New-York tribune., 1873-07-03
yLII-THE WILLLAMs CREW.

!
| BOATING oS THE HOOSAC IIyER--OBsTACLEs TO TIE
b sPuRT-sTRENGTu AND ENTHUSIASM OF The
I GREW.
/ PROM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRIBUYE.l
! WILLIAMsTOWN, Mass, June 2S.-Turning
awhile rom the magnificent waters OF the Connecticut to
! return 20 them again later, attention is drawn 10
the Williams College Crew, the undIsputed champions
of the Hocsac. Here again found a Of men OF
age who have done hard work IN their b0yhood. One
has been employed in mining labors, another wood
cutter and four have actually worked farms year
after year. This the kind Of material which, by
ura selection be forcing its way boat
crews, and few striking tr1umphs their part
viii perhaps end in waking up our wealthy American
families 70 sense OF the way IN which boys ought to be
raised This Williams is working along very quI
etly and without much encouragement, hut is striving
hard and It's members exhibit more confidence OF
cess than any have yet The difficulties they
labor under peculiar and the spirit which they
meet them The College N the first place
is very small smaller probably than generally sup
posed from the prominent position t has always held.
The whole number OF students at present Is only
hundred and nineteen, and there professional
schools or auxhaes OF any kind 70 be looked 20 for AID
and support. TBe whole navy only numbers about two
dozen members This is a very small array from which
10 draw a crew, ana there boating traditions
college there las been system OF boating transmitted
from Oass 10 class, az Harvard and Yale In
those colleges. each class 40 Its graduation leaves
behind some men among the undergraduates who
have been thoroughly educated the river, and
have the knowledge ana enthusiasm requisite 90 m them
20 take up boating where the graduates leave H. ana 10
select and organize crews uphold the prestige Of the
College Many of the colleges that have recently
tered the field having such Leaders their
own members have rcsored 20 the ranks Of the proes-
sionas FOR their COACHES and trainers This again Williams
s unable do. Unable like Trinity call upon wealthy
trustees for aid and unsupported ike Wesleyan Uni
flpfig
by her graduate having the resource OF
Inerous roll OF alumni. Williams is obliged perforce
RELY upon herself These Deficiencies are largely made
up however by the presence college Of boating
tusas Mr. Ginster tine stroke OF the crew who, since
entering the college has made thorough stldy u
boating as practiced in England ana tins country 70
have attained much proficiency as study and practice
without wide experience, can give. He wiz be the only
coach" Williams will have tins year.
HARDsHIPs OF rowing on THE HOosAC.
This state OF things In Williams Is which will be
the among the lesser colleges future years The
more provincial institutions have been always openly
sneered az by Harvard and Yale rs "fresh-water col
leces and the victories of Amherst. Brown and Middle
town over the Cambridge and New-Haven crews have
hailed triumph by al the others. It s in fact
surprising how widespread the feeling" Anything 70
beat Yale lis all the smaller colleges. Inspired by
the overthrow Of these two somewhat overbeariug
monOposts OF boating honors in the last two other
colleges have made efforts this year which will be i'm
possible FOR ithem often 20 repeat. Heavy financial
levies have been the students and the public
aud especially on the alumni and the latter although
they responded wen TINS year, will probably be
strongly opposed 10 anything which looks like
annual tax upon them for boating purposes. Money
will nOt he readily obtained for boating year.
the students themselves feel and all applaud the
lauon established by the Association prohibiting the
engagement Of professional trainers after this year
Next year all viii be Obliged to place themselves the
footing on which Williams stands
The second obstacle against which the williams BOYS
have TO struggle Is the character Of their This
Hoosae though romantic little stream enough, is too
rocky and irregular 70 form respectable for
boat crew 10 practice on, much less FOR race The
stretch which used, about mile Ia length Is the only
one on the whole river which could by possibility
answer the purpose. 1t is about milo from the Col
lege and starts from mildam near the depot On It's
mile Of length less thaH Eve and there
not a straight quarter OF mie IN tine whole distance.
The river nowhere wider than the length OF the boat
and extremely shallow that the oars often strike on
the shallow bottom and here and there with the present
very low water. piles show themselves which
are sharp enough 20 knock hole whale-bOat n in
cautiously teered Should the present oppressive drouth
continue the crew cannot on the river az all
These facts make boating too much ike work, the STU
dents say they have but little outside enthusiasm
10 spar them on large crowds OF students around
the bo.bouss 20 harAh shout for the they
on tholf prlctce pulI AZ iNey uO i" V"o N
al the large institutions. All these things produce,
nsrbans some lukewarmness the part Of the
crew; ont u h connued 10 their thought alont
They are now working well and steadily, but not tram
ing severely Their practicebOat having been made for
exed ats n not wide enough TO slide in. and does not
iye the men room spread their knees on the slide
forward. Hence theg are not able. in their evening
pull 10 make as good "a snow as they might on the
river. But with not more than one exception they
have mastered the stroke and in proper boat would
row extremely we'll Their stroke is from 80 20
strokes a minute. but VIII be little faster ihlr
principal rules are 10 catch ,he water los pnll al
through with the body, and be quick the recover
rHE CREW.
The following is the Grow ,.n.
Bow, Truman Wilcox sanndprs......-.-.-.-.-.-l 10
No John Higqus Baruhart ----.....-.....-.. 10