The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-28
THE COLLEGE REGATTA.
Arrival of the Columbia Crew at
Springfield.
THEIR METHOD OF TRAINING.
Their Appearance in the Boat and
Style of Rowing.

SPRINGFIELD, June IS, 1873.
Should Old Probabilities prove favorable four
weeks from Thursday the broad waters OF the Con-
necticut just below this city Will be the scene OF
the grandest boating carnival on record rivalling in
the excitement Of the contest and fairly eclipsng
in the brilancy OF the spectacle the international
regatta at Saratoga last year or the far-famed an
nual contest between the representatives or the
rival English universities OF oxford and Cam
bridge. 1t is now certain that, barring unforeseen
and extraordinary accidents. no less than eieven
boats, manned by the best six men from as many
different colleges, will be drawn up in line for
THE UNIVERSITY RACE,
three for the Freshman and least i've or six for
that open to single SOULS. Such an array OF boats
certainly has never been seen in any one race and
this iact with the closeness OF the contest which
must necessarily result from the general similarity
in age, weight, strength and preparation OF
the contestants ana the fixed determination
OF each one to win, IL possible, must COM
bine to make the coming college regatta
boating carnival such as has not before been
held, and In comparison with which all previous
regattas Will dwindle Into insignhcance. Already
the crews are arriving, and ere another week has
passed probably all but one or two crews will be
here with their boats and trainers to give the
finishing touches to the previous preparation
which has been going forward at their respective
colleges.
HOW THE CREWS SHOULD BE JUDGED.
Tolerably fair, though in some cases almost
purely imaginary, descriptions of the crews ex-
pected to participate have appeared in the daily
papers OF this and other New England cities; but
they have been necessarily Inaccurate in many
particulars To adequately describe their make
up, their style and probable chances, the crews
should be seen as they appear here upon the
course during the last weeks Of their practice and
while under the daily supervision and direction Of
the trainer. Acting upon this idea, your CORE
spondent took trip down the river this forenoon
to witness the practice of
THE COLUMBIA CREW.
New York's representatives in the coming re-
gatta were the first to arrive on the ground. For
nearly . week they have had the course all to
themselves, and under the direction OF their
trainer, "Hank" Ward. have not been slow to
make the most of it. They were found most pleas
anty located at Farmer Kirklands, just below
the ferry on the Agawam side OF the river, the
same place where the Yale University crew stopped
last year, and directly opposite the starting place
on, the course. better place could not have been
found. Commodious Quarters, excellent host,
who takes pardonable pride in "his crew." and
convenient access to
THE RIVER BANK,
hardly five hundred feet distant, render 1t one of
the most desirable locations along the river.
Sauntering up to the house, found the crew and
blank" getting ready Tor their morning pull.
hearty grasp OF the hand, pleasant recognition and
genial smile Hanks not unfamiliar face intro
ducti0n enough, and soon all are chatting freely.
While waiting for the hour OF the morning pull,
brief sketch Of their manner OF life from day TO day
may not be undressing
THEIR METHOD OF TRAINING.
Up in the morning at five O'Clock, with glass or
CHI md al
start OF Tor iour~mile walk This is to free their
muscles, exercise their lungs and give them
about quarter to seven O'clock Breakfast,
like the other meals OF the day, consists
bread and butter, a minimum OF salt and sugar and
glass OF clear spring water no tea, coffee or
liquor being used for drink Breakfast over, the
though believer In hard WORK, and plenty OF 1t, Is
also
FIRM ADVOCATE OF SOUND DIGESTION,
and does not think this at oil promoted by rowing
on iull stomach. The 'leisure hour" as the boys
term 1t, is by no means an idle one Tor this and It's
counterpart after dinner about the only time the
crew have to themselves. The breakfast and
news alike digested, about hall past eight, singy
or in pairs, they cross the road, vault the fence
for your true Oarsman when In training never
deigns to go under fence or through . gate-and
ment to the river side where "Hank' has for more
than half an hour been busying himself about the
THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHARF
The rapid and extreme lowering OF the Connecti-
cut after the Spring reshets up to the last OF June
makes it impossible to locate the temporary
wharves OF the college bOatmen before their arri-
val, and SO, when Columbia came, the only wharf
age accommodations ready for them were the
soft lower edge OF the river bank, the hard
turf above and beautiful grove OF trees. II he
combined efforts OF .Hank and the crew, Since
their arrival, have, however, wrought a change
for the better, and they now have wharf which,
though primitive, Is scrvlceable. Thus far the
only accommodation for their boat Is q large barn
III the rear OF their quarters. Hitler they carry
their boat at night, but during the day, when not
IN 1cn a a IN hnn hf0
cove they have built brush fence and now bid
strong disposition to be too nquisitive about the
boat.
THE CREW ON THE RIVER.
But the time for the morning pull has arrived.
"Hank,n meanwhile, has creased the buttons OF
the oars and railways OF the sliding seats and
frightened the loose bolts in the she'll and word
from HIM the crew launch their fragile shell and
are quietly in their places ready for the morning
pull. Nov then, OH with ye," says "Hank,r when
he has showed the shell clear OF the wharf, and
away they go down the river, while Hank" stands
watching them with sharp eye, silently laying In
q stock OF criticism to expend upon them indvid-
ualy and collectively when they shall have re-
crews this year, with one exception wesleyan,
they have adopted the sliding seat, and the first
impression that strikes one In watching them as
THEY KEEP REMARKABLY WELL TOGETHER
and dip their blades in excellent time. Almost at
the same instant, however, notice that No. is
one else in the boat. Turning to ''Hankr find
him looking ut the same man and muttering ssNo. A.;
he feathers too high yet but he'll come down to 1t
in time" BY this time the crew are well down the
river. and we begin to form an opinion as to their
style OF stroke. As we watch them 1t seems to
that we have seen some other crew pull much the
same, and suddenly 1t nashes over us-nOw that
we cannot distinguish individuais--that they move
much as did the Atalantas when we saw them pull
at Ingleside two years ago.
THE "ATALANTAn STROKE.
There IL the same rounded back moderately