The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-29

Boston, July 2S-With few exceptions,
every one of the first days races in the
big regatta of the National Association
of Amateur Oarsmen, held on the
Charles river this afternoon, proved in
teresting and exciting. the senior four
cared race, which was won by Pennsyl-
vania, easily leading in respect to close
finishes. The first heats in both the
intermediate SOULS and the association
senior singles were not far behind in
the way of furnishing excitement,
O. Keefe of Springfield winning the for
mer and John Rumohr of Rat Portage,
Ont, taking the latter.
If the two-mile pull of the interme-
date Fights had been allowed as a race,
that, too, would have to be recorded as
a contest full of excitement, but unfor-
tunately one of the crews--the Vesper
of Philadelphia,-met with an accident
and the other three, refusing to heed
the referees whistle, kept on to grand
finish, with the New York Athletic Club
in the lead. The referee, however, de-
cided no race, and the event will be
pulled off tomorrow.
Better water, weather and racing
could scarcely have been desired, and
crowd of 5000 or the river bank en-
joyed all three immensely. The Charles
was as placid as the traditional mill
pond, with only a light breeze blowing
up the river, which scarcely rippled the
water and died out altogether before
the races were fairly over
The course was the usual mile and q
half with a turn, all the races start
ing and finishing in front of the Union
Boat Club house. There was not a
protest to be considered at the end of
the days sport.
The great senior four-oared she'll race
was easily the feature of the afternoon
and it will be long time before a bet
ter aquatic contest will be seen. Three
crews were entered for the race, the
pennsylvania Barge Club Of Philadel-
delphia, the Brockvil1e Rowing Club Of
Brockville, Ont, and the Western Row
ing Club of st. Louis, but the latter
crew was almost left behind from the
very start by the other two. Pennsyl-
vania and Brockville were very ev-
emily matched, but the former had a
stroke in Dempsey that practically won
for them the race.
The Canadians had the best Of the
start and with a perfect finish stroke
and an easy swing, seemed to have lit
tie difficulty in maintaining a lead to
the turn. Pennsylvania, however. was
not length behind when the mark was
reached and would have undoubtedly
been the same distance off if they had
not made bad mess at the turn.
Brockville, however, swung their boat
round in quick time and were four
strokes to the good when the two crews
squared away for home. 1t was here
that Dempsey put the fire into his crew
that at the end gave them the flag. He
dug and tore the water until ii boiled
behind the shell, and at the mile had
driven his craft until it Tapped the
Brockville she'll From that point to the
finish the contest was exciting and the
two crews We're cheered at every stroke.
A hundred yards from the line, Demp-
sey called upon his eliminates and
doing two mems work himself. the
Pennsylvanians managed to shoot their
shell over the line ahead Of the Can
adams.
In the first heat of the intermediate
singles, O'Keefe of Springfield had a
hard time to keep Green of East Bos-
ton from getting the flag. The latter
pulled long easy stroke UP to the turn
rounding two lengths behind O'Keefe
and Crawford the latter of the New
York Athletic club, who had been hav :
ing hot brush to the mark. But after
heading for the finish Green let out a
couple of links and passing Crawford,
who had pulled himself out, started
after O'Keefe, and the two had grand
battle to the finish. O'Keefe got the
nag, but both men viii be in the final
heat tomorrow.
John Rumohr, of Rat Portage, was
the star in the first heat of the Associ-
alton senior singles and his quick DASH
ing stroke caught the crowd Both Ku-
bick and Lewis gave him hot race to
the turn, but the Canadian managed to
swing first and started for home with a
slight lead. Lewis, however, put on
more steam, and almost caught Rumohr
at the mile, and from that point to the
line, 1t was the hottest kind of work,
Rumhor getting the nag by few feet
over his opponent. The time, 10:O8M.
was the best of the day in singles.
The first race of the day was the
senior pair cared between the Penn
sylvania Barge club and the Vesper
Boat club, both of Philadelphia. The
former had no difficulty in winning out
by four lengths. Only two competed IN
the second trial heat Of the interme-
diate single SOULS, and Mason of To-
ronto almost rowed away from Frank
Kerns Of Worcester.
The second heat in the association.
senior singles, was also In the nature
of procession, although Pope of the
b. A. A., gave Juvenal Of PHILADELPHIA
a warm race for second place, Titus OF
New Orleans being scarcely headed
from the start and finishing ahead Of
the other two by two lengths
Young Ten Eyck and his partner,