The San Francisco call., 1897-06-26
VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN
STYLE OF STROKE.
Pandemonium Reigns on Shore and Three
College Yens Form Cataract of Clanor
as the Cornell Shell Takes First
Place IN the Great Race.

PoUGHKEEPSIE. n. Y, June 25.-Be-
fore the eyes of the boating world Cornell
won to-day victory so decisive as to
establish beyond doubt or cavil her claim
to recognition among the foremost Ameri-
can colleges in aquatic sports. That Yale
had derided this claim and Harvard had
only grudgingly admitted it made the
victory more glorious. Neither the blue
nor crimson could do well enough to make
the little men from Cornell exert them
selves, and with the other two crews spent
and breathless the winners shot past the
finish line and pulled gayly down the river
for half mile TO their launch ss fresh as
if they were beginning instead OF finish
ing the greatest race in American college
annals Yale finished second, two and a
half lengths behind, and Harvard, with
one man in the bottom OF the boat, barely
crossed the line six lengths further back
before her men collapsed utterly.
Three distinct systems of rooms were
on trial. Charles Courtney had taught
Cornell the short, snappy American
stroke. Uader their old coach, Boz Cook,
whose instructions have pointed the way
of Yale to victory so often, the New
Haven boys learned and faithfully prac-
ticed his combination of English and
American strokes. Harvard relied upon
the guidance of R. c. Lshmann, a Cam
bridge University man, who came to this
country 20 teach the American college the
English stroke. That the result was a
triumph for the American stroke cannot
be denied.
CornelPs shell, under the quick, powerful
strokes of the crew, which was by far the
smallest and lightest in the contest, cut
through the water like knife, with little
of the dragging between strokes which
tells so terribly In long pull.
To Yale the second position was as
bitter as the third to Harvard. Yale was
beaten by an enemy whom for years she
has spurned as unworthy of her steel.
Contempt for the Ithaca men was openly
expressed before the race
1t looked dubious for Cornell at the
start. Springing from poise with swift,
strong start taught them by Lehman,
Harvard got away well in front, with
Yale second and Cornell, furthest from
the western shore, little behind. For a
dozen strokes or more the crimson led
with slow, steady stroke, and the deep
Harvard yell thundered down the long
of sb
Yale took the stage, while the battle-cry
of the sons of Eli smots the hills. There
was not yet any response from the Cornell
crew. Harvard led her by more than q
quarter of length. But the little Cor
nell cockswain knew what he was doing
From the bank the short, piston-rod
swing of the bodies seemed the same. but
at each swing the shell pushed forward a
little on the rivals. At the half-miIe the
three keen prows were aligned. Pande-
monium reigned on shore, three college
yells merging into cataract OF cIamor.
For fully 25o yards the crews struggled
along, first one and then another leading
until grad ually the Cornell men began to
hold slight advantage. Then they shot
the front of their shell about fifteen feet
ahead of the Yale bow and kent it there
This was the beginning OF the end and
from that point until they crossed the fin
ish line the Cornell men were never
headed. With superb style The Ithacans
swept along, the crowds sending forth
volIeys of encouragement and joy. At
the mile and quarter post the Yale crew
shot past the cambridge eight and began
a long, stern chase after the flying Cor
nellians.
AS the mile and half post was passed
Cornell had a length 20 spare and was
rowing 36-stroke.
There was another spurt by Yale. the
stroke going up 10 thirty-seven, but Har-
ward, although left in the rear, lowered
the stroke from thirty-four to thirty-two.
They finished in the order named. Time,