New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-16
THE COLLEGE SPORTS.
AFTER TIE REGATTA.

INGs OF CAPT. COOK AND THEIR EXCUSE.
rRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUSEl
SARATOGA. July 15-The excitement of the re-
rata has subsidized as instantaneously it boiled
up The departing trains all full OF students,
and the colors of Cornell appear everywhere, to the
exclusion of most other hues, though Princeton,
which seems to have gone in regardless of expense
In the matter of hat bands, is largely repre-
sented by the yellow and black. Everybody is
,orry for the Princeton men, as they had a
surprlsing confidence in their untried crew
and lost heavily them. Among the
better class of students much sympathy
h felt for Mr.. Cook of Yale, and everybody who
knows him as he is. and Is net misled by the ma
Icious Misrepresentation TO which he has been SO
freely subjected, shares this feeling. There is no
disgrace in the defeat for Yale pulled good race in
ereditable time. 1t is not that Yale rowed worse,
Int that Cornell and her immediate successors rOwed
better. Still Yale has done much less than every
body expected, and so much less than Mr.. Cook
expected that he of course feels disappointed
The trouble was that Mr.. Cook himself was over
worked. The others did well enough. He caught in
all three crabs which would make difference OF -
seconds TO any boat and this was all the time that
divided Tale from victory though in that scnderSpace
Of time five boats passed the line before him. The
form and the soul of the Yale boat was SICK 1t
lacked its wonted vigor. The oar from which the
master impetus wont to come was the laggard
car for the first time and the will 10 which all looked
for stimulus was itself in need of encouragement.
is of course to be asked why man of Mr. Cooks
physique, and his judgment and experience, should
have been overturned of all men i'll the race.
1t was not entertaining in the case of Mr.. Cook.
but oyerworry. How it came about that the Yale
crew was quartered nj the Briggs House matters
not but il was disastrous place for them The
house was still unfinished when they went into II,
and tho carpenters we've actually laundering at the
walls at early hours in the morning for days after
the crew arrived The grounds about the
house too though they will be very elegant i'll time,
have been constructed over a filed marsh, and have
been notable chiefly for vast swarms of mosquitoes,
which defcd mosquito-nets and abbreviated the
crews SAUNDERS as much at night as the hammers
did in the morning. Mr.. Brownol said one day that
the mosquitoes took more flesh from him than the
training. Then the landlord, very competent
and careful man, found it impossible to give the crew
the choice cuts of meat necessary for their purposes
OF the agreed price, and a change of table was made
only week or so before the to another house,
il being impossible TO change the sleeping quarters.
Then Mr. Chandler, excellent man, found his sys-
TEN out of order, probably account of deficient
sleep and food not precisely suited to men in such
delicate condition, and change was made in
the crew only four days before the final
struggle. Then the boat furnished 10y Blake
proved unsatisfactory, and was refused Blake
said either accept or refuse it. and Mr..
Cook refused it, and there was another
difficulty. All this wore terribly on the high trained
organization of the Jealous and faithful Captain of
Yale He was the who had to meet and over
come all these difficulties, and the fourth night
before the race his watch slipped accidentally while
he was rowing over the on time in the boat
adopted in place of Blake's, and he found himself
ignorant of what his could do. That night Mr..
Cooks anxiety did not permit him to close his eyes,
except for half an hour or so in the morning, and
his face assumed q settled appearance of anxiety,
which was positively painful to close
observer. Then there was personal alteration
with Blake, who changed his mind and refused TO
take his boat back of which Mr. Cook had to bear
the brunt. The mistake by which Mr. Kennedy
led to suppose the single-scul race came after in
stead of before the Freshman, another addition
to the Yale chapter of accidents which troubled
the Captain as well as Kennedy, and the mosquitoes
fed on Mr. Cook for that night unnotced On the
day before the race, threats made by hostile
parties that Yale should never row in that race"
and the last thing Mr.. Cook did at bed
time on the night of the 18th of July
10 60 and see if the precious boat on
which all depended safe. 1t found neccs-
sary that night have relays of students to watch
in the boat-hOuse all night, well as some official
protection. Such weeks work as this will tell
terribly on the highly wrought mind of a man in
training, and Yale went into the race, cotem-
porary well expresses it, with a "captain worn out
in her service" He pulled his best, but he went
into the aded and the boat dragged in spite of
every effort of the determined will, and the
taxed nerves robbed the hand of its skill. Hence
the Catching crabs which meant sure defeat.
Without derogating at all from the credit due to
other crews much may be said to explain the
shortcomings of man who has brought up
10 be an example of form and style such as has been
heretofore unknown in this country, and who has
introduced into American boating ideas from
which every crew in Wednesdays race
has gained more or less advantage He did use some
strong language when his rudder STAYED off last
year. an infraction of public morals which we all
find it necessary to contemn in the of other
people; but George Washington has been forgiven
for swearing at Gen. Lee at Monmouth, and it is
about time to do as much for Mr.. Cook
A DAY OF FOOT-RACING AT GLEN MITCHELL.
AMHERST WILLIAMS, HARVARD, WESLEYAN, AND
YALE THE WINNERS OF THE GREAT RACES
AMHERST AND HARVARD THE vICToRs IN TWO
RACES EACH-THE 19O-roUND MAN OF THE
WESLEYAN CREW BEATEN IN THE THREE-NILE
RUN-THE TWO GREAT sEvENMILE WALKS WON
BY HARVARD AND wEsLEYAN-FROM 1000 TO
5000 SPECTATORS on THE GROUNDS.
SARATOGA, July 15.-The sport of the day
opened with a one mile un for Shich there
. were eleven entries, but only four starters.
These, in the order of their positions from
the judges stand were f. Copeland of Cornell, c. H.
Barber of Amherst, L. w. Fort of Wesleyan, and o.
II. Shute of Williams. Before the start, Mr.. Cope
land of Cornell something of a favorite, owing
doubtless to the fact that he this contest last