The herald., 1896-06-24
Diligently Preparing for the
Great Race
ALL ARE IN GOOD CONDITION
And Steady Improvement Gives Promise
Of Success
Even the British Boating Critics Admit That
the Yankees Have q Fighting
Chance to Win
Associated Press Special Wire.

morning WAS ClOuQy dilu tliC VIM ""S
off the Bucks shore. The Yale oarsmen
spent all the morning in pair Dared work
on the upper part of the river and near
the American headquarters. Many peo-
ple who wanted to see the New Haven
men were disappointed, as the crew IS
kent hard at work through the day and
have no time to spend in gossip at pres
ont The Yale men now have the boat
house to themselves, as Trinity hall ana
Leander crews have removed TO tent
houses. In addition the New college,
men have gone to Smith boathouse near
TEMPLE island, and the visitors from the
United States are having all the com
fort and privacy possible under the cir
cumstances.
representative of the Associated
Press is constantly on duty on the river
bank during the hours of practice. and
this morning he had a pleasant chat
with Bob Cook, the Yale coach, who,
with his American pupils. has won the
approbatio and sympathy of everybody
IN this vicinity, and of all who have come
In contact with the young men. The
quiet and gentlemanly behavior or the
latter continues to receive the highest
commentator, and it is safe to say
there is no more popular crew on the
Thames al present.
Mr.. Cook said in part:
1.-THE crew is steadily improving and l
think the pair-oar work we have been
doing has had a great deal to do with
this change for the better. While pull
ing pair oars the men can better put in
practice what they are told to do. All
the men from Yale are in good condition,
and 1 am working them just enough to
give them the healthy tired feeling which
has a highly beneficial effect upon ath-
letes who are preparing for contest.
The arrangement of the crew is the same
as we made before leaving New Haven,
and do not see that there will be any
chance of using our substitutes unless
some man falls sick, which does not
seem likely"
The Yale coach is determined to make
a crew get a harder and quicker catch
upon the water, and it is to accomplish
this that Mr.. Cook is now devoting all
his energies. Both Mr.. Cook and Cap
tain Treadway said that the New Col
lege crew is the best one on the river.
They rank first, the Leander second and
Trinity hall third but the friends of the
Americans are becoming more and more
confident every day that the Yale boat
will head the procession when the race
for the grand challenge cup takes place
The English critics join in calling at
tention to the Improvement made by the
Yale men, and if local feeling has any
thing to do with it, Yale should win
The Americans are great favorites
with the rural population here, and as the
Yale men walk along the road they are
greeted with hearty cries of You'll win,
SIR" Even the little urchins who flock
about the boathouse and trudge or run
along the dusty roads after the Amer
leans join in prophesying victory for the
Americans, which is very comforting to
the Yale men.
Mayor Simms continues his kind at
tentions to the Yale crew and has invit-
ed them to be present at lawn party
on Wednesday afternoon, which he is
giving in their honor.
The secretary of the Henley regatta
committee, Mr.. ]. F. Cooper, is also very
courteous to the Americans. He has in
vited Mr.. Cook, Captain TreadWay and
Mr.. De Sibour to dine with him on next
Wednesday night
There is no denying that the style of
the New College crew impresses the
oarsmen from Yale. The New College
men have more control over their bod
les, have a firmer catch and a longer
stroke than Leander, although not SO
long stroke as Trinity Hall, The Lee
ander crew was out at 1890 p. m, and
went to Temple Island and back.
w. b. Woodgate, the well-known au
thority on rowing, has written an ar
ticle to the st. James Gazette on the
Yale crew, during which he said:
Their long stroke, as exhibited by
them in their own country, is long only
when compared with the styles of other
American crews. Their paddle is at first
thirty-two and their faster stroke is
thrty-seven. At this they rowed little
If any longer than Cornell, and are less
uniform. But they are finer and more
powerful men.
"After a view of Trinity Hall, the Yale
tactics seemed to undergo a change. The
stroke was slowed to twenty eight and
endeavors We're made to increase the
swing fore and aft The crew has i'm
proved, but it is still far short of the
average Henley style.
GAS regards the length of their feath-
er, it is by no means as clean as Cor
nell. The recovery from the chest how
ever, is smart good and worth study on
the part of many of the home crews.
Their sliding is decidedly good, very
uniform and rightly timed. 1t is the
best feature of Yale. The style of their
oars is shorter than customary so they
are capable of a swing of equal length
with the British.
THE crew is very strong throughout
but though there is one man over 49,
pounds, they do not appear to have any
trio equal to the three strongest lead
ers, Nickall, Stretch and AIRS. Until
Yale has time to settle down to the in
creased length which she is trying tC
acquire, and time to acquire the new
oars, it is premature to say too much. II
is clear the first form was too short, al
though good speed was shown, but il
they do not substantially lengthen they
wont give the better British eights
much trouble, in spite of their great
strength and good sliding.
zone thing is clear, instead of being
brimful of conceit at their own pecu-
liarities, like most American crews, they
are disposed to study their rivals, learr
all they can and take pains to acquire
the best practicable style"