The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-23
AN OLD OARSMAN ON THE RACE:

AN VLU UAkSMAM VM ThE kACks
What William Blake, the Harvard Stroke
of 1866, Thinks of tho Atalanta and Lon.
don Rowing Crews.
In the old Harvard rowing days there was one
man who, after Yale mad beaten the first American
university on Quinsgamund Lake. undertook to
train crew at Cambridge, Mass, to regain the
crown that the New Haven boys had carried
away with Wilbur Bacon as stroke. This
man was william Blake. who as stroke
OF Harvard six bore away once more the palm Of
victory Tor the Magenta color, aud lett the Yale six
behind in backwasn. HERALD reporter called
on Mr.. Blake. at the Office OF the United States
District Attorney in Chambers street. yester-
day, to ascertain his opinion, as an old
University stroke oar, in regard 10 the
coming international race on the Thames
river In England Which is to take place between the
four.oared crew of the Atalanta Boat Club OF this
city and the four-oared crew Of the London Rowing
Club OF London. Mr.. Blake Is frank, hearty fell
low, and gave his opinion in this very Important
matter without regard to any issue that may be
made hereafter. Mr.. Blake Is an assistant
to MIR. Noah Davis, and Is at present
out Of boating matters. but still-lKe oil men who
have ever sat IN Howard rowing boat-he takes q
great deal of interest in rowing matters
al have called" said the HERALD reporter, to 'get
your Ideas regard to the great international race
which is to take place In June next What DO you
know or the Ataanta crew."
.'What do l know about the ATLANTA crew.
Well. have not kept the run OF the ATLANTA Club
in races, but i think l know something OF their
record They propose to send over their regular
six-oared crew, four OF whom viii row the London
Rowing Club. The gentlemen chosen are Wlthers
(stroke) o'Neni, Van Raden and Smith. might
feel little shy OF the two last named. on
account Of their weight when they rowed
Harvard ana Yale last summer, that Is II their
weights then correspond with what they will
weigh In the coming race. These gentlemen may
not be up TO q four mile and three rurlsng race,
such as they viii have to row on the Thames. I
should have more confidence In the result II such
men as Wilbur Bacon, President OF the New York
Rowing Club, and Gunnel Willis Captain OF the
Nassau Boat Club, were in such crew, or If not
the two last named gentlemen those Of equal ex.
perience and OF equal weights.
The Atalanta crew Is comparatively a light one,
and can they beat crew ike the London Rowing
Club, who will certainly be nfteen pounds heavier
per man, and who are very experienced rowers
who care nothing for excitement and have been In
all sorts OF tight places for ten twelve years
These light men will do well enough for short
distances In q race. but I think the record
or fast rowing ever since outrggers came
into fashion Will show that fast time long dis
tances has almost invariably been made by crews
averaging generally nearer 100 than $50 pounds per
man. The crew OF the Atalantas. II am rightly
informed, will only average about las pounds per
man. Still there have been exceptions as
in the case OF Taylor, Of the Taylor. Win.
ship crew, who only scaled 142 pounds when
he rowed at Lachine. But the rule lie decidedly in
favor OF the heavier men. think that the London
Rowing Crew at the Paris Exposition in 1857, the
VIZ,
fast rowing crews Of Harvard ana Yale, or those
who have rOwed without coxswatn, would say
that their light men will ind considerable trouble
Where the load begins to tel even though aney
have not q coxswaln to carry. Light men may
carry themselves quite as fast as heavier Ones but
thirty POUNDS boat and seven or eight pounds OF
oar Will seem uncommonly when it comes to q
i Sa'n os or n oar mile 1t may be-
quarter OF the work cut out for them. If 80 1t
VIII be unfortunate II they nave not for the race
four such men, have not kept his run OF rowing
for the last year or TWO. having dropped all public
connection with 1t. The fastest Tune that these Alta
pubic, twas eighteen minutes and thirty. one seconds
over three mile course on favorable
This is good, but not remarkable Time, and taken
with the fact that at that same time another
seconds. THIS looks at least as II the ' Ma.
lantas did not at that time-1s7O stand
be sure they made quick work OF the Harvard and
Yale ere VS. at Engleside last summer, but so would
almost any other Harvard or Yale crew OF the last
lew years, had they been alongside OF the Atantas
In race. Half dozen young farmers OF the
Amherst Agricultural crew, who were never before
heard OF IN race, did the track one minute sooner
chances"
~ value his Judgment very highly on boating
matters, and think his management &C Saratoga
last fall shows splendid generalshp. He has taken
pretty effectively the measure Of the ATLANTA
"You know the gentlemen very well who are to
represent the London Rowing Club IN this racer"
Vnl In AltaU0 hAv1A
member OF that club myself; still l would like 70
see them ihrsshed this time"
what weight are the crew"
fine fellow; rowed at the Paris races In 1851. He
vary much from that In this. He has deeper chest
than Waiter Brown, and Is a bigger man than
Wa win row aoo % TGw a. @ or near that and
think that stout will be the best man In his boat
Judging from what have seen Of MIN as o rowing
man, He Is stroke whom they cannot help look.
Ing up TO. He Is about five feet ten inches high
There Is that in his whole bearing mat makes you
hearty, selsufclent man, and though when saw
him lie was not IN training, he had the clear, strong
sion OF q man Thoroughly sound in health and GOOD
at any time II need be, for protraoted and arduous
Long, who suppose will row next to stroke
stands liberal six feet, and mas the clean cordv
active look OF man VINO Is always In good cond.
Sherman would have made II he had had a few
miles OF hard rowing TO do almost every
he was twenty-five You could hardly make I him
iat; nor Is ne burly enough to suggest power, but
ne LOOKS as II he could wear good while at steady
strOng stroke while his reacn gives his oar
longer arc In the water than that OF any other
overlooked. '" S"e""'
Gulson Is OF about stours height. not ou,ts 90
broad in the shoulders or deep in inc Chest. but
WIN noticaoiy large upper arms and excellent
legs, while In his lons the place where he
who rows IN their style Just wants the
strength, he Is finely developed, but NOT 40 s,rik
iDgy as the latter, as Lyman orr CRAY nj,
arms used to seem rather too much for Mis- body
causing him to "meet" his Oar notlceaoy at lie
finish OF the stroke.
Ryan, who fancy will pull at bow Is also about
five feet ten; indeed doubt II he, Culston and