The times., 1901-06-16

Good FOrm-The Regatta n Success
Despite Rnin-Other Good Events
Eight red-shirted oarsmen of the Po-
tomaC Boat Club sprung a surprise by
rowing the Georgetown varsity to a stand
still at the Potomac Boat Club regatta
last night. The shells passed over the
line with inches only separating the bows
The adheTents of each crew claimed vic
tory, and after ii had been announced that
the Potomacs had won, the decision was
revoked, and the race declared dead
heat-manifestly a much fairer ruling.
Georgetown was picked to win by lengths
and the stubborn manner in which the
Potomacs hung onto the opposing shell
brought joy to the hearts of those who
look for the local clubs oarsmen to show
well a the Peoples regatta in Philadel-
phia on the Fourth of July.
The fault all lay in the fact that there
was no well defined finish line. ana that
the gentlemen who were supposed to note
the positions of the crews were not in ev-
idence. j. Hadley Doyle acted as referee
and also as starter. The races began at
6:l5 p. m. and were run off in good order.
There were seven races on the card,
single shells and outriggers, double and
single canoes. scrub eights, of George
towE and the Potomac Boat Club. and the
big event of the day, the mile race be-
tween the Georgetown varsity and the
Potomacs. The important event came
last.
The start was made about half mile
above Aqueduct Bridge. Georg getown
caught the water first and got away with
a tremendously high stroke Potomac was
10 to. 4
practically unchanged during the first
quarter mile. The varsity maintained the
high stroke but the recovery was rather
ragged at times, and the boat cut through
the water in a rather jerky manner At
the end of the first quarter the Potomacs
We're rowing trihe slower but steadier
stroke than Georgetown.
Aqueduct Bridge was practically the
halfway mark. and the spectators aboard
the Bartholdi, the referees boat, which
was following, leaned forward to see
which crew cleared the arches of the
bridge first. The Potomacs were the first
to get their shell on the down stream side
of the big stone arches.
Georgetown Immediately hit up the
stroke, which had dropped off a trifle
and the nose OF the varsity boat pushed
up to even terms with that of the Poto-
mac shell, and then began to forge a lit
tie to the good At the three-quarter mile
mark the Potomac boat was steered rath
er out of it's course, and lost a bit through
that mishap. But the oarsmen kept their
stroke at a high speed and began to make
up lost ground
In the opinion of the majority OF people
on the Bartholdi, the Georgetown crew
passed the Potomac Boat Club house, in
the vicinity of which the finishing line
was supposed to be located, about quar-
ter length to the good. The varsity had
been generally picked to win by lengths
and the close finish excited general sur
prise.
When the Bartholdi came alongside the
float at the boathouse, several Of the per-
sons there declared that the Potomacs
had passed the line a winner by inches
only, and that the Georgetown crew tack
ed on too late a squirt which put them
ahead. The referee, ]. HadIey Doyle, at
tempted to ascertain the position of the
shells as they crossed the line, and found
out enough to induce him to declare the
Potomac crew the winner.
The Potomac club members and their
friends, with whom the floats were crowd
ed. Immediately set up great demonstra-
tions of joy. Afterward when the George
town crew, which had padded to their
boathouse, learned of the decision, they
protested against it. II was finally de-
cided that the race be called a dead heat
This was manifestly the only way to set
tie the question inasmuch as the finishing
line was not well defined and the boats
were so close together.
The two eights in this race rowed as
fnllnvNs.