Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-03
BEATEN BY A LENGTH.
One OF the Most Exciting boat
Races on Record = The Harvard
Eight Defeat the Yale Crew by
only n Length

Races on Record The Harvard
Eight Defeat the Yale Crew by
only n Length.
SPRINGFIELD, June 80. The
Yale-Harvard race, postponed yes
terday, came off this morning, re-
sulting in victory for the Harvards
by a single length. The time was:
Hsrvards, "a minutes 36 seconds;
Yale, "A minutes Al seconds. The
race was an excitedly close one
from the start, there being at no
time more than two lengths differ
ence in the position of the crews,
and some of the time less than one,
but the superior physique of the
Harvards was too much for the
finer trained Yale crew, and the
wearers of the crimson were not
disappointed in their confident ex-
pectations that their iavorites would
win the race. Quite a lively breeze
from the southwest sprang up this
morning, making it seem doubtful
if the crews would be able to pull
to-day. At about 10 o'clock, how
ever, it yeered round to the north
west, and the referee decided to
start the boats, and at 1854 the
race begun, the Harvards working
finely with 80 strokes to the minute,
while Yale spurted off with SO. The
latter crew, it was noticed, did not
pull with the scientific precision of
Harvard, which took the lead, pass
ing the first mile a length ahead.
This was just opposite State street,
and the enthusiasm on the bank
was immense. Yale had now set
tied down to work, and was striy-
ing 10 close up the gap, while Har-
vardswas working to keep and in
crease her lead. At the second
mile Harvard led by a boat length
and half. Both crews here pulled
in towards the west shore to avoid
the heavy waves, which at this
point were very high. AT the third
mile Harvard held her own, while
Yale was saving her strength for a
final squirt.
The struggle in the fourth and
last mile was one of the finest ever
witnessed between the college
crews. Almost side by side the
crews sped down the course, each
man pulling for his very life. AS
they approached the finish the en-
thusiasm Of the crowd knew no
bounds, and the air was filled with
cheers of the rival colleges. The
Harvard men were fairly beside
themselves with joy at the pros.
pect of winning the honors with
held for the last few years, and the
Yale men were cheering on their
crew, who were making almost su-
perhuman efforts to squirt ahead of
their rivals, or to make the race at
least a dead heat; but it was i'm
possible, and the red crew PASSED
the finish one length ahead.
Both crews then pulled up to the
referees boat to hear his decision.
Afterward the winning crew pulled
leisurely back to their boat house,
the Yales going back in their
launch with their shell in tow. The
expectant crowds on the boats and
along the road were larger yester-
day than to-day, the disappointment
last evening having sent thousands
out of the city. Those who re-
mained found ample accommoda-
tion in the hotels. The Springfield
club gave reception to the col
legians, which was generally at
tended.
The victory of Harvard contra
diets the theory that age gives vic
tory in rowing. The red crew is
one of the youngest, if not the very
youngest, that has ever carried off
the flags in the University contest,
and two years the Juniors of the
Yales, ever whom they were victo-
rious, and as much younger than
the Columbias, whom they beat
Tuesday, the average age of the
triumphant eight being nineteen
vaaro and tan unnnthc