The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-18
VEsPER CREW WON
DARINGLY CUT ACROSS THE Row OF
The VARSITY CREWS BOAT.
Pe0r Management Marked the Regaf-
o. at Broad RippIe-Local Men
Won fn Doubles.

AFFAIR the visiting boatmen more chari-
table to the management than are the In
danapolis people. The visitors were inclined
to attribute the poor management to the
inexperience Of those in charge. The first
race was rowed before most OF the crowd,
which was under three thousand, reached
the park. and to many Of them IL was not
known that such an event had been rowed.
This was the single shell race between w.
q Mcdowell, OF the Delavan Boat Club of
Chicago, and - Henderson, of the
Catlin club OF the same place. It was looked
upon as the second in importance of the
days programme, and was really the most
exciting OF the events. 1t was won by Nc
Oowen by about three feet. 1t was over a
mile course and was hotly contested
throughout, the boats never being as much
- q length apart. It was no surprise that
& was won by Mcdowell. when his record
- considered. He Is the champion amateur
carsman OF America, and has carried off
numerous prizes this year. He left Chicago
Cor q trip East in June and returned few
days ago with three victories to his credit
out OF four races. He suffered his only de-
feat in the Canadian regatta, Aug. 2. He
had just rowed few days before and was
not feeling well, besides having the outside
OF the course, where the wind and waves
fntsrfered to such an extent that he did not
have q fair chance. This defeat was not
looked upon as showing that the. winner
was the better oarsrnan- His victories were
ut the Peoples regatta on the Schuylkill
river, July 4. In this he had opponents from
the vesper and Gray Ferry clubs, OF Phila-
delphia, and the Tritons, OF Newark, n. ].
It was a mile and quarter course and Nc
Dowell won easily in ten minutes. He then
prepared for the championship event at
Saratoga, Aug. IL and Is. In this he met the
cracks Of the country and defeated them
all with ease. He won the championship
Woodlawn cup in this race. 1t does not be-
come his property until he has defeated all
Corners for three successive years. 1t is a
massive affair. standing over two feet
high. In the Mississippi valley regatta
he won the mile and a quarter
and the quaster-mile dash in the same day,
sfances Ais time Was s s and n 1 ISsn In
the mile and q quarter race Henderson.
against whom ne row.d ,. here: was his
behind all the time. With the exception OF
Mcdowell. Henderson is probably the fast
improving every year. and has ordered a
new shell. which will weigh about twenty
two pounds. The one he uses now weighs
condition next year to enter the great
Henley races for the championship of the
world: At his present rate Of Improvement
next year with his new she'll
After this race the crowd waited pa
tiently for two hours before there was any
thing more to asIluSe them. Many OF them
sat on the seats of the grand stand. which
Gated on ball grounds. and sweltered in
the heat. expecting that the next race
they were sadly disappointed. There seemed
TO be some hitch in the management for
which no explanation was offered. For two
hours the people sat thus. and finally they
Gasnaugh of the Vespers Appearing rea adI
for a single she'll contest. 1t was not much
Of a race, being simply exhibition. the men
desiring to save themselves for the greater
event that was to come later. They rowed
lover the course in fair time. but did not
ing attempt. When the stretch was reached
they were rather close together. and made
2 me show ct the finish. Cresser winning
ANOTHER SIEGE OF WAITING
After this the spectators were treated to
another siege OF waiting. It was two hours
more OF sitting in the broiling sun before
any sign of life at the pavilion indicated
that another race was to take place Then
the two Fights were seen to be preparing
to put their shells in the water. All this
was watched with great deal Of interest
by the spectators. Finally the shells were
launched. and the crews began pulling about
in front, OF the grand stand. to warm up
and show the people the move
asss q The Pennsylvania ssh'-G %ere
the favorites in the grand stand and many
cheers went up from the coterie of ladies
who were in the neighborhood of Governor
would suit for Pennsylvania yen was
heard. This was finally answered by the
adherents OF the vesper eight and from
that time until the crowd left the park
the yells could be heard constantly The
their supporters among the ladies and It
was answered by the vesper friends with:
Soup, Soup; Coup. soup;
Soup, Soup; Coup soup;
Soup coup: Penn-syl-van-i-ah.
Back and forth the yells went, first the
then the other. indicative of what the
favorites would be in before the day was
over. After a short time Of this the Yes
tEen the fun began in earnest. The YES
per men had the advantage. because they
there bps as often as
sary, while the ladies who were yelling
for the college eight were seated on the
became weary from thirst. This did not re-
lax their energy in the least. Finally the
p Dsn,s and md" then for time as they wer re
out OF sight, the excitement relaxed. II
vas fifteen minutes before the start was
naie.
The first intimation that lie race had
really begun was the sight Of the glisteaing
oars as the two boats rounded the island
apparently abreast. Then the friends OF
the crews began 10 snow themselves or
rather 70 make themselves heard. IL was
impossible. from the grand stand, TO see
which boat was in the lead. This lent more
interest 10 the race. As they came down
the stretch of the last third OF mile a
single shell was seen 10 shoot across the
bows of the two boats and come down
the east bank OF the river. Then for the
first time the people in the stand could
make out the leader. The repetition of
the soup yell from the threats of the
Vesper men was sufficient to indicate the
leader. The Vespers were ahead and di-
rsctly in front OF the other boat. 10
these who understood the rules of
racing this added much interest, for all the
Pennsylvania men had TO do to win the
race was to make their boat touch the
other, the Vespers having cut across their
bow into their course. A crew has this
privilege, but does IL at its persi. and IL
foul results IL IL chargeable 10 tl-s beat that
is out OF its course, regardless of whose
fault IL may be. The Tesper coxswain saw
that he could gain considerable advantage
By cutting across the other bow and did
80. depending upon his men to keep clear of
the other boat.
VESPERS IN THE LEAD.
The vespers were then in the lead by
more than boat length and seemed to be
just able TO hold their own till the last 200