New-York tribune., 1900-06-30
CREWS EVENLY MATCHED.
THE RACE THOUGHT TO LIE BETWEEN
CORNELL AND PENNSYLVANIA.

sUPPoRTERs-PROG FOR THE
BIG COLLEGE REGATTA AT
PoUGHKEEPsIB TO-DAY.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TR1BUNE.I
Poughkeepsie, June 29.-The crews that will
race tomorrow took their last practice spins on
the Hudson early this evening The sun had
already sunk below the hills the west, leav-
ing most of the river in the gathering shadows.
On the east side OF the stream. however the
sun still fell aslant the water. and the crews
made pretty picture as they sped from shadow
into sunlight their cleaning for an in
stant IN the rays, and then growing black as
the shells passed swiftly again into the
shadows. The quiet that always comes with the
gathering dusk had fallen upon the water, and
could hear the hoarse cries Of the coaches,
the grunts Of the urging coxswain at each
stroke, and the final weigh all" as the crews,
with last squirt, finished their practice work
of the season.
There are three races to be rowed to-mor
between the hours of and p. M. and in
them twelve separate crews will take part With
many contestants the task even of naming
the two leading crews in each struggle becomes
a formidable one. OF course. the chief interest
is centered in the big varsity race, wherein
five eight-oared crews will strive fiercely for
the mastery. The outcome is wholly a puzzle.
1t is much easier to name with some confidence
who will be the tailenders than 1t is to pick the
leaders.
To begin, then. by putting the cart before
the horse, and thus also mixing farming with
boat racing, 1t seems If Georgetown would
surely come in last. A wild rumor spread about
town tonight that "cocky' Georgetown man
had turned up with large "wad." and
pressed willingness to back his even
against any other. A committee was at once
appointed to find the man, but at late hour
the Georgetown lad was still nothing save a
rumor
CHANCES OF THE CREWS.
There is no question that Georgetown is we'll
represented by plucky and sturdy eight, but it
takes more than year to build up winning
four mile crew, and only one of Georgetown's
men had rowed in q shell before six weeks ago.
There is, too a great difference between the
Georgetown oarsmen and the other crews.
The Georgetown men look rather light little
tanned by sun or rain and with hardly the en-
durance to hold out in a gruelling four mile
race such to-morrow's will be.
There are some who contend that Georgetown
is not going to have perfect "cinch" on last
place. and that 1t is going to be pretty race
between her and Columbia to who shall come
in No. g. This statement is made, too. in the
face Of Hanlan's recent prophecy that the var
sity from New-York City going to be at the
been watching all the crews declare that Co
lumbia's frequent changes of method have told
heavily against her. and that her form is likely
to tumble to pieces under the spur of a hot
second two miles. There is, consequently, not
much Columbia money in sight, though a IA
vorite bet on the part of the New York men is
that their will finish better than fourth.
The question Of chief interest is not who will
lose, but who will win. With five big varsity
the leaders will be crowned will be large and
luxuriant, and there is the most intense rivalry
on the part of the crews that known to be
about equal in their practice speed. Until re-
Gently the race has been pronounced TO be be-
tween Pennsylvania. the winner of last year
and Cornell The Quaker boat Is only little
changed from last season. and is rowing fast
In the last fortnight, Coach Courtney, who Is
usually cautious to his utterances. has ex-
pressed in the powers of his varsity eight
growing confidence that has alarmed the Phila-
delphians good deal.
The Qual1ers came to the front with a rush
again to-day when the results became known of
| their time row yesterday morning. The truth
of the matter is that Ellis Ward feeling that his
| men had not had enough work, sent them over
| the full course at hard clip They rowed in
| slack water with little breath OF wind on their
| quarter in the last two miles. Just before the
| one mile mark the ferryboat swept directly
| across their course, sending some heavy swells
! to bother the shell, but the oarsnen did not let
up for an instant, and finished that first two
miles in the time (Which Ward said was correcO
| of minutes and 80 seconds. The time for the
| four miles 20 minutes and 20 seconds. If
this is correct It means very fast time under such
conditions. The Quaker freshmen started up
| the course at the time their elder breth-
| rem, and kept we'll in the running for two miles.
PENNSYLvANIAs GOOD SHOWING.
| These facts. which have even now not be-
| come thoroughly public have resulted in quiet
| boom for Pennsylvania. and her hackers are
consequently finding difficulty IN placing their
bets so advantageously as they had hoped; but
| time rows are notoriously futile affairs An
eight Dared crew can break time records in prac-
tice until the river and much hotter places freeze
over, and then fall down utterly in the actual
| race.
| While Pennsylvania and Cornell have seemed
to have the call right along, tonight Wiscon-
| sins claims being exploited on every side.
| Wisconsin is unknown and unfathomabe
| quantity but her position a growing favorite
| tonight seems to be largely a case of the
wish being father to the thought. A Wisconsin
| victory would be immensely popular with the
| public, and sympathy which would naturally
| go to the athletes who travel two thousand
! miles to show their sporting spirit is increased
| by their magnificent showing made last June
| The best opinion tonight, however, does not
| favor Wisconsin for first place. Unless her
coach has been playing tremendously foxy"
game, at least two of the Wisconsin eight are
in rather 9oor shape physically and unlikely