Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-07-04
YALE WON BY Two LENGTHS
Harvard Was Defeated In a
Magnificent Race.
THOUSANDS SAW THE CONTEST
Yale Also Took a Victory In
Freshmen.
Harvard, However, Got some Consolation
by Winning tho Four-oared contest--The
Conditions for the Big Event Fairly Fa-
vorable--Haryard Led at the Start.


university rowing event OF tho year 10
the last half mile OF the four-mile
course Yesterday by a scant two lengths.
The magnificent contest was witnessed
BY thousands from observation trains,
yachts and points OF vantage along the
banks. To Yale also fell tho honor OF
a victory in the freshman race, whilel
Harvard last night took consolation In \
the fact that her varsity four walked
away from the Yale quartz handsomely.
The two minor races, with honors
divided, served only to whet the appe-
titns Of the spectators. These contests
had resulted exactly as the experts had
,'edicted, and 10000 people were Inn
atient for the supreme event OF the
'gatta.
The big race was srowed down stream
In the cool OF the evening shortly after
I o'clock. The conditions were fairly
favorable A wind out OF the south
west blew diagonally against the crews
ut tho ratio Of about six miles nm hour.
A beautiful start with the two eights
rowing stroke for Htroke hogan con-
test that will never be fore often by
those who witnessed it.
Harvard Immediately took tie lead.
Her stalwart onremen retained IL for a
mile and half. At the two mile flag
Yale had cut down the Harvard ad-
vantage and drew ahead only to lose
again before half mile had been
travelled. For still another half the
Cambridge boys held on. The excite
ment was intense,
Beth crews by this time had dropped
to an unusually slow stroke. at times
the rate being scarcely 30. Yaie's endur-
anoe, however, was up to the standard,
and as the two shells approached the
three.and a-hRlf mile flags the Ellis
spurted m1gnifioently. Harvard heroi-
cally responded, but 1t was Yalss day,
She took the lead and not only kept 1t,
but drew away rapidly 10 the last
quarter mile unit the finish was
reached, when Yale tore across the line
barely two lengths ahead, with Harvard
rowing manfully.
The victory for Yale is due to the
splendid power of her oarsmen and the
superb generalship of Coxswain Chit.
tendeu. With great foresight he refused
to push his men until the supreme
moment. This care found his men
ready. Harvard had shot her bolt
earlier, and Yale had added another TO
| her long list of victories.
The raoe was hard one for Harvard
to lose-a magnificent one for the
winners. The end found Goodell, the
bow oar in the Harvard shell, in state
Of collapse. 1t was necessary to lit
him from his seat into tho launch. In
the Yale she'll Stroke Cameron, too,
was in distress, but he was aGle to help
himself to the Yale launch. The other
oarsnien were all strong and in good
condition. ~
The freshman contest was an easy one
for the Yale youngsters, Harvard, 1904,
being four and a half lengths to tie
rear. Harvard's four won with mar
veloua ease by six full lengths. No
records were broken and time for the
varsity race was unusually slow,
probably because Of an unexpectedly
low stroke and the crosswind.
The race between the varsity Fights,
the event Of the day, was delayed until
wind and tide conditions were favorable.
1t was $50 O'Clock in the evening
when Referee MeilSleham caused the
| whistle on the yacht Nushka TO be
blown as signal for the rival Fights
to prepare. At exactly Z O'Clock the
Yale oarsmen launched their shell at
Broadview, and FIVE minutes later we're
padding lelsure]y to the starting point,
half a mile down the river. Harvard
was but two minutes behind the Ellis,
and went across the river to the accom-
paniment of the Harvard band
There was no loss OF time. and at 7. IA
both boats were in position, receiving
instructions from tie referee. Yale
had the east course, while Harvard
occupied the west. The pistol was
fired at 7.l5. 1t was q start almost on
even terms, Harvard, possibly, having q
slight advantage. For three lengths it
was stroke for stroke at SO to he
minute. Yale then dropped to IS, while
Harvard went downEto 81.
The water was smooth, although there
was a slight breeze from the southwest,
Before 10 lengths had been travelled 1t
was evident the race was TO be- q good
one. Harvard had drawn away BY a
quarter of length, The Fights were
rowing as one man. At tho half mile
1t was Harvard by n very narrow
margin, a second and fifth as to time,
and still quarter OF a length as to
distance. As the first flags of the
course were passed Yale was rowing
IS and Harvard was one point lower.
Harvard had seettled down into the
best work OF her race, and with beauti-
fully steady pull, the Cambridge boys
/ sent their shell still further ahead,
Yale, too, WAS rowing magnifieent,y,
but at this stage Of the race did not
display the dash of the Harvard men,
Accordingly, at the mile 1t began to
look like Harvard. Her bont was a Of
seconds ahead of Yale at the one-mile
flag, a comfortable length TO the good
at this point, however, Yale's spirit
began to show itself, and little nore
go" appeared in the New Haven
craft.
Slowly. but surely, Yale gained, and
in the next half Eile cut Haryard's
lead down to scant half length. Tbe
difference in the time was 9 as
seconds. Both crews were rowing like
clockwork, and there was every indica-
ton that each eight was able to stay
CUT the entire four miles. Passing the
mile and half, Yale lowered her stroke
and Harvard followed, and for the resr
OF the race, with the exception Of
beautiful spurts upon occasions, the
crews hardly varied from 80 to 81.
When the two-mile flags were passed.
Yale was leading for the first time In
the race. The margin, however, was
dangerously narrow. Harvard was ony
second behind, but in the next half
mile she again wrested the lead away
from Yale, and at the two and half
mile Harvard led by Just two-tifths Of
a second, ~
Those on the Official yachts, sumo Of
| whom were oarsmen NJ formar davs "a