Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-22
GLAD THAT YALE IS COMING
English sportsmen Expect Much from the
Cons of Old Eli.
CONTINENTAL COUNTRIES REPRESENTED
Best Authorities on the other Side
Certain the short, sharp stroke
Like Corncll's Cannot Win
Course n Difficult One.

neutrality-suspicious., March 21.-
Unusual attention is centered upon las
years regatta from the fact that more thar
ever before It will partake Of an internationa
character. In addition to the entry Of the
Yale crew, there are entries from rowing
clubs from Holland. France and Germany
1t is also hoped the famous Argonaut clut
of Toronto will again cross the Atlantic and
compete. In consequence the officials arc
making preparations for what will undoubt.
eddy be record year. Mr.. ]. i. Cooper. sec.
rotary of the regatta committee, said:
Nothing could have given the committee
more satisfaction than the entry of a crew
from Yale. They are 80 well known to Eng
lish athletes by reason Of their contests
that they will be welcomed with open arms
As yet the Yale men have made no ar
rangements for quarters. l can suggest
nothing better than the same house, Under
wood, when Cornell occupied last year.
81 would suggest in addition to the eigh;
cared crew, Yale enter a four cared crew for
the Stewards cup. The Cornell men Last
year frequently expressed regret that they
had not entered for this race. If Yale should
bring fourteen men, a four cared crew could
easily be made up from her eight and in
addition. her substitutes could form a junior
four cared and compete for the Twifold cup.
There has been no important change in
the rules for this year. In fact the only
change is that the time Of entry for the
Dutch. French and German crews has been
extended to June l. This is allowed be-
cause the presidents Of these various row.
ing organizations assure the Henley officials
that the crews so entered are simply ANA
tours, and the officials take their word for it.
Each of these associations will enter a crew
for this summer.
I'VE are especially anxious to have the
Argonaut club of Toronto again compete. A
more gentlemanly crew or more thorough
sportsmen never entered here. Mr., Thomp-
son Of that crew assured me they would
come again this year and l sincerely hope
they may"
The general opinion of watermen is that
the short, sharp stroke will not do for the
Henley course. One Of these, Jackson, the
famous old waterman, who has seen all the
contests for many years, said: The Henley
course is a difficult one. Although only a
mile and five furlongs in length, it is all
dead water, with no suspicion of a tide, and
it takes an unusual amount of extra mus
cular strength to row over 1t. Old Oxford
and Cambridge boating men say it does them
up more completely that work on the longer
course from Putney to Mortlake, which has
the advantage of a strong tide. 1 do n6
think any crew can ever win here which
does not employ the long and even stroke.
Take Cornell, for instance. This was the
p~rettiest crew l ever saw In a boat. They
sat straight ana lrlHn, one DeilHu lne OtneT,
like soldiers on parade. But their quick
strokes pumped them out. Every one of the
other crews last year pulled a long and deep
stroke. Almost every conceivable style of
rowing has been tried here, but only one has
been successful.
Regarding the climate. l think one to
three weeks is as long a time as any crew
should be here prior to a race. Most of the
English crews used to train here for five
or six weeks. You will find they do not do
80 now. They usually come here about ten
days before the regatta. Another thing
about this dead water. In 1t, 1t is essential
that when a boat is once started, it should
keeps its momentum and go straight along. 1
AT Henley there is no advantage Of a tide
to aid this. In the race between Cornell
and Trinity, the former boat, propelled by
the short stroke, seemed to stop between the
time the blade was taken from the water
and again put in, while Trinity's boat went
along at the same pace from start to
|
In the town itself, many preparations are
being made for the forthcoming event. The
hotels are being redecorated and have al
ready prepared for the rich patronage which
they will enjoy. |
The Field continues it's opposition to the
of a Yale crew at the Henley
regatta, and prints a letter urging the most
stringent inquiry into the amateur standing |
Of the members of that crew who intended to
take part in the races of Henley, without
being discourteous to them" as the writer
says, and suggesting the immediate passage
Of a rule excluding all foreign crews from
participating in the annual regatta at Henley.
Another letter to the Field contends that
raising money by public subscription, as has
been done in the United States. preiudices
the status Of the members of the Yale crew
as amateurs.
Mr.. Richard Cookers horses have not been
lolng we'll in training, and they have all been
scratched in the events for which they were
entered for the London meeting.