Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-26
MISCELLANEOUS SPORTS.
Cornell Wins the Big Boat Race on the
Thames, Defeating the Pennsylvania and
Columbia Crews After Hard PuIl-The
Winners Make a New Record.


Columbia Crews After Hard PuIl-The
Winners Make New Record.
NEW LONDON, Conn, June 25.-one of the
most exciting races ever rowed on the
Thames river took place this afternoon over
the three-mile course between the Cornell,
University of Pennsylvania and Columbia
University eight-oared crews. Cornell won
after hard contest in the fast time of IA
minutes 27x seconds; University of Pennsyl-
vania second by four lengths, time, IA min
utes 45 seconds. Columbia was a bad third,
being five lengths behind the Pennsylvania
crew and eight lengths behind Cornell.
Cornells time establishes new record, the
previous best time being IA minutes 43 sec
onds over the same course by the same crew
last year. The surprise of the day was the
unexpected poor showing made by the
Columbia crew. The feature was the re-
markably- close race between Cornell and
Pennsylvania, each of the two crews
holding fSd the s,,,I lead ia at time times before before
and for two miles it was impossible to name
the winner. The conditions for the fast
time were excellent. The water was smooth,
a strong current running and favorable
wind also assisting. At $3.50 the crews came
in sight, Cornell and Pennsylvania on their
tugs, while Columbia padded down in their
shell. With very little delay the crews
backed up to their stakeboats and we're at
L
the best of the start and their boat jumped
a few feet to the front, with Cornell second,
while Columbia, besides making a poor
start, seemeC to lose at every stroke. In the
first ten strokes Cornell's boat shot up even
with Pennsylvania, and for an eighth of mile
they were so close that lead could not be
fairly credited to either crew. Nearing the
halfmile flag the Pennsylvania boat forged
nearly half length ahead of Cornell with
Columbia two lengths behindand hopelessly
out of the race.
Coming up to the navy yard three-quar-
ters of mile from the start, Pennsylvania in
creased their lead to nearly length. Cor
nell here made grand squirt and their boat
gradually crept up alongside of the Pennsyl-
vania crew and as the boats neared the mile
flag Cornell sent their boat up on even terms
with Pennsylvania. For few seconds the
Pennsylvania boys held their position, the
boats being bow and bow, while Columbia
had lost another length. All of the crews
were pulling in splendid form, the two lead
at a fast rate of speed, while the Columbia
boat settled and seemed to hang after each
stroke, From the one-mile to the twO-mile
flag the race between Cornell and Pennsyl-
vania was most exciting. 1t was the decisive
point of the race. The Cornells worked like
beavers to obtain an advantage, which
they did inch by inch, while Pennsylvania
worked equally as hard to save themselves
just showed clear of Pennsylvania's bow
with Columbia five lengths behind Pennsyl-
vania. Pennsylvania made another effort to
regain the lead and succeeded in tapping
Cornell's bow, but the effort was too much
for them and the Cornell men responding to
q final call hit their stroke up to Al and ran
away from Pennsylvania, finishing strong
winner, with Columbia at the rear of the
procession. The men in Cornell's and Penn
sylvania's boats finished in good condition.
In Columbia's boat No. and the stroke ap-
peared to be exhausted. The time for the
first half mile was 22O and for the first mile
4:43. Cornell has now won 13 straight races.