Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-28
AMATEUR 0ARSMEN.
Marked Revival of Interest in
Boating Matters.
SCHOOL CREWS FORMING.
High School Boys Expect to Get
On the Water This Week,
Half the Money Needed to Purchase the
Rowing Machines and Equip the
Crews Already Subscribed.

ters this spring is unprecedented, and
the indications are that the season of
'9S will be one of the most remarkable
that the sport has enjoyed. In every
section where boating mas a following,
vigorous preparations are being made
for the season, and in many quarters
where no attention has been paid to
the sport, steps are being taken to get
men onto the water. ''In the good old
days" everybody was Interested in row.
ing, one way or another, but for the
past decade the sport has not been 80
largely patronized. 1t required some
notable performance to rekindle interest
in the game, and it is not stretching
matters to claim that the new interest
which is promised was brought about
by Worcester oarsmen.
In the first place Ned Ten Eyck, the
idol of the Wachusett Boat Club, did
considerable to attract new followers to
boating by his performance at Henley
last year. This summer many people
will take interest in rowing solely be-
cause an American last year captured
the Diamond sculls and will watch the
result of the young mans quest this
summer. Again the high school eight
cared crew can be credited with MAX
ing new friends for boating This by
their remarkable record of last year,
when although novices at the sport,
they entered the national arena and
carried off one of the most important
races, and that too from tried and eX-
perienced crews. The work of that
crew is not fully realized by Worcester
people, and one has to converse with
boating men from other centres to
learn how much credit these youngsters
are entitled to. The universal opinion
among experts is that the boys who
made up the crew were a remarkable
lot.
The result of the high school victories
is shown in Boston, where the B. A. A.
has already undertaken to interest
school boys Of the Hub in rowing. Mr..
Dubois, one of the prominent boating
men OF New England, is interested in
the scheme, and last week called a
meeting of delegates from the schools
of Boston and vicinity. The meeting
was held at the B. A. A. club house. and
considerable interest was manifested by
the boys. Delegates were present from
Cambridge high and Latin, Noble &
Greenough's, Volkman, Boston Latin,
Boston English high, Stones Roxbury
Latin and Mechanics arts high Mr.
Dubois outlined a plan to the delegates,
which was that each school be privileged
to send 16 men, from which the best
four and two substitutes will be selected.
Each school will be assessed $40 to cover
the usual expenses, and the crew from
each school will have the benefit of in
struction in Workmanship from Coach
Glendon of the B. A. A. School crews
having their own coaches will be privi-
legged to row at any time, but those who
have none will be given one hours in
Struction three times q week. The
schools represented will all be members
of the association when the formal
organization takes place.
In other places interest has been
aroused among school boys, and prepa-
rations are being made in New York
and Philadelphia to put crews on the
water.
With the high school boys hard work
is now the order of Coach Kerns, and
every night the candidates are put
through vigorous practice. The three
crews are stil at work, and remarkable
Improvement is shown in some of the
new material. Up to the present Coach
Kerns has been working the boys on
disconnected machine, but this week
connections will be made and the eight
will pull on the same weight. In short
while the five members of last years
crew will be taken as a nucleus for a
crew, and with three new men will take
a spin In the shell. 1t is now assured
that two good crews VIII be formed,
and Capt. Kerns would like very much
to enter what will be known as the sec
ond crew in Junior eight-oared race at
some regatta. The senior crew will de-
vote their attention to fitting for the
race with the Harvard freshmen, and
after that Is finished they will tackle
any crew that is looking for race.
Capt Frank H. Bigelow of the Har-
ward track team has been commissioned
to make preliminary arrangements for
the race with the Harvard freshmen,
but as yet nothing has been heard from
Cambridge The high school boys, how
ever, are not worried that overtures
have not yet resulted in anything de-
finite, as the race is practically assured,
and win be held probably on May 27.
Capt. Kerns expects to soon receive a
communication from the Harvard row.
ing authorities, and will then confer
with them in regard to final arrange
ments
Locally, the interest at present centers
about the plan suggested by the Wachu-
sett Boat Club. at its meeting. a week
ago Sunday. The idea of holding a big
regatta at the lake every year meets
with general approval, and it is likely
when the committee meets favorable
reports will be heard. The plan to in
terest prominent men in the scheme is
well liked, and If all the men who spoke
at the bridge hearing are as much in
terested in boating as they led the au-
dience to believe, the committee should
be able to secure liberal patronage. The
committee has as yet held no meeting,
the plan being to await and determine
the feeling about the city before any
action is taken. The idea has been
pretty thoroughly discussed for the past
week, and it is likely the committee will
be called together early this week to
make plans for the regatta.
The course at Lake Qulnsigamond is
universally declared the best in this
country, and scullers and oarsmen are
always glad to row here, so entries for
the regatta would not be lacking. The
chief event would, of course, be the
championship single scull race, the win
ner of which would be declared cham
pion amateur sculler of the world. AL
though the scheme is still in embryo,
Ned Ten Eyck's entry is assured. If
all whom it is claimed were anxious to
get trial at Ten Eyck still entertain
that view, an excellent opportunity will
be offered them to measure blades, and
a victory would be of immense credit,
as Ten Eyck will soon afterward go to
England, where he is likely to repeat his
performance of year ago.
The event suggested for the regatta
Is the high school-Harvard freshman
race. which, If the Harvard people can
be persuaded to row the first week in
June, would attract unusual interest
Another race which should be easy to
arrange. would be match between the
high school second crew and the Wachu-
eett juniors Both are juniors, and a
race between them would not alter the
grade of the winner The regatta COM
ing the first week in June should attract
the winners of the Decoration day race,
L.