The Portland daily press., 1891-05-29
BOWDOIN WINS.
Maine Boys Lead the Crescents is
Lengths.
Charles River Was Quiet as a MIli
Pond.
Winners Make the { and 7-6 Miles
In IoM. 34s.
Especial to the Press.1

lOpccldl W Lut TTcSS.I
BesToN. May 28.-It was complete walk
over for Bowdoin in the race with the Cres.
ents here today. The Bewdoin crew pulled
much steadier and stronger oar than their
opponents. The Maine boys carry much
more beef and have had far better training.
But even with all this a finish with lead Of
15 lengths is pretty good for the opening OF
the seasons races for Bowdoin. A better
day for race could not have been selected.
The waters Of the Charles were as quiet as
mill pond and the hot rays Of the sun served
only as an aid to greater exertions.
In the forenoon the Bowdoin crew took
short spin up the Charles and found that
they were In the pink Of condition for the
contest. The afternoon found everything as
favorable as before and at about 430 the
B0wdOin men brought their boat from their
headquarters at the Union boat house. They
were determined to win. Many were the
Maine. as they ranged themselves in the
she'll and pulled up to the starting place at
the Brookline bridge. The men had on their
new suits, consisting of short blue pants and
white Jerseys, upon which appeared the
Shortly after the Name crew was upon the
water the CIescents were seen to emerge
from their boat house and take to their shell.
When all was In readiness the referee gave
the word and the boats shot from their rest
ing places Before 10 strokes had been taken
B0wdoin was half length ahead, making
remarkably quick start. h In the toss Bow
d0in had lost and the Crescents had
chosen the Cambridge side, Bowdoin taking
the Boston. The B0wdoin boat ploughed
through the water like racehorse, as II to
make up for the poor course, and before
the Harvard bridge was reached the Maine
crew was fully four lenths In the lead. From
this time on the Crescents were nowhere
compared with their rivals, but length by
length dropped behind their sturdy oppo-
nents. At length the goal came In sight with
the judges boat and the red flag. As the
Bowdoin boat neared the shore mighty
shout went up from the spectators. At last
the end came and the flag was seen to drop,
Bowdoin having gone over the course Of
II miles In 10 m. "a sec.. 30 seconds slower
tnan their time with the Boston Athletics
last year. The Crescent boat was 40 seconds
behind. There was slight breeze blowing
up the river at the time Of the race which
made last year. moreover the crew did not
exert themselves In the least, not caring to
make their record today.
The start which B0wd0in made today was
one OF the prettiest ever seen here.
The crew spurted twenty strokes at the rate
OF forty per minute at the start then slowing
down to about thirty-six. After this Bow
doin made but few spurts, as the Crescents
were 50 lar Deninu tnat tner6 was no noeQ.
At the finish the crew was moving at the
rate of about thirty-eight per second. The
course which the coxswain steered was ex-
cellent There was quite an amount of
driftwood in the river, all Of which was
carefully avoided. From the Harvard
Bridge TO the finish Shaw steered almost a
straight course taking the Crescent's path.
The steadiness with which the BOwdoin
crew rowed was noticed by all. They did
their work as IL they had been In hundred
races this year, instead Of this being their
first. The stroke is far different from what
was used last year. The former stroke
reached forty-four per minute, while with
the present forty Is the limit. The new
harder. The Bowdoins handled their boat
In an excellent manner, and when they came
In from their race 1t was surprising to see
sSo,s ths Sass Vith which they managed their
overworked, while most of them said they
were no more affected than by an ordinary