The times., 1897-06-24
THE YALE FRESHMEN WIN
Three Lengths Ahead of Harvard,
With Cornell Tagging Behind.
MAGNIFICENT
CONTEST
The Preliminary Race to the Great
varsity Struggle Comes Out N
Favor OF Coach Cook-CorneIPs
Bad Form Surprise to Her Er-
thusiastic Admirers.

Pouehkeepsie, N Y, June 23--With
steam whistles blowing, cannon rearing
and thousands cheering in the widest
enthusiasm, the Yale freshman crew shot
across the finish line on the Hudson this
evening three lengths ahead of Harvard,
who was about length in front of Cor
nell.
The race, which was d magnificent one at
all stages, was the foreranner of the more
important varsity contest, which viii be
rowed here on Friday, and was In a meas
ure good test of the differentnethods
employed by Coaches Eob Cook, K. C, Leh-
man and Charles Courtney. Tonight Cook
has decided advantage in the opinion of
those W no saw the race, but the palm
cannot be conceded wholly TO him until
the big eights have Towed over the four
mile course. A niore superb body OF oars
men never sat i'll a freshman boat before.
Their stroke was of such power and regu-
larty that when they finally got into Their
swing the other crews seemed to be drag
ging some heavy weights.
Although the crimson followers had not
Cambridge crew surprised everybody. The
coaching OF Lehman was evident in the
early stages of the race, for the eight
certainly rowed in beautiful form for
half the distance, and died game toward
the finish. But it was lack of physical
strength and not of skill, that caused their
boat to drop behind the New Haven oars
men as the struggle progressed
Fhn B..Rx
sore disappointment to the great crowd
OF Cornell men, who had backed their
chances with almost unlimited money.
Her men were not nearly so exhausted
at the finish as Were the Harvard rowers,
who were completely played out.
The race was rowed up stream, but
owing TO rough water there was a long
delay before the crews got started. There
were fortun ateiy no flukes, the victory
was honestly won, and there was the
best OF feeling between victors and van
quished after the line had bee n crossed
Harvard led for the first quarter with
a 30 stroke. Cornell was a close second,
with about the same stroke, while Yale
was pulling &C. The Yale men were row.
Ing with marked deliberation, and their
boat was fuoying steadily through the
water. Cornell was splash hing badly, al
though the crew had by far the best
course. But, In d hard squirt, set by
Yale, they " ere beaten out, and the half
mile saw Harvard a quarter Of a length
ahead of Yale, while Cornell was very
close II was u beautiful sight, and as
the yOung giants kept working away for
the glory To be accorded to the winners.
the spectators roared in hoarse approval
and waved flags until their arms were
tired
And now Yale's beef and beans began
TO tell Inch by inch the Prov OF the frail
boat was sent like u razor into the dancing
waves until at the three-quarter uile mark
the New Haven men had wrested the
leadership and set their followers into a
frenzy OF delight hey were pulling a
long, clean, powerful stroke, with plenty
OF body swing
Yale will ,win'' was the general cry as
the boats darted under the big bridge
which marked the one-mile point Yale
led here by good half length. and this
was being broadened at every heaye of
the oars.
Yale had two lengths to spare when
the one and three-quarter miles was
passed The victory was now assured
to the blue. and there was a wild scene
On the observation train and afloat
Look at Yale, now" screamed the
crowd, as. 100 yards from the finish, the
blue oarsmen began to increase the speed
OF their boat. On and on their shell fairly
flew over the waves, and then gIided in to
a waterway between the vessels anchored
at the finish When they stopped row
ing they simply sat bolt upright and smiled
at Bob Cook. They had plenty of speed
left.
The official time was: Yale, 9 minutes.
1S IL seconds; Harvard. 8 minutes, 26 I-2
seconds; Cornell, minutes, 29 1-2 seconds.
All three crews beat the best previous
freshman record OF cal, made by Column
bia, made on the Thames, in June, 1891.
Ine crews were greatly aided by strong
tide and a good breeze today.