Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-19
THE COMING REGATTA
Lovers Of Aquatic Sport Interested In
the Petersburg Contest.
RACE FOR The FRENCH CUP.
College Crcws-The Appomattox
Boys-Other Events.

Those interested in boating matters are
all agog over the regatta to be rowed
| July 4th on the Appomattox river. at
| Petersburg and the various crews who
are to participate therein are now under
training.
The French cup. which has been rowed
| for many times. and has been won three
times each by Richmond College, the
Virginia Boat Club, and the Rives Boat
Club. OF the University OF Virginia. will
| be the prize for which the oarsmen will
contest
The Virginia, Appomattox. and Rich
mond College Boat Clubs are the only
three whose crews will contest for the
| trophy. There was some little talk some
time since Of entries being made from
! Norfolk and Washington and Lee Uni
| versity, but the secretary OF the Regatta
Association has heard nothing officially
from these crews, and the idea of their
| participating has been given out. The
| Rives Boat club. on account OF there
| being such poor water facilities around
| Charlottesville. has gone to pieces.
THE VIRGINIA CLUBS CREW.
Both the Virginia Boat Club and the
| Richmond College athletes are confident
| OF victory, and the members of the two
crews are working hard each day. The
| Virginia Club is composed of good ma
! terial. l.. NJ. Williams a son of Mr.. John
| l.. Williams, who pulled with the winning
| crew at the University Of Pennsylvania.
ana who was member OF last year =
crew, VIII be stroke. He is a very good
oarsman, is cool and collected, and pulls
"A clean stroke. lie is only q years Of
! age. and will train down to 80 pounds.
Mr.. James +. Watson will pull in No.
position. This will be his first year in
the boat. but he is considered one Of the
best men I'm the crew. He is strOng-in
! fact possesses more Drawn than any OF
| the others, and can DO good work. He
| Will train down to lGS pounds. Mr. Watt
son is employed at the City Bank.
JACK MILLER AS NO. 2.
No. oar will be handled by Mr.. Jack
son Miller, one of the book-keepers at
| Allen and Ginters He is also IA first year
man in the boat. and has some faulty
movements lie is slow to catch on 10
the stroke. but is improving. ana will
make a good man. lie is not yet in good
| form. but is rapidly developing his
muscle. He will weigh 1860 pounds on the
day Of the race.
The bow will be occupied by Mr. T.. l..
! Roden. Lee has plenty of grit, and,
although this will be his first race he Is
an apt pupil. and promises to be the
Z first man TO cross the line. He will train
down TO 100 pounds
Either Mr.. Frank Smith or Mr.. NIaskell
will act as coXSwain. but which one has
/ not vet been determined. Both are eN-
cellent material. and the club feels assured
that it can win with either.
Mr.. Randolph Peyton is coaching the
crew. and is probably one of the best
men I'm the State for this work. lie
understands the art OF rowing thoroughly
has rowed in winning crew several
times. and is thorough athlete. The
. crew is being dictcd ana exercised each
day They are quartcrcd at the Davis
House. and can only eat the diet pre-
Cribed by the coachcr. and cooked at his
/ directions.
The Virginia club will row in the same
gig that they have handled in the last
three years races.
A JUNIOR CREW ALSO.
In addition to the crew named above.
the club Will put in close training shortly
a junior crew No selections have yet
been made for this crew, hut seven or
eight members of the club are aspirants
for positions 1t is expected that the
junior crew Will row a race at the
regatta. and 1t is also probable that Mr.
/ James Armstrong Welsh. of the club. Will
row a singlescull race. Mr.. Welsh is an
/ excellent all-around boatman. and beat
/ Mr. Butler Malone, Petersburg's crack
sculler. last year.
THE COLLEGE ROWERS.
Richmond College is the only oduca-
tional institution in the State which fur
/ niShes crew for the annual regatta.
When they entered the contest four years
ago people received them rather coolly,
/ and thought little of their prospects for a
/ victory. The crew, however. surprised
the immense thTonc Of witnesses. and
/ TOwed away from their competitors with
/ comparative ease. Two similar triumphs
have put them in the lead. and they are
now the favortes with the sporting Gle
I mcnt
Bosher has served as substitute on
two crews. He is familiar with the
| stroke. His stroke is clean. and is rowed
| home in every instance. His reputation
for GOODNESS and grit in football gives
promise of his ability to stroke crew in
a losing race without losing his head.
Lloyd at stroke. has been found TO
have an excellent idea Of time. Under
him az leader the coach may count upon
no hang in the swing of the crew. His
! reach is inferior to Bosher's but he is.
/ perhaps the better man for succession
or spurts in light race.
At 40 Athey fails not far short Of
! an expert He has filed the seat for
/ three successive years, assisting In Sc
curing as many victories for the collie
| Gians. lie is the Hercules of the crew.
I being somewhat Of a giant stature and
strength. Athey will occupy hts posi-
ton in the craft this week and assist in
L L
it difficult to find mate for him al No 3.
Sadler is the most promising candi-
date for this position. lie is practically
new man. and has IA number OF faults,
but is rapidly improving. His swing is
faulty. and he retains the habit of jerk
ing his oar at the finish. instead of apply
ing his power on the oar az the begin
ming Of the stroke.
Fletcher shows an aptness. but is trou'
blcd with stin and weak wrists which
he would do well TO strengthen by light
exercise under the direction of the coach
Rucker is listless in his strokes, al
bow. His work. however. is clean anc
regular. His form is not yet up TO racing
style.
The crew needs long pull to settle
into an effective swing. They row witt
little unity. They are practicing daily
under a competent coach, however, who
claims that they will enter the race II
superb form.
THE PETERSBURG BOYS.
The Appomattox crew io said 10 bt
a very strong one 1t has been on thu
water longer than the other crews. anC
has always made a good showing They
have also won the French cup on ont
occasion. Their crew is now In training
and is said 10 be enc Of the steadiest anC
strongest yet put in by them.
The AppomattoX, while not so wia'
as the James is an excellent stream OF
which to hold a regatta. II has not We
been definitely settled whether or no
there will be more than one race, bu
the probabilities are that each club con
testing will put in a second crew.
Statue of General Hancock.
The plaster model of large eques