The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-24
The REAL OPENING
Weather Clerk Fooled
the CIubmen at
the Lake.
SEASON is BEGUN.
Gossip Of the People
Whose Fad is
Aquatics.

Clubmen, privilege owners and 9TH
ers may set a formal date for the OPP
ening of the lake, but their date counts
for naught. The clerk of the weather
is the fellow who names the day and
he doesn't ordinarily say anything
about it beforehand. He put blue
pencil mark around yesterday when he
made out the calendar and sent the
marked copy to the understudy who
looks out for the lake. Yesterday was
the real opening, and it was the real
thing, too. There was as much heat
as one would look for in summer, and
there was also sufficient breeze to
make rowing something like a com
Portable exercise.
Clubmen took advantage of the day
and there were signs at the lake yes
terday of warm boating season that
blind man couldn't miss seeing. All
during the winter everything has por-
tended great aquatic season. With
the first good Sunday on the water,
the fruits of the boating gossip of the
winter were manifest. Never since the
first white man set foot on the shores
of the lake was there such a number
of light craft on the water on the open
ing day. No less than five shells were
on the racing course at the same time,
to say nothing of a number of canoes
which contained men who can handle
the paddle in true racing style.
The Wachusetts and Lakesides, the
two clubs which have sustained rae
ing interest at the lake for two seasons
at least, were out in force yesterday.
Not only were they on the lake prac-
ticing, but they talked racing more
than anything else.
Each club has it's own designs. The
Wachusetts look to various champion
ships with SOULS and oars, and the
Lakesides with the paddle. They be-
gan active preparations yesterday for
racing events which are on the card
for the coming summer.
Charles H. Lewis appearance on
the water yesterday settled beyond all
question that he will row this year.
He was in a double with James A.
Ten Eyck. Lewis had his customary
seat in the bow The purpose of his
practice is to get in shape for the
double scull race at the Harlem river
regatta, Memorial day, in which he
and Edward II. Ter Evck will COM
pete in the double. AS Ned Ten Eyck
is studying at the University of Penn
sylvania, they cannot row together
in their training. Lewis can row with
James A. Ten Eyck and get the swing
of the stroke and weeks training
with Ned will put them in shape to
row well together. On account of
their previous rowing together, each
can adapt the stroke to that of the
other in short time.
The novice scullers of the Wachu-
sets were out in force. They are
Frank J. Kerns, James F. Meagher,
Harry Crowley and James A. Ten
Eyck, Jr, all of whom We're in shells
yesterday. All went over the three
mile course with James A. Ten Eyck
and Lewis Kerns has been in his
shell several times, and is rowing a
magnificent stroke. He is not only
clever sculler, but is stronger than he
ever was, and he will push the shell
fast. He won't remain in the novice
class long nor in the junior either. He
will probably row in the Fourth of
July regatta at Boston in the junior
unless he decides to give up single
sculling for a seat in the eight-oared
crew which John ]. Quinn has gotten
together.
The Lakeside men lounged about
their commodious club house for
time and then took to the water in
the light canoe. They padded tandem
for the most part although six of
They did not attempt to take out the
fast war canoe, preferring to get the
swing of the paddle in the old canoe
first.
Members of the Lakesides are eligi-
BILE to compete in the annual meet of
the eastern division of the A. c. c.,
which will be held at Woburn for
three days, beginning May 2S, but the
chances are against their racing. The
Lakesides feel they would be heavily
handicapped as rival canOeists from
the eastern part of the state, have had
six weeks practice already, and ice
has been off the lake only a week.
They have extensive plans ahead,
however. Some of them social events
and others racing. The first event
will be the opening of the house, which
will be the first of the month 1t will
be informal. Sunday, May IA, the
members will have a club paddle to
North Grafton. which can be reached
with only one or two short carries over
dams. The start will be made in the
morning, and dinner will be taken at
the Quinsigamond House, North Graf
ton.
The club will entertain its rivals, the
Wabewawas of Auburndale some Sun
day this spring. The date was fixed
for May %, but as the Auburndale men
will compete in the races of the east
ern division of the A. A. G. c., the
Lakeside men think they will fear to
break training. The reception will
probably be postponed until some Sun
day after Memorial day.
The club will have built a racing
four-blade canoe of cedar. At present
the club owns war canoe for nine
men. which is unquestionably the finest
racing craft in the country. 1t is of
cedar. and is fitted especially for rae
ing. The Lakesides anticipate win
ming when they line up in that canoe
against almost any crew that can be
selected. But the club is weak in a
four-blaoe canoe. 1t has the men to
put in the boat. With a canvas canoe
its four made a worlds record for a
half-mile last year. The crew de-
feated the crack four of the Wabewa-
bas, which could hardly conceive after
the race that it had been beaten. There
wasn't any doubt about it, and when
the Auburndale men saw a worlds rec
ord hung up, they knew they were
against hard push. Since that time
they have purchased a cedar canoe and
planned to rub it in when they met the
Lakeside four. Members of the Wor-
cester Club are on. and intend to sstNs
the four a canoe that will be worthy of
such a crack crew. With a new cedar
canoe. the Wabewawas will see new
figures.
The new Mary Ann will be on the
10 newt Sunday (1pOrnra n Hall