The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-30
VARSITY A PROCESSION
WITH YALE SIN BOAT LENGTHS
TO THE REAR.
THE COURSE WAS POORLY P0.lsED
! But there Was Ideal Wind and Water. The
Defeat Was Crushing One for Yale
though She Rowed Game
ly to the Last.


ward won all of the boat races today
three victories over Yale in three hours
and the Western sky glowed crimson
this evening when the Harvard Varsity
crew pulled over the finish line six and a
half lengths ahead of Yale After eight
years of defeat the students of Cam
bridge are tasting the sweets of success.
Harvard's eight won from Yale over
4 four-mile course by six and half
lengths in 20 minutes, - seconds.
.Harvard's freshmen eight won from
Yale over two-nile course by two and
half lengths in minutes, 331a Sec
onds.
IIarvard's substitute four won from
Yale over two-milc course by six
lengths in ten minutes and fifty-one see
onds.
The Harvard crews rowed a modiiica-
tion Of the Euglish stroke, coupled with
some features of the stroke rowed by
Wisconsin, and Coach McConviIle. of
Wisconsin. who saw the race. said:
IF Harvard's crew i'm today's form
had been at Poughkeepsie. l am afraid
she would have given us all a hustle FOR
the first place.
Yale has greatly modified the Cook
stroke. and the boat did not go today as
It did when the famous coach was there
The races We're rowed in almost ideal
water and wind. and under clear skies
The course was badly policed, boats get.
ting into the lanes and steamers kicking
up swells after the race had started
Harvard in the 'yrsity race very nearly
collided with Il number of small boats
mt the finish and a heavy swell impeded
Yale.
The Varsity race was prettily rowed
but the defeat wasscrushing. Yale. how.
ever. rowed gamely to the finish, and nei
thef crew showed signs Of distress.
The contest between the substitutes
constituting the Varsity fours was, like
the Varsity eight race. a procession.
with Harvard six full lengths ahead at
the finish. The freshman effort was a
mighty and splendid one up to the last
eighth of Il mile. wheA Haryard's supe-
rlor staying powers. coupled with an un-
fortunate obstruction of the course Of
the Yale youngsters, by a large steamer.
worked fer Haryard's advantage and
sent the 1909 men of Harvard
across the line two lengths ahead OF
Yale. Beth Of these races We're
postponed from the forenoon and
We're rowed about an hour af-
ter they had been scheduled for the
afternoon.
There was little or no betting
The races preliminary to the Varsity
simply served to whet the spectators APP
petite.
The forenoon plans called for the row
Ing of Goth races up stream. but the row
ing of these races in the afternoon made
it necessary to pull down stream In all
three races.
Harvard had been by the fates allot-
ted the stern course and Yale had the
western lane.
The time of the four-oared race was:
Harvard, 1851: Yale :06.
The Freshman race was Il beautiful
one. Yale had the lead throughout un-
til the last few hundred yards. when the
Yale Eoat shipped barrels of water and
was ALMOST swamped by the swash from
!, big steamer. IT was ut this point that
Harvard snatched victory from defeat
The time was Il record breaker on
the Thames, Harvard winning in 1881, /:
Yale. $40.
About Il quarter past six o'clock the
Yale Varsity crew left the float at
Broad View. closely followed by the oars
men of Harvard from Red Top. Ten
minutes later the men had received their
instructions from the referees yacht !;
had backed into their positions at the
start. and were waiting for the word.
With extreme caution Referee Meikle-
ham assured himself that both crews
were ready. and with a last warning
query: Are you redy!' fired the pistol
Ig race Of the day.
The water was as calm and placid as
an inland lake The crews rowed as
usual. in tagged lanes. the blue occupy
ing the eastern course, the crimson the
western. Yale caught the water first
Eut Harvard was Il close second and the
two eights started out Oh their long Jour-
nev practically on even terms. WIN
nerfect rhythm the two crews fell INTO
strokes ut unison.
Reaching down for the mile nag the
Yale coxswain swerved slightly from his
true course. and directly after the miie
flags had been passed Harvard took me
lead. which she was not TO s'iffehaef
throughout the race.
IN the next half mile this was incfeas-
ed to full length. Yale adopted u