The record-union., 1891-06-27
GALA DAY For HARVARD.
HER CREW BEATS YALE IN THE
ANNUAL BOAT RACE.
The Result the biggest Surprise in
College Athletics for
Many Years.
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oS.

/ special 10 the lEECORD-ONION.
| NEW LONDON Comm, June 26-The
sixteenth annual four-mile eight-oared
straight-away race between the Yale and
/ Harvard University crews was rowed
! this noon over the Thames course from
Winthrop Point to Gatesferry and won
( by Harvard in eleven lengths. Time
Zi:22; Yale's time, 21:57.
/ HavarC's victory is the biggest sur
/ prise III college athletics for many years.
Good judges of rowing conceded the race
to Yale almost to a man. and so strong
was this sentiment in favor OF Yale that
/ stacks of money left at the pool-rooms
went uncovered even at odds of 100 to 60.
! Harvard took the lead at the start and
forged ahead with a rush. As their shell
went ahead, the crimson supporters on
the observation train and the innmner-
able steamers became frantic with excite
meut.
AS the excitement spread some very
reckless work was done by steamboat
captains. That there were no collisions
and no serious results is simply matter
of good luck.
Two miles up the river the tugboat
Gypsy ran into the side of the press boat,
the shock throwing twenty-five or thirty
people off their feet.
At the finish, where the channel was
crowded with all sorts Of craft, the press
boat, in trying to avoid a collision with
the Rhode Island, struck the tug Amer
lea, knocking many people sprawling
over the decks. Fortunately no one was
injured.
The scenes along the river were Of an
unusually brilliant and lively character
The observation train of thirty-five cars
-ifn1
seventy-hye steamers and steam and sail
yachts followed the crews over the
course, or were anchored in desirable
positions. The favorite places along The
west bank also were crowded with sight
Seers.
THE RACE.
Promptly at 1880 o'clock the crews
came down the river toward the stake
! boats. Harvard backed into place one
minute later and Yale soon after.
When the crews were given the word,
Harvard caught first, and, setting the fast
stroke Of forty, at once pushed the bow of
their boat slightly in front. Yale started
with thirty-eight strokes. For few
strokes both crews caught the swell and
splashed quite badly. Then, settling
| down. each crew gave pretty exhibition
of rowing. The Harvard crew, however,
We're clearly sending their boat along at
better speed than they have ever shown
in practice, and were gradually creeping
away from Yale. Nale's work, on the
other hand, was much inferior to that
seen in their daily practice.
At the half-mile Harvard led by a clear
length, and all during the second half
Harvard continued to gain. Here the
steamers crowded in on the boats and the
swell caused both to do some ragged
word for a few strokes.
Nearing the mile tag Harvard increased
her lead to nearly three lengths. From
the one mile to the one and one-half Har-
ward continued to gain, until it became a
question of how many lengths Harvard
would defeat Yale
In the next half Harvard, by strong
and steady work, increased the lead to
nearly six lengths. Hale's boat continued
to settle and hang, and it was now pro-
! cession.
Just after passing the navy yard the
tug Cassie got squarely into Harvard's
course, and they were obliged to make a
wide swerve. Yale, however, profited
by this incident, and Harvard, getting
| into their course, continued to widen the
gap between their boat and Yale
At the two and half miles Harvard
gained an additional three lengths. and
after passing the three and half mile flag
they had good lead often lengths.
After passing the three and half mile
flag, both crews settled down for a final
squirt, and here again harvard showed it's
superiority in every way over the New
Haven crew. Both crews were doing eX-
cellent work, but the Harvard shell con-
tinued to show steady gain, and they
passed the finish pulling forty strokes a
minute, while Yale, eleven lengths be-
hind, rowed thirty
The Harvard crew rowed at once to their
quarters, and Yale padded up to Gates
ferry.
The officials were: Referee, William A Il.
Meikelham, Columbia; judges, Lawrence
u. Sexton of Harvard, Bob Cook of Yale;
timers, Charles L. Adams of Harvard and
George a. Adee of Yale.
CAUSE OF YALE'S DEFEAT.
The cause of Yale's unexpected and
overwhelming defeat is found in the fact
that wo of her men, the two most inn
portant in the boat, stroke Gould and
Hagerman, No. 7, We're not equal to the
occasion, and lost their heads. As Har-
ward began to increase the lead near the
end of the first mile, Gould cut his
strokes short and pulled with diminished
effect. The rest of the crew instead of
keeping time with Gould followed Hager-
mans stroke. After awhile Hagerrnan
became ratified, the result being that for a
greater part of the race the men in the
waist and bow followed the stroke set by
Captain Brewster. The difference in the
swing of the men was slight, but enough
to cause Yale's boat to hang perceptibly
after each stroke, and to settle so badly
aft that the bow frequently was out of
water for three or four feet.