The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-23
ROWING HONORS.
Difficulties That Are
Presented to Be-
g,inners.
SCENES ON LAKE QUINSIGAMOND
Great Coach Work Perform
ed By James A.
Ten Eyck.
SCENES ON LAKE QUIMSIGAMOND

Ihere has been no year in the history
of rowing at the lake when so many
new candidates have presented them
selves for initiation into the mysteries
| of the scull and sweep as this year.
Each clubhouse where rowing is prac-
ticed has its small coterie of novices
! ana, besides, there are several who
| make the public boating liveries their
| headquarters. Some of these noyices
1 Will continue their work to be a factor
| IN boat racing and others Will quietly
| crop out OF the sport with nothing but
| their experience as a reward for their
| work.
The initiation of all perspective row.
/ ing champions is an interesting expe-
flence to the men, and as trying as it is
interesting. The initiation spreads
| over considerable time, and the degree
work, generally conducted by 32d de-
gree oarsman, is closely followed by
the candidates friends and rowing men,
some OF the men who have taken up
the sport this year have done so only
Tor the purpose of exercise, but the ma
Jorlty OF new men are attracted to the
sport through the successes and attend
ing glories won by other men.
10 the beginner there is no time in
ms life when he has as little confidence
Wh"n e starts Seulling. H. wishes
with all his heart to get into the frail
craft and get onto the water and then
remain in the boat But to him If an
pears that the shell was made for no
such purpose, and this idea is strength
ened when he feels the boat slowly roll
ing to one side. He does not seem to
possess any power to keep it right side
up ana out he goes. A shell boat is
Ia .o1a
begins with 1t he is subservient to its
moves, but when he has mastered it
rowing comes as easy as bicycling to
the old rider. That is the only resem-
plance between the two, however. For
the Verlest novice can master his BIZ
cycle sufficiently to get some speed out
OF 1t and take pleasant trips within a
3hGrt time after he commenced work.
WITH shell boat it is some time be-
lore sthe beginner dare get out of
whispering distance from the shore or
is able to pull more than dozen
strokes without stopping.
If"te is 70 branch of sport that ex-
acts 50 much from a man as rowing.
10 the racer it requires longer and
! harder training than any other branch.
| ana to The man who is engaged in it
for prizes the return is small compared
TO other sports. While many take up
with the game it is only the most pa
tent, perseyering and painstaking who
succeed. Faithtulness counts for ev-
erything in rowing. A man must be in
! good health and condition all the time
/ He cannot indulge in excuses of any
4 kind, and while there might be pointed
/ out cases in which a man has done well
/ in race who before it was none too
careful of his condition it is the excep-
ton which proves the rule. This mans
downfall is speedy and lasting and a
| warning 70 others to guard against his
! mistakes.
/ In the development of men about
| Worcester no enc has played as import
| ant part as James A Ten Eyck. He
mas moulded champions in the scullers'
and oarslnen's classes, and is regarded
| by rowing men as one of the most capa-
BILE coaches in the country. The devel-
opment of scullers and oarsmen differs,
and each man has peculiarities to which
| he must adapt himself in his work. To
the person who aspires for rowing hon
ors in either division, the first demand
Is sound body, not necessarily with
any great development of muscles, but
with average strength man who has
! devoted himself to any special develop
ment will find that he is Handicapped
by over-developed muscles.
Nerves and staying powers and the
grit to bear self-inflicted punishment
are essentials, and with these. EXPERT
ness and speed will come. and with
them honor and glory in the aquatic
sphere. General exercise will fit man
for rowing and gymnasium work, while
attention to the muscles Of the back and
legs will give a foundation that is nee
essary in rowing. For prospective
oarsman there is not so much required
as Of the budding sculler In Worces-
ter oarsmen are found only in eight
cared boats, but in other rowing CEN
tiers fours and pair oars are rowed.
! college crews have the best method
Tor development of a candidate for crew
/ honors, and the method is pursued by
some rowing clubs who have large
fleet of boats. After the man has passed
4 through the preliminary stages and is
ready to try an oar he is placed in a
pair-oared boat with the coach. The
stroke seat is given the candidate, and
the coach, rowing bow, watches every
| movement of the novice and every play
Of his muscles. A long row is taken,
and suggestions for correcting faults
are given by the coach The applica-
| ton the novice makes of these sugges-
4 tons many times decides his fate. If
he avails of them speedily he wins the
i favor of the coach, and this means con-
siderable. This work is kept up for
crew is made the novice is many times
placed in the boat with another candi-
| date to determine which shall win the
coveted seat. The men are started on
long row, and with the coach close by
they work, each straining every mus
Gle and nerve to Guido the other The
stronger man, and the one who will get
/ the seat in the boat, will pull his mate
all over the course, and by his strength
and staying powers prevent his mate
from keeping the boat in a straight
course
Once in the crew of experienced oars
men, development is fast, although at
the beginning the new man has to bear
the brunt of complaint for poor work on
the part of the crew. The association
Of the tried and experienced men is Of
great benefit, and almost before the new
man knows it he has fallen into their
! style and rows an oar as good as some
of them. A stranger to the crew would
be unable to pick out the new man, and
the then latest addition feels he is a
full-hedged oarsman.
In sculling the method is different for
in that branch the man is required to
row both arms the same. He Is in a
! boat entirely alone, and the danger of
tipping out depends entirely on his ac-
tons. The preparation Is the same in
both classes, but when the period Of
getting into boat is reached they diff
fer. The shell is a cranky craft and
considerable time must be given to rid
ing 1t, and keeping It In straight
course before any attention can be Civ
en- to speed. When the shell is mas
tered speed comes with constant train
| ing, and while there are limits to speed
and these limltr differ in different men.
man can hope to row as fast as the
average and win his share of prizes.
Worcester has sent out many good
oarsmen ana scullers, and today has
the fastest amateur sculler in the
| world. The cfop of buds that are hlns.