The Washington critic., 1885-07-10

All day, says this mornings Philade-
phia Times, the oarsmen lay in the cool
and quiet of their houses, waiting for the
race for the cup at g o'clock. Three
participants were left, between whom the
struggle must take place. They were the
Columbia, Malta and Paramount crews.
1t was believed that the Malta would get
the trophy and the men themselves were
sanguine of success. A strong southwest
wind blew straight up the course and the
clouds as the starting hour arrived
gathered in angry black masses. 1t was
decided to delay the start for at least half
an hour, so rs to bring the time nearer
sunset, when the wind would in all prob.
to be wise, for at half-past six the white
caps which the wind had raised subsidized
to gentle swell and the Southwestern had
dwindled to a cooling evening breeze. 1t
looked as if all of leisurely Philadelphia
had come out to witness the struggle for
the cup. Carriages lined the west bank
and on the high bluffs opposite thousands
of people were massed.
The positions for the start were: Malta,
east bank; Paramount, middle, and Column
bia, west bank. After the shells were
brought to the starting buoys there was no
delay, and with the word they got away
together, Columbia forging to a lead with
second place, with q forty-two stroke,
while the Malta, rowing forty-two, closely
followed. For the first quarter there was
no change of positions. Each crew APP
peared to be settling down to its work, and
Columbia kept the lead of barely one
quarter of length until they neared the
half mile. Then it was found that the
Fairmount crew were steadily cutting
down the distance, and as the boats rushed
past the half-mile mark Paramount had
closed up Then began one of the most
desperate races which has been witnessed
on the Schuylkill since 70, Columbia and
| Paramount squirting stroke for stroke in
| their endeavor to get the advantage of
| each other.
But the Fairmount's long, smooth stroke
| began to tell, and when the mile was fin
| ished they had gained slightly the lead of
| the Washington crew. The Malta men
| rowing gamely were almost length be-
| hind. AT the three-quarter mile the Fair
mount crew drew out more in the middle
| of the river and the Maltas got the wash
| from their oars, which put them still
| farther back The race was nearing the
| end and the Columbia men put on \ des-
| perate squirt in an endeavor to get up to
| the Paramount boat, running their stroke
| up to forty three. For moment it looked
as if Columbia had once more taken the
| lead, but the Paramount crew answered
| with another squirt and again drew away,
leading by half a boats length at Peters
| Island. Columbia, with desperate effort,
| ran their stroke up to forty-four and main
| tanned it all the way to the finish, but the
| home crew had one more squirt left, and
they used it as they spun across the line,
winning the race by threc-fourths of q
| length.
The rowing of the Columbia crew was
not as good as was expected from them, as
they pulled with short, jerky stroke
which appeared to depend more on the
legs and arms than on the back. The
Malta men rowed a plucky stern rae,
nearly all the way and ut the islant
spurted and closed much of the gap which
separated them from the leaders. Tho
time was: Paramount, s minutes, 81 sec
onds; Columbia, 8 minutes, 50 seconds
Malta, minutes, AZ seconds.
The Sharpless cup, with the accom-
panying badges and silk banner, was pre-
sented by Commodore L. S. Miles to the
representative of the winning crew in
brief speech at the Colonnade Hotel last
evening. The Commodore congratulated
the Paramount Rowing Association upor
its victory and expressed the hope. that j
would attend the National Association
regatta at Boston as Philadelphia's repre-
sentative.
BOATING NOTES.
Though the thermometer showed owe
ninety degrees yesterday it was colo
day for our sporstmen. The Nationals
were beaten at baseball, and the Colum
bias were beaten at the oars. No more
| interest has ever been shown over any
outside race by all clases here than wa,
shown over the Sharpless cup race a
Philadelphia. AS no returns had beer
received at noon n joker fixed up two
bogus dispatches giving the first heat tt
the Atalantas and the second heat to thu
Fairmounts with Columbias second. A
1 t,n LII III, /.
second heat. The bogus dispatche
created a sensation at Kennedy's, anC
We're fully discussed for half an hour be
fore the joke was given away. When tn,
real returns from the trial heats were re
ceived a crowd congregated ut Kennedy's
The Columbia boys were not bit dis
heartened but argued that the boys wer,
did not wish to row themselves out in thu
trial. When John Kennedy was ap
pealed to he shook his head. "I'm sorry,
he said, "for / did want the Columbus t,
win that race. but III my judgment TIN
Tairmounts will win the final as the,
have their heat" How good his judg
ment was the result showed.
The Columbia boys say that their de
feat was due to their boat. This may b,
so, its more than probable but they
should have guarded against such II re
suit by getting new one. The club !
| wealthy, ana tne OlllcefS are all eNperl
enced men. The Fairmount eight is to
day, probably better eight than tn
Columbias have ever met, while it i
doubtful if their own crew is quite a
good rs the crew that won the Sharples
race last year. Though good man
Columbia men say it is better. To shoN
the difference between private trial an,
public race, before they left the Colum
bias rowed over the mile and a-hal
course against a strong wind and tide
in nine minutes. This was fully equal +
eight minutes, on still, smooth water, an
the Columbias thought it quite goo
enough to win with, their time last yea
being S:06 and fraction. Yet yesterday
they could not row the course better thai
OIL, and $3.50 beat them length in tn
final. 1.-THE published accounts are true
they rowed q quicker stroke than the
ever rowed in an eight-oared race before
and it is very doubtful lift was as eilectiv
as a slower one would have been. Their
is no use talking. No matter how niue
q crew may know about rowing,
trainer is n great thing, and The CRIrI
will sum it up briefly, thus: If II traine
had been here for a month, the Colun
bias would have won the Sharpless Gu
the second time.
The members of the Washingtons wer
almost as sorry over the defeat of the G,
lumbias as though they had lost rae
themselves.
The article in THE CRITIC last night i
| regard to q race between the light weigh