New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-28
THE YALE FRESHMEN WIN
A MAGNIFICENT BOAT RACE ON THE
THAMES COURSE.

FINISH LINE HARVARD WAS ONLY A
BOAT LENGTH BEHIND-coLuMBIA
SORRY THIRD.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.l
New-London Conn., June 27.-As pretty and
spirited struggle between freshman crews as
any lover Of rowing would to see was that
between the youngsters of Yale and Harvard
universities, which was rowed this forenoon. Co
umbia was also nominally in the race. but before
1t half over she had become so bad third
that she ceased to attract the attention OF the
spectators and was almost literally forgotten.
In fact she was little else than hindrance. for
all she did was to keep the boats that followed
the shells so far in the OF the real contestants
as 10 make 1t difficult to observe the superbly ex-
citing details of the struggle between the young
men from Yal. and Harvard At the finish line
Columbia was nearly a minute behind the other
crews. or, translating time into distance. from
twelve to fifteen boat lengths. IL was sorry
sequel to the fine victory at Poughkeepsie OF the
Columbia university crew, one o. whose men,
Longacre, sat In the freshman boat.
There was a sufficient explanation OF the defeat
in the obvious inferiority Of Columbia, in botn
strength and SKILL TO her rivals, but her friends
are seeking to extract much comfort as possible
from the fact that disaster overlook the rowlock
of the bow oarsman. Pierrepont. before the hrst
mile was rowed, and that. in consequence, VIC
tory was impossible. 1t bad rowing, now
ever that caused the accident and that takes 1t
out Of the category of excusable things Hitting
a bad bit OF water with a faulty dip, Pierreponts
oar WAS thrown upward and carried away the
catch across the top Of the rowlock. The latter
then spread. and half a dozen times the oar
slipped out OF the lock- while Pierrepont tugged
a. nd dos irin a | a
Of course 1t is always piiful to see honest ana
plucky endeavor frustrated by untoward circum-
stances but the young men from New-York were
already outrowed. and stood no conceivable
chance Of winning against the other crews.
Between Yale and Harvard It was nip and tuck
every foot OF the two miles. and they went over
the finish line only five seconds apart, Yale lead
ing with seemingly every particle of power USED
up. Certain elements In the rowing had suggest"
ed a Yale victory early in the race. even while
Harvard winning a lead, which was as beau
tiful as 1t was short-ived but had the goal been
half a mile further away when the boom OF the
finish gun filled the dull and emptied the
hearts OF Harvard's oarsmen. the result might
have been different.
DISMAL DAY FOR SPORT.
Jupiter Pluvius seems to have singled out tho
boatrace days for his depressing demonstrations
this year. II has been raining dismally, distress
fully dolefully ever since the freshman race was
rowed but till then the conditions were favor
able A southerly vino and a cloudy sky greeted
the oarsmen The air was COOL the sun thickiy
yelled and the water good. The circumstances
that the wind blew across the course instead OF
down II was the only hindrance 10 the making
| OF quick time. The race rowed on the HOOD
tide up the Thames, flcm the university nnisn
| line two miles to point opposite the Navy
| Yard. Popular interest in IL was not great in-
| deed. such Indifference to the boatraces as -
| noticeable to-day has never been seen at New
| London. II is evident that the time is ripe for
| a radical change, a change not only Of place but
| OF contestants
The start was made after a long delay, caused
by the tardlness of Columbia in reaching her
stakeboat, at 1895. Columbia had the western
| course near the New-London shore; Harvard
| the eastern. near the Groton side. and Yale the
| middle In all the preparations Yale had been
most prompt and orderly and had given a grati-
flying exhibition of intelligence and obedience TO
| discipline. The referee Guy Richards. started
the crews as usual by word OF mouth. By the
| way, the picturesque verbal explosions concern
ing a pisto-shot. which so frequently ornament
| newspaper stories of boatraces. are vagaries Of
| the Imagination.
HARVARD TAKES THE LEAD.
| Harvard was first to catch the water, with
| Columbia second: but Yale overlook her
| rival on the west. and before eighth OF a
| mile had been roWed Yale had drawn ahead OF
Columbia by third Of boatlength. though
| still two-thirds Of length behind Harvard.
| Then began pretty struggle as that which
marked the first mile OF Mondays race at
| Poughkeepsie. The crews had fallen into their
normal stroke Yale from tnrty-eight to forty.
| Harvard from forty TO fortytwo. Columbia
seemed to have been greatly improved in form
| by her work on the Thames. but she was far
from having tho finish of either Of the other
crews Yale's stroke was less labored than Har-
wards. which seemed well planned but marred
In execution by excess OF anxiety and nervous
tension The strain upon both crews was mani
festly too great to be endured long, was made
! plain a little later. when there were men who
seemed utterly pumped out in both boats; but
Yale had the advantage of being less laborious
| and more collected than Harvard This told In
| her favor before the race was half rowed
At the half-mie flag Harvard still led Yale
by two seconds in time about half a boat
| length with Columbia five seconds behind Yale.
| Now the troubles Of the blue and white be-
gan. and. while Harvard and Yale contested
every inch OF the remaining mile and a half.
each alternately gaining and losing by feet and
Inches, PierrepOnt undertook his unhappy crab
! bng expedition. and when the mile flag was
reached Columbia was over quarter or a
minute behind Among the spectators the In
terest in the gallant struggle between blue and
crimson now became intense and several steam
ers including the large Block Island crowded
| forward till they We're abreast OF Columbia and
| threatening 10 swamp her shell.
THE YALE BOAT AHEAD.
| When the mile flag was reached it was seen
| that Yale had overtaken her gallant foe and
wrested ten or twelve Ieet Of advantage from
her A long and exhaustlng mile still to
| be rowed, and the men seemed 10 have reached
their limit OF endurance But IL contest
to inspire men to do the impossible. Squirt fol-
lowed spurt and the shells dashed forward. the
men seesawing past each other like the teeth OF
A. 4ha