The Portland daily press., 1899-07-29
American Gre w Won
Four o ared Shell Race.
Three C3rnered Contest Between
Professionals Today.

every one OF ths first days races in the
big regatta of the National association of
amateur oarsnien. held on the Charlss,
this afternoon. proved interesting and
exiting, the senior four cared race, which
was won bv Pennsylvania, easily leading
in respect to close finishes. The first
heats In both the intermediate SOULS and
the association senior singles were not far
bahind in furnishing excl teme mt.
o Keefe cf Springfield winning the
former. and John Rumohr of Ratportage.
Ont, taking the latter. IL the two mile
pull of the intermediate eights had been
allowed as u race, that too would have to
be recorded as a contest full of excite
ment, but unfortunately, one of the crews
the Vesper of Philadelphia. met with
an accident, and the other three refusing
to heed the referees whistle, kepton to a
grand finish, with the New York A. c..
in the lead. The referee, however. decided
no race and the event win be pulled OF
tomorrow.
Eetter water, weather, and racing could
scarcely haze been desired and crowd
of SocU on the river bank enjoyed all three
immensely. The course was the usual
mile and a half with a turn, all the races
Unit n heat club house where most of the
crowd ccngregated.
The senior four. Dared she'll race was
easily the feature of the afternoon. Three
crews entered for the race--the Pennsyl-
vanla barge club of Philadelphia, the
Brockville Rowing club of Brockville.
Ont, and the Wstern Rowing club of st.
Louis, but the latter crew was almost left
behind from the very start. .Pennsylya-
mia and Brockvllle were very evenly
matched, but the former had stroke In
Dempsey. that practically won for them
the race. Ths Canadians had the best
of the start and with q perfect flnish
stroke and an easy swing, seemed to have
little difficulty in maintaining a lead to
the turn. Pennsylvania, however, was
not q length behind when the mark was
reached, and would have undoubtedly
been the same distance of If they had not
made bad mess at the turn. Brookyille
however, swung their boat round in
quick time and were four strokes 20 the
good when the two crews squared away
for home. 1t was here that Dempsey put
the fire into his crew that at she end gave
them the race. He dug and tore the water
until 1t boiled behind ths frail shell and
at the mile had driven his craft until II
Tapped the Brockvilles hell. From that
point TO the finish, the contest was too
exciting for even the most uninterested
spectator to remain quiet and the two
crews were chesred at every stroke. A
hundred yards from the line, Dempsey
called upon his club mates, and doing two
mems work himself. the Pennsylvanians
managed tp shoot their shell over the line
ahead of the Canadians
In the first heat Of the intermediate
singles, o'Keefe of Springfield had hard
time to keep Greer of East Boston from
getting the flag. The latter pulled long
easy stroke up to the turn, rounding two
lengths behind O'keefe and Crawford, tine
latter of the N. Y. A. c.. who had bean
having a hot brush to the mark. But
after heading for the finish Greer let ont
couple OF links and passing Crawford.
who had pulled himself out. started after
O'Keefe, and the two had grand battle
I, the finish. O'Keefe got the flag, but
both men will he In the final heat tomor-
row.
John Ruhmnhr of Ratportage, was the
star in the first heat of the association
senior singles and his quick dashing
stroke caught the crowd. gBoth Kubic and
Lewis gave him a hot race to the turn,
but the Canadian managed to swing first
and started for him with slight lead
that was never overcome The time-6. .os
Ia, was the best of the day, In singles.
The first race Of the day was the senior
pair rowed between the Pennsylvnnia
barge club and the vesper Boat club,
both of Philadelphia. TIE former had no
difficulty in winning out by four lengths.
Only two competed in the second trial
heat of the intermediate single SOULS and
Mason of Toronto almost rowed away
from Frank Kerns of Worcester. The
second heat In the association senior sin
giles was also in the nature of a process
sion 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, an fin
ishing ahead of the other two by two
lengths.
Young Ten EyOk and shis Partner.
Charles Fl. Lewis, mad walkover in the
senior double sculls and led the Delaware
boat club pair at the finish by nearly
dozen lengths.
With the smaller races out of the way,
me four eight oarei c-ews, the New York
A. c.. the vespers Of Philadelphia the
Atlantas of Springfield and the Schooltoy
gsw Of the ssoston A. A.. started up the
liver for their two eStraieht-away
ontest. All four ct away with the New
Cork A. c.. in the leai. An eigath of u