Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-29
OXFORD AGAIN; THE WINNER
Was Anybody's Race, fOm the Start to the
FinishrLine.
CAMBRIDGE BfATEg6JHlRD OF LENGTH
Race Rowcd I'm RSueh water with
the odds Six to -Four Against
the TcnmaWhich Won
the Bnce.

PUTNEY, Eng, March 2S.-The Oxford
crew, to the surprise Of almost everybody
ashore and adoat today, won the ffty-thirl
boat race between the Universities of oxford
and Cambridge by about a third of a length
after a most exciting finish. Thus oxford
has won thirty races Of the series to twenty
two won by Cambridge, the dead heat OF
1877 making up the total number of races
pulled. This Is the seventh year in success
sion that Oxford has defeated Cambridge.
The time was 2O:0O:04 and the course was
the usual one from Putney bridge to the win
ming post above the Ship inn at Mortlake,
distance about four and a quarter miles.
The morning opened cold and cherries and
with prospects of a poor attendance. In the
early hours o heavy downpour Of rain
drenched the gathering sightseers and caused
thousands to decide to remain at home. This
shower was followed at intervals by other
rainfalls. accompanied by a cold, biting wind.
As a result the crowds along the banks of
Old Father Thames were much simmer than
usual.
Cambridge was a hot ~favorite at 6 to 4
and few takers at that. In fact, the light
blues were looked upon, previous to the start.
as almost certain winners, barring acci-
dents.'
Cambridge embarked first, wen the toss and
chose the Surrey side of the river, which was
a decided advantage, as half q gale Of wind
was blowing from that shore, or about south
west, raising lumpy water everywhere and
quite a little sea at the bad places.
The crews embarked at IL :5S p. m. and were
cheered as warmly as possible under the cir
cumstances.
At the pistol shot at 1:02 both boats got
away sharply. Cambridge pulling a pretty
thirty-six to Oxford's slightly more powerful
sweep of thirty-four.
There was little to choose between them
until Clasper's boat house was reached APP
preaching the first half-mile, when the Cam
bridge boat nose showed slightly in front.
The crews were pulling with great deter
mination and splashing somewhat en- account
of the rough water. AT the half-mile Oxford
laid down to it in fine shape, drew up and
showed ahead at Waldens.
MADE IT A DING-DONGER.
At this there was great cheering, for it
made it apparent that a splendid ding-dong
race was to be rowed~ Gold of Magdalen, the
Oxford stroke, evidently had his men we'll
in hand and ready for some good squirting
work without any danger of the distress sig
nal being displayed. But Fernie, the Cam
bridge stroke, whose training on board the
Worcester stood him in good stead, quickly
called his crew together and pulling a long,
powerful, clean, telling stroke with the high
feather characteristic of this Cambridge crew
Gust the stroke foro such weather and water)
regained the lead at the Crab Tree wharf
nearing the Notwithstanding post. which
10 at the soap works, a little higher up the
river.
Gold in the meanwhile was sticking to his
work most g%reedily, and, calling upon the
dark blues to hit her up again, the Oxford
boat Tapped up to and passed the Cambridge
craft at the soap works amid a storm Of
f%terriic cheering ffohritboth shores.
Up. to. that point the race had been as
pretty a one as ever was pulled. 1t was nip
and tuck, little or nothing to choose be-
tween the two crews,,b both laYingsdown to It
in grand style and with plenty of reserve
force in either boat. - g
After passiagathe. soap Works Oxford kept
up the pace and led by nearly a length at
one time. Fernie thereupon called upon
sponded with such VIM that the Cambridge
boat shot under Hammersmith bridge a short
length ahead of Oxford. and, according to
tradition, should have won the race.
GAME TO THE BACKBONE.
Gold, however, was as fit as a fiddle and
game to the backbone. Down the dark
blues laid to 1t and the manner In which
they drove their boat through the water
soon hushed the jubilant cheering of the
partisans Of Cambridge. Slowly but per-
ceptibly the dark blues gained, in spite of
the magnificent work OF the Cambridge men.
At the lead mills on the upper side of
Hammersmith bridge both crews were pull
ing a powerful thirty-two and the prophets
who declared that Oxford would go to pieces
after the first two miles looked glum and
uncomfortable, for there were no signs of
collapse among Colds sturdy youngsters,
who only gripped the water more powerfully
as they sped by The Doves, almost nose and
nose and gaining fast and furiously through
the choppy seas.
In fact the strength OF the Oxford men
seemed to increase instead of diminish as
the struggle wore on and there was as much
dash in their stroke at the two miles as
there was at the start.
Under the influence of this telling work
the dark blues cut out great work for the
Cambridge crew, but the latter was equal to
the emergency, and responding with a beau
tifully sustained effort, 1t drew away again,
causing a hurricane Of cneers to rise from
the crowds on shore.
A more exciting race could hardly be
imagined, and the enthusiasm was intense.
Cambridge at Thornycrofts had a lead of
about three-quarters Of a length and both
crews were bending down to their work in
the grandest manner possible. From there
to the three-mile post, about half way be-
tween Chiswick church and Barnes bridge,
the race was most pHnishing both from the
pace set and the lumpy water.
GATHERING FOR THE FINISH.
Cambridge succeeded in holding a slight lead
and shot under the bridge ahead of Oxford, |
whereupop there was another storm of APP
plause and encouragement. The sightseers |
thought the race was over and that the light |
blues had it beyond doubt. Cambridge |
wins!" was the cry which rang from Barnes |
to Putney. This, however. was without reck-
oning upon the reserve force of Colds gal |
liant men. The cheering only nerved them to
still another beautiful effort, and down they |
went I. 1t as If their lives depended upon
the result. They almost lifted their craft
over the seas. and drove her along in man
Thames. The Ioa;Y Iiender racing on b eae
fairly tore through theNHater and there was a
mighty shout of admiration when it was seen
that the increased power put into the Ok
FORD stroke was steadily taking the dark
blues up to their rivals Fernie replied with
another supreme effort,Tand his plucky ligh.
blues backed him uplto the utmost. They
could not, however, throw off their rivals,
VINO chung to them ~feraely. and then began
to overhaul them steadily, slowly, but surely. |
f. frah.ic excitement tprfyailed on both sides
The shouting was almost deafening. For a
time off Mortlake church Cambridge seemed
likely to be able to-loia her lead across the |
finish line.
But this was aotfity Ne the case. AS the
church was passed Oxford put its final effort
and there was a srfuaftrom the dark blues |
which will be recorded In the history of row.
Ing. 1t was simply magnificent. The men
pulled as II they had Just started In the
race and there was no resisting 1t. The
dark blues overlook fhe Cantabs and for a
moment or so II was pose and nose, with the
winning post In sight. and then, putting
still more steam into their stroke, the dark
blues DaESpd tho Ca1nhrf1Ua hnot and Rn- |