Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-04-30
BIG ATHLETIC EVENT
INTERESTING GOSSIP ABOUT THE
WISCONSIN-YALE RACE.
ALSTED VISITS THE EAST
Manager of the Badger Grew Makes
Final Arrangements for the Con-
test-What the Result Means to
Wisconsin Capt. AIexanders Men
Getting Into Splendid Form.

Definite arrang ements have now been
made for what promises to be one of
the events in the athletic world this
seaSon-the race between the Wiscon-
sin varsity crew and the Yale fresh
en-. Manager L. L. Alsted visited the
east recently and the race is assured
for June Is. 1t will be roWed on Lake
Saltonstall, a beautiful sheet of water,
seven miles from New Haven, Conn.
This event is already beginning to at
tract much attention in the college
world, being the first time an eastern
and a western crew have met. To
Wisconsin it is Of special import If
her crew makes a good showing it
means eastern recognition, a matter
for which all western institutions are
aspiring. That her crew feels the i'm
pCrtance of the situation is evidenced
by the enthusiasm with which it is
now working. And with the record
that is back of Wisconsin there is
every reason for hope. The Delawares,
of Chicago, who were defeated here
last year, number among their mem
bers some of the best known and fast
est amateurs in the country, and the
Minnesotas who have won Two nation
al regattas at Saratoga, found Wiscon-
sin a most doughty foe.
There are some conditions initiating
consin. In the first place the univer-
sity has no tank here for crew practice
as all eastern institutions have. The
great advantage of having tank is
that the crew can be kept working all
the year on water and thus can do good
blade work as soon as it goes out.
Without a tank much valuable time
is lost every season through Irregular
ity of the weather and the necessary
training for effective blade work.
Anothr serious handicap for Wiscon-
sin is the loss of the late John Day.
Mr.. Day rowed No. 4 on the varsity
last year and was conceded by all to be
the best oarsman in the university. His
loss is am irreparable one and when it
occurred it was feared the race would
then received assurance of the race and
arrangements had progressed so far
that it was deemed best to hold to the
promise.
That the race will attract unusual
attention in the east is also assured, as
this is the only race Yale will have IN
this country the varsity team of that
institution going to England. The
freshmen crew is one of the best that
Yale has ever turned out. It's mem
bers also appreciate the significance of
the contest and are training hard, get
ing ON the water ten days before Wis
ccnsin's men. They have been active
ly coached by Treadway, the captain OF
the varsity, and by some of the best
Yale alumni They are a husky set of
fellows and their Drawn may be
guessed at when it is considered that
they are chosen from body of four
hundred in an institution where the
spirit of physical development is at its
height. The average weight of the
Yale freshman crew will be about 167
POUNDS, that OF Cne WISCONSIN, crew
this year will be in the neighborhOod
of 100, a considerable increase above
that of last year.
Wisconin will have five of her last
years crew in the boat. They are with
their last years number, A. Alexander,
bow, w. w. Alexander (nOw captain),
2; C. c. McConville, 4 L. F. Austin, g.;
and NJ. E. Seymour, who rowed stroke.
Two substitutes of last year, l.. e..
Street and H. Forrest, are showing UP
well and, with good work, will stand
a splendid show for the boat. Diet
rich, an old class crew man, rows No. Z.
There is also much promising material
in the freshman crew. Harry Gran
dali, last years coxswain, is still serv-
ing in the same capacity.
The crew party leaves for Yale a
week before the race and will consist
of fourteen members, including Oscar
Rohn, last years captain, Coach Andy
O'Dea and Manager L. L. Alsted. The
varsity shell, one of Davy's cedar
boats, will be taken down for the race.