The New York herald., 1878-03-24
BOATING.

loUR-MILE CONTEST The NEW CREw-CAN-
DIDATEs SHOWING FINE MATERIAL, ExcEP-
TIoNAL IN SIZE AND MISUNDERSTANDING
BEGUN.
CAMBRIDGE, March %, 1873.
Since my last letter the Harvard University Boat
Club have determined to throw down the gauntlet at
the ieet OF Cornell and 10 chalen her to row race
OF four miles straightaway IN eght-oared shells. So
Cornell accepts she will take the place Coum-
bia occupied last year in regard to race with Har-
ward. Cornell will enter the Hsrvard-Yale con-
test but will row with Harvard alone, II at alI II
seems somewhat strange that Harvard should send
challenge 10 Cornell late N the year, but is said
here that It would have been very Involvement 10
have done SO before, because the race with Yale could
not DC nxed, ana thus It light happen that Yale raght
wish to Juue ana Corueii ins July vice
versa And, furthermore, there rs no Injustice done
Cornell III submitting the challenge SO late nasmuch
Cornell has had men IN training curing the entre
winter in order to row some Of her during
the coming months. Thus much tho Harvard men
say ana l believe the challenge was sent without an
intention 10 be unjust lrcEy. The next question
dispose OF is, wnat was Harvard's motive IN chal-
lengiug CornenY |, is well known that when Harvard
and Yale Withdrew from the interco egiate boating
contests Cornell led the stream. and Harvard meu
have never 'et very well satisfied that Harvard
should have been beaten On her last appearance
against Corn,t, aud that Cornell should have becu
able say, .You may Withdraw from the association,
but you Withdraw beaten, and we are the champions
among collcgc oarsmen.' This teeiiag of dssa,isac
tion at last gwen birth TO the vote OF last Monday
night to Corneii Harvard has oil the best
crews sue has ever had, and the crew aud University
ANXIOUS 10 take advantage OF this ana beat Cor.
year alter year very doubtful but Cornei may in
sst upon OF the conditions OF accepting the
challenge.
The terms OF the challenge are as iolows:-That
the race shall be cigntoared race, over course
Of our mines stragntaway thai me time oi the race
be as near as possible the oh July. which
would bring this race just one week after the Har
varuYae race; that the race shall be roaed al New
London; ana that other arrangements be settled
tween the captains o the Two crews
WILL CORNELL AccGPrY
do not bsevs thai Cornuii viii refuse this chal-
lcnge because she conta ns as pucky "a lot OF men
does any Of our colleges, and because think that
with nard work she can 10 very credtably IN race
with the Cambridge crew, and hor record gives her
hope that she may beat Harvard Captain Bancroft told
that 1t was said by Captain Ost.om, who long
the leader oil Cornell boating affairs that
ing rot such powerful element in making up and
preparing u crew, but he seemed to think that work
crow.
There Is much in this and Cornell afford make
splendid effort TO prove Its truth.
TRAINING BEGUN
On the 4th, the University crew made its nrst ap.
peArace this year the waters OF the Chsrlos The
day very chilly aud the men stood snivering in
their Jersey trunks and socks, waiting for order
to remove the stout old barge from the ooathouse
rests. Tue eight VINO went out were the following
men-W. A. Bancroft captain, rs; Crockcr, '7s;
Littauer '7s; Schwar.z. 10; jacobs, TO; Brigham
$50; Smith, '79; W. Trlmvls ~; Taussig ~; j.
Parker, '7s; V. ID. Stow so One had opportunity
to examine the men before they got into Their boat
Their size Is the largest have ever known IN
u Harvard crew. Each man showed the progress
mado during the last three mouths aud half IA the
gynuaslum aud at the rowing machine Thur backs
broad and indicate great strength, and their legs
large but hardly gtacstuI, showing TOO much flesh.
Mucn oi this viii probably be changed US the sum
nears u.s. and us the crews VIII lake their exercise
now entirely out OF DOORS II snouid criticse any
ueiect IN grace OF their figures should not AT any
be stopped In aumirns their overpoweringiy ap
parent strength Of build Tuere VIII not be man
his weight anu not ieel IT, There may be awkward
ness among ine candidates, und thero may now be
finished styi0 but the strength oi athletes IS
present Ia every frame.
There are pretty certain 70 be on the crew i've OF
the ~ University signt; schwartz, ~; smith, ~
places 10 De fought over by the other candi
dates above mentioned, aud with an additional nanic
sh2uld not De surprised to lind the old men occupy
ing the same positions In the 10 as IN the 1T bual,
thus leaving doubtful numbers, two, three and tour.
Al any rate the crew practice has led
such belleL Stow ana Brigham seem to be
nearest tho head iu the list of chances, out both
are mon who havo faults IN handnng AN oar and at
times IL would seem Jolly to put them in but then
they have so much, too, TO recommend them TO Cap
tam Bancroft that 1t Is evident tney must push closely
all competitors Both are cluInsy ut the boat, and
Brigham has been sick, but :heir strength Is on their
side.
While watching the candidates on the boalhouso
balconies the selected eight under Captain Bahcioit
took Inc boat from the house and launched her from
the 1oat. Then the quickly took Their seats tho
barge pushed from the hoat, and tho crew. guided
by Allen, 80, as coxswan, "toox her up and started
up stream. When aoout three or iour hundred yards
IRON the boatnouse The Dagesno was turned about
and the crew came down Ut steady, even pace past
the boathouse aua down the river. IL was pleasure
TO SEQ he men row elaiter Their winter snore,
tho tneuts their follow coiiegians showed
tho presence OF little enthusiasm The stroke was
about thrty.iour to the minute, and tho charac.
Yer o The stroke WAS about The same as last
year under the same captain. Or course there wore
evident many things to be corrected IN the general
style material detects, but the nrst
exercise oil the crew on the water was very cncourag
ing to Harvard's friends, anu Captain Bancroft told
me he considered the present crew The best one that
Harvard put upon the wafer al TINS time OF the
year, and THIS Was corroDorated by Captain Bacon,
VINO was captain OF the '76 University crew, and who
went with them last week. But Is Harvard TO
have so iittle TO do ths year IN beating Yale
she had last Year, these are dangerous questons
and, without knowing the Yale crow well, | would
hesitate before answering THIS, however, do know,
that Yaie has IA better this year last, anu
That, despte the TACT that Harvard Is 10 have i've OF
her old men her boat, there are reasons wny men
VINO have rowed IN the ~ crew are not necessarily
the best poss ibc Tor another race. New
boat ls oftentmes as necessary to aquatic SUCCESS
new blood to old IOrms. l may answer tne second
question ia the Affirmative, ana say that Harvard wii
nave TO bestr herself moro IN The race ~ New Haven
than she did at springfield.
WANTED, COACH
The main drawback 10 Harvard's progress ~ present
Is tho TACT that Captain Bancroft has not yet been
able to secure suitabe coacn to wa,cn over the men
the rver and TO train them out every bad point
and into every good Every usy that passes
out such work just much ~ the injury OF liar
vara's chances OF success. The names winch have
been mentioned IN connection win the position VI
coach are those vi Nj. H. II. Dana, "a; Mr.. Wendell
Goodwin, IA ana Mr.. Watson, '69, VINO coached the
crew OF last year. All these gentleIncn nave rowcd
on University crews bnt ali, for another,
are prevented from oficiatDg this year us trainer
captain Bancroft IL qute deermined not 10 have any
thing 10 do with professional Trainer because oil the
traditional Harvard feeling against prof. ssOnas anu
because OF wish 10 get some one already acquainted
with the Harvard stroke anu In direct sympathy with
Harvard. The only opportunity the crew now get oi
being coached is gwen them by Captain Bancroft