The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-22
BACK FROM ENGLAND
Capt. Roche Of the
American Collegiate
Team Returns.
WARMLY PRAISES OPPONENTS
Proud Of the Record Made
By the Harvard
Athletes.
WARMLY PRAISES OPPONENTS

James T. Roche, Jr., captain of the
Yale Harvard team which competed
against Oxford and Cambridge at West
Kensington, July %, arrived at his
home, PSI Lincoln street, last night. In
company with seven other athletes of
the American team, he sailed from
Liverpool, on the New York, Saturday,
Aug. Il. When within hailing dis
tance of New York, the steamer was
forced to drop anchor and ride out
dense fog, which continued all day Sat
urday.
Mr.. Roche arrived in Worcester on the
sos train, and in an interview with The
Spy man, was enthusiastic over the
trip abroad and the treatment every
where accorded members of the team
by their English contestants. For the
defeat of the Americans, Roche has no
excuse to offer, frankly admitting the
superiority of the Oxford Cambridge
men. He expressed extreme pride In
the work Of the Harvard men, in win
ling every one of the events that came
the way Of the American team, and ex-
pressed the opinion that Yale was not
quite up to standard in the performance
of her part in securing victory for the
Yankee team.
Harvard was a winner in four events,
and to the credit of Cambridge went as
many points. Yale never landed a win
ner while Oxford furnished the winner
of the deciding event. The Yale men
who went abroad on the team had been
in constant training until the time of
sailing of the steamer, while the wear
ers of the crimson broke training en-
tirely the last week in May, after the
Intercollegiate games.
Aside from this natural display of the
Harvard spirit and pride in the repre-
sentatives of his alma mater Mr. Roche
mas only praise for the work of the
Americans on strange track. He
speaks in highest terms of the English
men as athletes and as sportsmen. The
oxford and Cambridge men. he says,
were perceptibly stockier, beefier and
sturdier men than the men of his team.
and are an older and more mature lot
of athletes In all the events in which
they were winners, they won handily
with room to spare, this in spite of the
fact that the Americans put up as good
races as they ever ran on this side of
the water
Mr.. Roche heard frequent expressions
of the belief that an English team, rep
resenting Oxford and Cambridge, will
come to this country, probably not
next year. but certainly within two or
three years, for a return contest. OF
the effect Of an ocean voyage on the
training athletes, Mr. Roche believes
the long trip is a chance and a long
one. and perhaps a handicap in the un
certainty attending However, he says
when the Englishmen come to this
country, there will be no foundation
60 h. InIf tie
easy proposition for the home team, for
he says, they are athletes of the first
water and hard men to beat anywhere.
In speaking of the scene Of the con-
test, Roche said any description of the
games would be lacking in power, be-
cause there is nothing in the United
States to compare with the Queens
Club grounds. The games We're, OF
course, public, but the tickets were sold
several days before the contest and
We're obtainable only from friends. The
representation Of Americans on the
grounds was unexpectedly large.
After the games the American team
was entertained in royal fashion by
the Oxford and Cambridge men and
were the centre of attraction at a mum
Der of receptions and dinners In the
theatres where the team attended the
boxes were decorated with American
flags and the orchestra invariably
opened with American airs. Mr. Roche
and others Of the team were guests OF
Hon. Lees Knowles and were favored
with a visit to the house of parliament.
where the house Of commons was in
session. Tea was served on the terrace.
which faces the Thames, and the party
met Lord Balfour, Curzon, Lord STAN
ley and other notables.
On July % Roche, in company with
w. A. Boal and II. p Clark Of the
Harvard team. left London for flying
trip through portion Of the continent,
visiting Switzerland, Holland, Germany
and France. They were in Paris al
the opening of the Dreyfus trial bur
at that time the city presented none
of the evidence Of latent feeling which
has since developed into open outbreak,
The greater part of the time was
passed by the three athletes at Cha
monk, at the foot Of Mount Blanc
whence they took frequent trips for
mountain climbing.
OF the coming international yacht
races Mr.. Roche says the opinion pre-
walls In England that the challenger
which has just arrived in New York
is the speediest racing machine ever
sent across In hope of carrying off the
coveted challenge cup. There is abun.
dant confidence in the ability Of the
Shamrock to put UP a hard eight and
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