The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-28
LUCK GIVES THE
VICTORY TO THE
RED AND BL UE
FOur-Mile Race Won
by Pennsylvania.
WlSCONSlN'S CREW THE BEST
LOSES THROUGH BAD STEERING
NEAR THE FINISH.
Western Oarsmen Beaten by Scratch
When They Appear to Have the
Championship in Their
Grasp.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


POUGHKEEPsIE, N. Y. June 81
Twenty thousand persons to-day saw one
of the most exciting four-mile boat races
ever witnessed in the history of college
rowing. Five thousand spectators on the
observation train yelled themselves hoarse
in frantic appeals TO their various college
crews to do their best, and, with the
other $1,000. they saw the red and blue
carried over the line O winner by a short
half length from the Wisconsins, who lost
in the last 200 yards by bad steering. Cor
nell, the victor of former years came
third, fully four lengths in the rear. and
Columbia. never in the fight after the end
of the first mile, trailed a good three
lengths IN the stern of the Cornell boat.
II was the kind of race that makes
the blood tingle and was made so by the
crew that came over a thousand miles to
meet former victors for without the gal
liant Wisconsins in the race II would have
been doleful procession after the second
mile was entered. To say there was sur
prise on the observation train and amid
The great crowd on the banks when the
Wisconsin shell swept mile after mile OF
the course until the last half was reached
with clear lead over all the crews is
putting 1t mildly. When the people on
crew, looked toward the observation train
inquiringly and were told that II was Wis
cONSln tHeS were almost dumD with
amazement, and when those on the train
saw the gallant struggle mile after mile
they dropped their appeals for their own
crews and yelled in a friendly manner for
the boys from the West.
The alleged ragged stroke, the badly
keeled boat. the too-long reach all were
forgotten as the fast moving shell kept
It's sharp nose to the fore. and then the
people saw the leaders turn out toward
the shore at the finish and lose the race
to the men from Pennsylvania by a short
half length.
Well did the Pennsylvanians obey the
injunction of Ellis Ward to not lose their
heads From the first eighth of mile
they rowed Il hard stern chase, at enc
Wisconsin, but their pluck and endurance
sent them over the line first in good
time and by such a small margin that
the glory is greater.
For Cornell, the winner Of many bat
ties, the contest proved to be a race only
In two miles. For those first two miles
Cling against evidently better crews. and
it was only by exertions Of a phenomenal
nature that she managed to keep the nose
of the boat ahead OF Pennsylvania for
brief time in the second mile. Columbia
was outclassed from the start
At the start Cornell had the channel
course. where the advantage is sad TO
lie, with Columbia next. to her. and then
came Pennsylvania. with Wisconsin Gloss.
IN to the shore, 1t was rather pitiful TO
after cheer and the Western crew not any.
Two false starts were made. The third
was a beautiful one. the four boats noses
seeming TO hang together for the first two
strokes. AS they settled in the stroke
taught them by the various coaches Wis
consin seemed to be rowing the least
number of strokes per minute OF any of
than any of the others, Wisconsin rowed
go, Pennsylvania "a, Cornell "a and Column
hia &c. Before the first eighth OF mile
showed 10 81 Of ha ~
with Cornell second, Pennsylvania hang
ing we'll on TO her and Columbia fourth,
dropping astern.
When the first half mile was reached
so fast was the Wisconsin boat going that
it had taken it's whole length ahead of the
Pennsylvania boat and was a half-Iength
east, Columbia was coming with the nose
of her boat just overlapping Pennsyl-
vania. Frantically the Pennsylvania
rooters on the train yelled at their crew
in few minutes they shot their boat up
even with the Cornell boat, but to catch
Wisconsin was not so easy.
bodies going Wel back toeetber wa" and the
heads seeming as If they would swing
off the shoulders, a feature that seemed
to make the critics believe that they
would go TO pieces after the first mile
the Wisconsin crew flew on. When the
mile was reached the Wisconsin boat had
a lead of clear length Of Pennsyl-
We're see-sawing for. second place. The
Wisconsin crew had settled down to a
stroke Of 81 to minute, the boat never
checking between the strokes and the
blades cutting the water as keenly as q
knife. The slow recovery and the slow
stroke had behind 1t a wonderful power
and the Wisconsin boat never checked or
stopped as 1t went toward the second
mile
In the meantime Pennsylvania and Cor
nell were having as pretty a hight for
second place as ever has been seen on the
course. Time and time again the Cornell
crew put little more back in the stroke
and sent the nose of their boat even with
that of the Quakers, but It was quite ap.
parent that there was little chance of
their holding it there.
When the Wisconsin crew had reached
the mile and a quarter point it eased off
trifle in its stroke, rowing for two or
three minutes at 81. At the same time
Cornell picked up its stroke and showed
it's boats nose slightly ahead Of Penn
Wisconsin shell. cornell, yell" came
from thousands of threats on the obser-
walton train and the hope arose that the
Cornell crew was going to the front in
it's usual style But with apparent ease
the Wisconsin stroke went back to it's
regular 80 and the boat shot ahead again
Pennsylvania boat, which had been lag
ging a half length behind Cornell shot
up level with Cornell's boat while CO.
lumbia, making a desperate effort placed
the nose of their shell near Pennsylva-
MAS stern.
Passing the three and a quarter miles
point Pennsylvania hit the stroke up to
thirtyfive and there began one of the
most exciting contests ever seen in boat
racing. Slowly the bowman of the Penn
sylvania boat lined up with the cockswain
in the WiSconsins boat. but just as he
had come up on a line with him the Wis
consin crew responded to the squirt and
drew their boat away.
1t was at this point that Wisconsin was
seen to swerve badly toward the western
shore, and to the surprise of everybody
maintained this course although it took
the boat inside of a number of small
pleasure boats and fully 800 yards out OF
their course at the finish. Naturally. the
Pennsylvania boat gained upon the Wis
consin boat, and as they passed into the
last quarter the noses of the shells were
on line. The Wisconsin boat unable to
turn back into its lane, had found dead
water near the shore, and pull as Wis
consin would and as desperately as it did.
the nose of the Pennsylvania shell came
out inch by inch until it crossed the line
scant half length ahead of the Badgers
boat.
Official summary: Pennsylvania's time.
20:04: Wisconsin's, 20:0512; Cornells, 20l3;
Columbias 1920. The record for this
course is 1929.
Two Famous Horses Dead.
LONDON June 27-The death Of two