Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-29
OXFORD is STILL CHAMPION
Defeated Cambridge by a Quar-
ter of a Length.
SIXTH CONSECUTIVE TIME
An Immense Crowd Brayed the Extremely
Disagreehle Weather.
1T WAS A BAD DAY FOR FAST ROWING
Cambridge Took the Lead and Kept It
Until Near the Finish, When OK
ford Forged Ahead and
Won by Nose.
xTH CONSECUTIVE TIME
T WAS A BAD DAY FOR FAST ROWING

London, March 28.-The annual row.
ing contest between Oxford and Cam
bridge universities took place today over
the course from Putney to Mortlake. a
distance of four miles and a quarter.
The weather was extremely disagreeable,
but that fact had but very slight de-
terrent effect upon the thousands of en-
thusiasts who lined the banks of the
Thames and crowded the decks of the
pleasure steamers and shouted them
selves hoarse in encouragement of the
respective crews.
The usual crowds witnessed the
launching of the boats and both crews
were heartily cheered as they padded
away to the starting point.
The Cambridge crew was the first to
make their appearance, and the crowd
went wild over them. They were quick
ly followed by the oxford men and the
cheering was renewed Cambridge won
the toss for position and took the Surrey
side The water was rough and strong
head wind was blowing.
The boats got off at 09 p. m. and had a
good start Cambridge began with her
best rowing, pulling thirty-eight strokes
the first minutes and when opposite the
boat house was in the lead more than her
fore canvas. Both crews were then row.
ing at high rate Cambridge was lead
ing by quarter of length, and at the
soap works had Increased her lead to
half a length. AT Hammersmith bridge
Cambridge still held her lead of half a
length, and al Chiswick she was nearly
a length ahead. Both crews were strain
ing every nerve and muscle, but Cam
bridge seemed to be the stronger, and
at Thornycroft she was full length in
the lead.
Both crews were pulling hard and do
ing some splashing, but Cambridge
seemed to be putting more power into her
strokes, and upon approaching Barnes
she was nearly two lengths in advance
of the Oxford boat Both crews were now
showing signs of the tremendous strain
upon them, the severity of the struggle
being apparent to everybody. From this
point, however, Oxford began to gain,
and, nearing the bridge, drew rapidly up
on the leaders, who had lost more than
half of their advantage and were only
three-quarters of length ahead. In
shooting the bridge Cambridge was ham
pered by the rough water, and failed to
maintain her lead. oxford gradually
crept up on the Cambridge boat, and the
excitement on the banks and on board
the boats following the racers became in
tense.
The Oxford boat from this point drew
ahead and reached the Ship hotel at Mort
lake. the finishing point winner by a
quarter of a length, adding one more to
Oxford's list of six consecutive victories
since Cambridge has won varsity race.
The usual deafening cheers and screech-
ing of whistles greeted the victorious
crew, and the usual scenes in other re-
spects were enacted, for. except the slight
differences made by the weather, one
years show along the Thames champion
course from Putney to Mort lake is ex-
actly like another. oxfords official time
was 20 :O1