The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-29
THE COURSE ROWED IN 21:3O
AT NO TINE WERE THE CAMBRIDGE
MEN DANGEROUS COMPETITORS.
Almost Tired Out at the End of the
Athletes Appeared To BE Fresh.


tween the colleges at Springfield on June
80 1876. The race was rowed under favor
able conditions and was fair test Of mer-
its. in which Harvard was beaten by 50 sec
onds, or nearly ten lengths. The distance
was four miles on the Thames river, down
stream from a point below Gales Ferry
and extending TO the big railroad bridge at
New London. The official time was: Yale,
2l:3O; Harvard. Pos.
The pharse, yale has won," has become
such a monotony in college athletics that it
is hardly possible that to-days result will
startle anybody. Amid acres o. masts and
spars, forests OF futtering flags and laby-
rinths OF scurrying crafts of all kinds.
Yale's brawny young giants pulled their
shell over the finishing line with an easy
going stroke that bespoke confidence that
Harvard could not. under any circumstances.
beat them out. About the gray old bridge
that spans the river Thames at the finish
line of the long varsity course there was
floating city. a carnival Of colored stream
that would rival Tintoretto. Though all
day rain-illed clouds had threatened to mar
the enjoyment of the spectators. yet SO far
did the blue predominate that even the
heavy clouds broke away soon after noon
to let CLEAN of blue sky peer through
an omen as TO the result Of the days sport.
From early in the afternoon the river
was moving mass OF color. changing in
Kaleidoscope form about the narrow ma
rine lane left for the college crews to strug-
gle in for supremacy. When the sun came
out about hour before the race
called it turned the dark gray water into
pale blue. on which you might catch CLEANS
of the great reversed groups Of gaudy flags
and bunting, mirrored on the dancing
waves. The hillsides and the bridge were
masses of moving brilliant bits Of blue and
crimson; pretty girls everywhere.
decked in the color of their favorite coll
lege, and they frescoed the boats and the
hillsides, streaming in groups of color and
trying TO be heard above the footing and
backing and filling of the multituainous
craft.
The number of excursion boats, private
yachts and other sailing craft has rarely. II
ever, been exceeded, and IL is matter for
further congratulation that so thoroughly
was the course polced that very serious
accident occurred, except the smashing by
the referees boat of one of the napntha
launches that hung on the starDoard OF a
private yacht. The steamers and yachts
were not allowed 10 go very far up the
stream, so they gathered about the finish In
dense squadron, extending for nearly a
mile above the bridge. There were two or
three of the large sound steamers. packed
from stem TO stern with human cargo, pres
ent.
SCENES AT THE START.
Crews never responded more promptly to
the referees warning to be ready than did
Yale and Harvard to-day. Scarcely had the
whistle blasts of the referees boat Nora
died away than the Harvard lads emerged
from their boathouse at Red Top. bearing
their shell. On the same instant, up at
Gales Ferry, the men from Yale trudged
down the float from their boathouse with
their shell. Both crews were in their seats
and they pushed away from the float at
almost the same moment. Harvard rowed
with slow, sweeping stroke up across
the starting line and twenty boat lengths
above ii, when they turned close in shore
and waited for Nale's crew to pass them
as they did on their way TO the starting
line. Yale having passed, Harvard came
out from shore and padded down TO the
starting line, where she paused With her
stern held by man in the Harvard stake
boat. Meanwhile Yale had dropped into
her position the west side OF the course.
Harvard having the eastern place on that
With its screaming throngs, was almost
above 5he crews on The bank 6ank and the st steam ann
waiting the start Of the shells to take
up their courses The people saw the backs
| position Then came the rnal warning and
| then came the word from Referee G. II.
Rives. which set the brawny fellows NOV
| ing.
Promptly at 4:4s the signal was given
and both crews caught the water at the
| quicker stroke. but the Yale boat soon
| forged ahead. rowing about forty strokes
| minute, while Harvard was doing forty-one.
| jennings who was substituted for Hollis
| ter in the Harvard crew, rowed remark
ably Wen % ana the critics who who watched his
] were loud in praise of his rowing. The
Yale men. who were on the west side of
| the river. rowed evenly and their shell shot
| through the water very smoothly. while
| Harvard's craft sagged between strokes. IL
was quickly seen that No. 4. in the lafters
mar naf traTx rArfr il -
| on the catch before the rest OF the crew.
When the half mile mark was reached
and they slowed down to a stroke Of fhir-
ty-fiye, but the wearers Of the crimson
still kept their stroke above forty. The
water was smooth and the conditions were
I everything that could be desired for a good
/ race The. body work OF the sons of Ell
was excellent while that OF the Harvard
/ crew became worse and No. was splash-
| ing badly when the first mile was ended.
YALE ROWED LIKE A MACHINE.
At the mile Yale had increased her lead
to three lengths and the men were rowing
like machine When they passed the one
and one-half mile mark they had not
! gained any more on their adversaries. The
wind changed slightly 10 the south. which
made the water a little rough. Both
crews spiashed a good deal over the one
and a half mile line. but the Yale men
soon recovered stroke OF thirty
seven and the Harvard men we're unable
to cut down the three lengths lead at tie
two mile mark. The Yale boat Was
steerei By CoSswain Clark as straight as
an arrow, but the Harvard coxswain
| seemed 10 lose control o. his boat. AT the
two and half mile flag the boats course
/ changed and IL made a big turn losing
fully a length before being straightened
| out At this point IL was plainly seen that
/ barring accidents. Yale would win In easy
l fashion, she increased her lead
stantly, though gradually. The body swing
| OF the crew continued regular and steady.
The Harvard men seemed 10 swing out
| of the boat.
The cheers and tocfing OF whistles now
began in earnest and the Yale cry was
heard from both sides OF the river. Har-
wards stroke was increased 10 forty-one.
| but Yale kept peggins away At thirty-seNen.
| the third mile was finished. When the
three-mile flag was reached Yale had
lead of five lengths and was gaining
steadily. A stretch OF rough water was
met here and both crews splashe1 con-
siderably. but. as before. the Yale men
got back into their swing IL good shape
| The Harvard boys were lacking IN steadi-
4 ness and failed to act together They held
| on bravely, although certain defeat was
| practically unavoidable. The thousands OF
| spectators who crowded the rear OF the
1 observation train. cheered the wearers OF