The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-06-29
ATHLETICS AND ROWING.

The annual invitation regatta Of the Patapsco
Navy took place on Wednesday last Crews
from this city were present as representatives
of the Columbia and Potomac athletic organi-
cations. The whole affair was very creditable
far as the Baltimore boys were concerned, as
they looked carefully after the comfort of
crews, but it is unfortunate that the rowing re-
sort is so far away from the centre of popula-
ton and so difficult to reach by cars and car
riages. The Columbus entered the senior four
cared gigs and eight-oared shells, winning the
latter and losing the former. The Potomacs
entered two also, the senior four cared shells
and the eight, winning the former and being
disqualified in the eight for fouling, which the
club denies was their fault There was an i'm
mense attendance at the contests and the river
was dotted with every conceivable aquatic
craft, at times interfering with a clear course.
The referee was from the Schuylkill Navy,
Mr. NJ. B. Phillips, of the Malta Club The
first race of interest to Washingtonians
was the senior gig, the Columbas be-
ing entered against the Nespers of Phlladel-
phia, and Anels, of Baltimore. 1t was the
Nespers' race from the start, and they finished
an easy winner The steam tugs crowded too
close on the Columbias, and once they took
good wash, but it did not affect the race. The
Arels were In too fast company, and were left
far astern, finally getting mixed up among the
fleet Of tugs that was following the racers. The
second race was the senior fOurs, for which the
Arels were prime favorites over the Potomacs,
it being given out that they were very fast
ana speedy crew. lhey ala not MAINTAIN their
reputation as the Potomacs trhed with them
along the course and finished easy winners by
four good lengths. This result broke the Ariels
hearts as well as their pockets, The other race
in which this city was represented was the
eight -oared shells, for which the Potomacs and
Columbus, of Washngton; Nespers, of Phila-
delphia, and Ariels, of Baltimore started. At
the first attempt the Columbias darted away
before the proper signal and had to be called
back. At the second attempt all four crews
made Tad starts, splashing and throwing i'm
mense volumes of water The Potomacs had a
! slight advantage, and before twenty strokes
were about twenty feet ahead. About forty
strokes from the start it was seen that the Colum-
! bias and PotOmacs were dangerously close and
! quickly the boats came together At once both
! sides claimed fouls, and in answers to signals
from the referees tug the shells returned to the
starting point. Then the referee ordered the
Potomacs out Of the race, although they in
sisted they were In no way TO blame and were
| getting away from their antagonists state
ments which the stake boatman verified. The
! Potomacs withdrew and then the other crews
started. The Nespers took the lead, closely
! pressed by the Columbias, with the Ariels a
| poor third To the mile it was a desperate en-
! counter the Nespers and Columbias fighting
| stroke for stroke, with no thought Of form.
! The Columbias forced the Yespers over to the