The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-04
OXFORD IS INVINCIBLE
CAMBRIDGE DEFEATED AGAIN IN
THE GREAT VARSITY BOAT RACE.
Eight Straight Victories i'm Succession
for the Dark BIues-An American
ude in Each Crew.

PUTNEY, England, April The fifty
fourth annual boat race between crews rep
r~esenting the universities of Oxford and
Cambridge was rowed to-day over the usual
course, from Putney to Mortlake, a dis
lance Of four and a quarter miles. oxford
won by barely two lengths. The time was
nineteen minutes and twelve seconds. OK
ford has now won thirty-one out of the fif-
ty-four races rowed and has been the win
ner eight years in succession. The weather
was bad for boating: the sky was over
east, the wind was gusty, some rain fell
just before the start and the atmosphere
Was raw and cold. The betting was 8 to l
on Oxford. TIL usual crowds assembled at
all points of vantage along the course. The
crews were made up as follows:
OXford-J. j. De Knoop. bow, 159 pounds
c.. O. Edwards. No. 2. 40 pounds; c. X.
Phillips, No. j, los pounds; c.. ID. Burnell,
No. 4, 1913 pounds: r. X. Balfour. No. ), lss
pounds; r.. Carr, NO. ., 19 pounds; w. +.
Crumm, No. I, llU12 pounds; k. Gold, stroke,
l6ol2 pounds; IL. X. Pechell. coXswain, n312
Cambridge-D. O.. Campbell-Muir, bow,
12s12 pounds: y. 5; Bell. No. ,, III pounds
Howell, No. 1, l9 pounds; w. "A. Bieber, No.
D, 1873 pounds; u. Pennington, No. o. 1l1a
pounds w Dudley Ward no. :, 40 pounds;
W. j. Freenie, stroke, 161 pounds Il. c.
Hawkins, I412 pounds.
1t was expected that there would be an
unusual amount of interest I'm to-day's race
throughout the United States, as il was the
first time since the beginning of this series
OF contests in 1929 that an American has
rowed in each boat. j. j. De knoop, of
y. Y, rowed bow for the dark blues, and
ID. II. Howell, of Trinity Hall, Cambridge,
and New York city, was No. 4 in the boat
of the light blues.
The start was fixed az 2:15 p. m. an hour
and a quarter before high water. At ? p.
m. the wind had freshened and was piercing
cold, promising TO be at the back of the
crews the whole way and making II posi-
bic that the record time might be beaten.
The Cambridge men were the first to en-
bark. having won the toss, and chose the
Middlesex side of the river. The start was
made at 2:24 p. M william effected an adj
mirable start. Fernie. of Cambridge, got off
the mark sharper than Gold, OF Oxford,
and at the Dukes Head, Cambridge. a min
ute after the start, had the nose of its boat
In front. The light blues were pulling thir-
ty-siX to the minute, while oxford was
striking thirty-fOur, with the long, clear
pull so characteristic of the 1897 Oxford
ers, Oxford. a quarter of a length ahead.
was coming away and was soon half a
length in the lead, which was never de-
At Waldens Oxford's men were rowing
well within their strength, and pulling IN
Crabtree wharf ~three-quarterS OF a length
10 the good. Abreast of Harrods 1.-THE soap
works.. Fernie, of Cambridge. who was
well supporter, SpuIlcu anu SuNCCtNNu III
slightly reducing the dark blue lead, though
Oxford was rowing in the most perfect
form, which could not be said of Cam
bridge. oxford shot Hammersmith bridge
a length ahead amid uproarous cheers from
the dark blue partisans on both banks.
There Cambridge began TO feel the effect
OF the Oxford wash, and at the lead mills
the other side of Hammersmith bridge.
and one mile, six furlongS and nifty yards
from the start. the race was practically
over. Gold was coming right away and
leaving the Cambridge boat as if il was
standing still.
At the Doves, one mile. seven furlongs
rowing thirty-three and Cambridge was
creasing their lead to three lengths at
Barnes bridge. where Oxford was still in
perfect form and ii was very obvious that
Cambridge had enough of it. Some OF the
light blues were palpably distressed. Al
Barnes bridge Fernie called for a final ef-
fort, and. for a time, the Cambridge crew
gained on their oxford rivals. The latter.
however. without unduly squirting, passed
the Judges beat easy winners by "A bare
two lengths, and in the second best time,
which the race has been rowed over this
course. The best time made was In 1898.
when Oxford Won by one length and four
feet in eighteen minutes and ~forty-SeVen
seconds. Cambridge finished eleven seconds
behind oxford. The time OF the dark blues
at the Crabtree was 800; at Hammersmith
bridge, 7:20; at Chiswick Church. n:O3, and
at Barnes bridge, 1900. The water was
smooth at Putney, and the WIN was due
east.