The Washington times., 1895-01-20
THE NEW ROWING DEFINITIONS
Rules Adopted by N A. A. O. Will Prove
Beneficial to Rowing-A National Oars
mans Flag-Indoor Records Broken
Basket and Bowling Leagues What's
Going on Among the Amateur Clubs.

skaters are eagerly nursing their sport to
! talk ''boat - but like in everything else ample
time must be taken for the preparation pre-
liminary to the opening OF the season. The
January meeting Of the executive committee
OF the National Association of Amateur Cars
men is the accepted signal for beginning these
preparations, and the work of the meeting
held in New York last week has already set
the rowing men to discussing the prospects
for the coming season.
The most important work of the executive
committee was to the adoption OF new delni-
tions of the classes of oarsmen. The old def
initions have long since been unsatisfactory
to many rowing men in all parts OF the coun-
trv and at the meeting held suggestions and
revisions and amendments were presented
from Maine TO the Gulf, and from our sea-
board 10 the Golden Gate, and each one was
carefully considered.
THE NEW DEFINITIONS.
Notwithstanding the n. A. A. o. definition
OF junior sculler aud oarsman, certain pro-
vincial associations have been defining a
Junior so that he could row in an iate medi-
ate or senior class and failing to win could still
go back and row rs junior The n. A. a. u.
definition provided that if Junisr rowed out
of his class, he lost his standing as junior,
and was thencefoEtn OIL the c ass ne roWou III.
The old definition was that:
"A junior oarsm8n. or sculler, is one who
has not pulled an oar in senior race or been
4 winning oarsman in a junior race.
This rule was the law Tor twenty years, and
hereabouts. at least, it was never questio ned
and was reIigiously observed. Right here is
a good place to pause aud point With pride
to the fact that our river observes more
closely all rules and furnishes the cleanest lot
of true amateurs anywhere to be found, and
but one case from this river in many years
has come before the national committee
where disqualification seemed necessary.
Under the new definition OF junior Just
adopted junior may go up the scale and
back again until he wins.
The new definition is this:
A Junior oarsman COR scaller) Is one who
has never won a race" The change will have
the effect no doubt, of bringing out more
and better crews. The argument strongest in
favor of the change was that it would en-
courage more men to row, making them feel
that if they failed in one class they could still
try in another without affecting their stand
ing
Locally there is a question whether the
change is good one.
But little change was made in the defni-
ton of an intermediate, and it now reads as
, follows
IAN intermediate sculler Cor oarsman) Is
one who has never been a winner Of Il senior
or intermediate race.
Heretofore coxswains have been classified.
Under the new order OF things a senior cox
swain may steer junior eight and vice versa,
and he is limited only as TO weight. The new
rule is as follows:
"a coxswain shall weigh not less than 1o5
pounds and shall not be otherwise classified. y
The result OF the adoption OF the new rules
will be that all over the country oarsmen
will row under the same rules, and there
will be no necessity for looking up mans
class when entries are received in regattas.
AS TO MATCH RACES
| The next national regatta will be held on
Saratoga Lake. The date was not fixed, but
it occurs some time between July 10 and 90
Match races received some attention, and
they were provided for in the following rule
Competition open to the members of two
clubs shall not affect the standing OF aE oars
man or sculler."
Heretofore match races, except between
members of a club have been prohibited, ex-
cept at the expense of losing ones class.
national association flag was adopted.
This was done in compliance with demand
[ for something of the kind to designate n. A.
, A. Q. clubs and to encourage others to
; come in.
) The bourgee is pointed bunting OF three
J stripes of equal width at the widest part, the
upper and lower red, and the middle stripe
block letters, IN. a. A. o. thus giving the
? national colors to emphasize the national
: character OF the association. Any club @
, member of the n. A. a. 0. may Cor should,
fly this bunting from its clubhouse flagstaff.
! The rowing season promises to be a very
I active one here. The Columbus. Analostans
! and Potomacs are well equipped with shells
3 The latter club Will add new -four to its
feet Each of the clubs has plenty of good
: material, much of it new, to begin its work
i in the spring. and some excellent racing is
t promised.
BASKETBALL AND BOWLING LEAGUES.
The teams composing the Basketball
t League are now ready to play return game:
S with one another, except the Washington
Athletics. in whose gymnasium league game
!, !, has not yet been played.
The interest taken by club members ant
outsiders is wonderful, considering the fac
! that so little Is known OF the game. Tn,
audiences appreciate the fact that the game
/, is scientific as well as lively but not rougi
4 | or dangerous.
Tomorrow evening at $50 o'clock the w
l A. c. and the Light Infantry teams play in The
: gym of the latter. In this game each team
1 will present nine players on account of the
I size of the playing field.
l The printed playing rules and schedules
will be ready tomorrow.
The Bowling League schedule is gradual,
I; wearing away and the interest in the cham
4 pionshlp race is increasing as the end ap
i proaches. Each game evening sees thu
bowling alleys crowded to the doors and thu
. results are eagerly sought after. Who will
win the championship is still the great ques
tion.
y On Thursday evening Henry Lane, o
!. Buena Vista Club, broke the record for in
y diyidual high score with game of 212
4 Il breaking AL Schulteis', Of G. l., record 0
= 30. On Friday evening new record wa
u made by DR.. Kicker, of G. A. c., with 227
u which is likely to stand for record Th
record last year was 224 made by Will Dove
:, C. A. G. The G. A. c.. also broke all loca
? team records on the came evening by bowl
. ing 907 game and to Capt. Jacobus Jone
. belongs the credit for the excellent showing
= of the team for he has at all times steadied ii
a COLUMBIA ATHLETIC CLUB.
e The officers and members of the Columbi
t Athletic Club deserved all the good thing
g said about then. m.during :the past week, TO
q their entertainments were lavish and wei
! planned.
g 1t is scarcely to be wondered at that tn
r club is on the happy wave of prosperity. !
= very richly deserves encouragement an
r should have at least twice as large mem
bership. for it offers, as every one must nov
L know. every known method for physi
n cal development and many social features.
o Much good will rebound 10 the credit Q
% The club for its hospitality of the past week.
y Royce Hough now holds an enyiable record
having broken two local indoor records il