908 to 1913, as the official records of Regatta participation will reveal, Ebsary was the premier coxswain on the pond. By then he had actively participated in each and every annual Regatta over that period. In all, he took part in 71 races either as a coxswain or an oarsman. Over that span he had 34 first place finishes, he finished in second place 22 times, he placed third on 8 occasions, and finished out of the money in fourth place 7 times.

Not unnaturally in view of close association with the Church Lads' Brigade and the semi-military aspect of that organization, Sam Ebsary was one of the first to volunteer his services to Empire when the Great War broke out in 1914. He was a member of the Blue Puttees or First Five Hundred of the Newfoundland Regiment with the rank of Sergeant. His original posting was with the Newfoundland Regiment in the Mediterranean theatre of war. He later joined the Newfoundland Regiment in France as a 2nd Lieutenant. He survived the disaster of Beaumont Hamel on July 1st, 1916 when so many Newfoundlanders paid the supreme sacrifice, but on October 12th at the Battle of Guenucourt he was severely wounded and admitted to the General Hospital at Rouen where he succumbed to his wounds on October 15, 1916.

The following extract from Colonel Nicholson's book "The Newfoundlander" will serve to exemplify Sam Ebsary's love of Newfoundland:

It was nearly midnight when 2nd Lieutenant Sam Ebsary dropped out of the darkness near the entrance to re-appear with a large accordion which he had brought with him from 'A' Company's billets in the ramparts. Let one of 'D' Company's officers who was present describe the scene:

"Sitting in the corner on an empty ammunition box, he commenced to play and as the music emerged from the instrument, the sand-bagged walls of our 'H.Q.' seemed to fade; "The Banks of Newfoundland" rang in our ears and we saw once more the tented slopes of Quidi Vidi on Regatta Day; the Blue Peter had turned the buoy and the other boats were swinging into position'. His career will certainly endorse my assessment of him. He was a dynamic and polished athlete, a man respected and admired by his brothers in arms " .

An unassuming and exceptionally popular figure in St. John's in his day, Sam Ebsary's name is best remembered for the significant contribution he has made to our annual Derby Day. He, in all likelihood, would have welcomed that association.