Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-07-01
TRAINING a COLLEGE CREW.
The Discipline Is sevcre-Points OF n
Good Oarsman.

wonder how many OF the thousands OF
persons who We're Interested in the greatfour-
mile boat race that was rowed on the Thames
River at New London the other day by crews
representing Yale and Harvard colleges, had
any Idea of the labor and expense that were
involved in putting those two crews on the
wator and preparing them for tho contest.
The actual work began about yea ago, when
the captains OF the crews were elected. From
that time on each captain became responsible
for the production OF eight good representa-
tiyes for his college in the spring TINT was 10
follow. During all last summer no was plan
ming and reading and corresponding and
attending to the preliminary work that could
be done before the college year began.
When hewent back to college in September
he undoubtedly had In mind several men who
would probably occupy places in the boat,
tho number depending largely upon how
many members OF the former crew We're
coming back to college. Then he must have
known Of other boys who had done good work
in the class crews and who would be likely to
improve sufficiently to be 1T for tho uniyer-
slty crew in another year. An unknown
quantity always is the freshmen class, which
usually contains some good material, and the
captain who is wise always looks sharp after
the youngsters and encourages those whoare
! promising.
Early In the fall there are always some
class races, aud while the crews are getting
ready for them the captain and his lieuten-
ants will 60 about Offering suggestions and
casting about for good oarsmen. The young
fellow who isambltious should improve these
opportunities to bring himself to the knowl-
edge Of those who may have disposition TO
promote his interests.
Right hero II may DO good time to say a
word about the kind OF man required to sit
in university crew. / do not think that
great weight is so much sought after in any
kind OF college athletics as 1t used to be. In
an eght-oared boat. however, no man should
| be below middle size, and In the centre OF the
boat there ought be three or four tall, heavy
men. Those who sit at the ends are usually
lighter and not quite so tall. Every one OF
them must have good reach. A person who
rows properly is able to throw into the stroke
of his oar almost the entire strength OF his
body, and II is especially necessary that he
should have a powerful back. The moral
qualities are quite US neediul as the physical,
for there are often times In the course OF the
training when man without much pluck
would give up in despair, and when the race
is rowed every member Of tho crew Is ex-
pected to struggle as though no was battling
for his life, no matter how painful the opera
ton may be. SO. you see, 1t takes pretty
good all-round man to I'LL the bill.
Until Thanksgiving Day football is the pro-
yailing college sport, and as long as that Is
being played practically nothing is done in
the way of training the CROW. After the
Christmas vacation. however. the boating
captain picks out about twenty men and
notifies them TO report TO him at tho gymna-
stun every afternoon at certain time. When
they all get together he takes them of for a
long run, and, unless they are In pretty
good condition to start with, this part Of
their training Is severe test. After they
get back from the running thoy go into tho
| gymnasium, and there they go through with
"a number OF simple and not very graceful ex-
erclses. which arc calculated TO strengthen
parts Of the body that arc not as fully de-
veloped as the muselcs In more common
use.
In the gymnasium there are one or two
large tanks. aud in the middle Of them are
rowing machines which enable the men to
60 through with tho same motions the
would make II they were In a boat. and these
devices ARE used In the cold winter months
whaa it Is impossible TO 60 on tho water ON
account Of the temperature and the ice
Different seasons vary 80 much that there
is no set time for crew to begin work on
the water. In very warm winters there afe
occasional days, eyon in january, when it Il
possible to do some rowing. In other year
the boys do not get on the water until late In
March but ANYWAY rs soon as the weather is