New-York tribune., 1901-04-23
SUSPICIOUS OF AMERICANS.
COMMENTS OF AN ENGLISH OARSMAN
ON THE COMING INTERNATIONAL
ROWING CONTESTS

London April l2.-To-day THE Daily Telegraph"
concludes a series of rowing articles by IAN Old
Blue" who in addition to being an English uni
versty oarsman. acted at one time as Harvard
coach, and therefore is supposed from the Eng
sh point of view to speak with authority on
American athletics
The articles in question cover the whole Held or
the coming international at Henley very
thoroughly. but they neither complimentary to
the American rowing system nor generous in the
view taken of American amateur purity They be-
gin with the question whether the American crews
should be welcomed at all to Henley. To this query
the writer yields rather grudging assent on the
general theory that If England cannot put good
enough at Henley to win against anything,
either amateur or professional, which America
send, then she had better go out of rowing AT the
same time he warns the stewards to scrutinize
carefully the American entries especially those of
Pennsylvania and the Dauntess Club. OF New
York. This club he regards particularly open to
suspicion, because he has never heard of 1t him
self
The comments on the difference in system
ployed by American and English universities in
selecting their more instructive, are
The criticisms of American training and boat build
ing The writer points out the advantage England
secures in selecting her university eights from
among all the rowing in the university, in
stead of being restricted by the lines of graduating
classes.
Discussing the employment of the professional
coach in America, the writer remarks that the
so far to coach crew at all and he adds:
Even If he did his possible pupils require some
thing far more serious than anything they could
ee out TI any d Sa cnacS wbst tu 9y
cheerfully ready give themselves and that is the
best the heart brain soul body and experience can
summon to the one task of discovering how TO win.
This trait of wanting win is solemnly dis
coursed upon some length to the conclusion that
winning. even winning fairly. is but side issue
in athletic contests. and has developed among
Americans into positive vice
Considerable space is devoted to American
chanical training devices such the tank and the
gymnasium rowing machine. which are made nee
essary by the severity of American winters and the
comparative shortness of the rowing season. These
devices held up for English consideration as in
dications of the curious mechanical resourcefui-
of the strange bred the far side of the
Atlantic The writer declares however. that they
are but a manifestation in concrete form Of the
surplus nerves with which Americans are af-
hicted and he argues that, while American crew
may be dangerous on the mile and quarter course
Henley, America is not likely 10 develop an eight
who could outstay a crack varsity crew over the
fourrnile course at Putney. He warns the English
oarsmen nevertheless, that. whatever advantage Is
to be found in boat building. oar making or other
mechanical accessories, the American crews Will be
sure to have discovered ii and will bring II into
play at Henley. Engand's great superiority he as
serts will always rest in the natural waterman
ship which he believes to be so much more abun-
dant in English universities than among American
| vantage which the English crew derives from its
method of keeping it's alternate sides Of the
boat instead Of dead the line Of the keel The
English system, he contends gives several inches OF
additional inboard leverage. with the same length
of oar and outrigger It also adds to the steadness
| OF the boat.
The absence Of swivel oarlocks from the English
boat he says, contributes to the same end. 1t also
| restricts somewhat the maximum sweep or the
stroke; but he claims 1t confines the efforts OF the
| crew to the area where effort is most effective
| The writer concludes, in part, as follows:
| Do we welcome them (the American crews this
| year? OF do fully and heartily and with
| we know and Harvard know, but who are ye?"
| Yet we are confident that, even ir all American
competitors do not read these columns, they nave
loyally tried fulfil the conditions of Henley Re-
gatta entries If any have not done So we look 10
the stewards prevent any bother. The guardians
ful Let the stewards permit Pennsylvania 10 prove
to her compatriots well as TO ourselves that the
| old suggestion about buying up good athletes IS
/ absolutely baseless. That will be good thing IN
| itself II will be indispensable at Henley. The
National Amateur Association in the United States
! about Ten Eyck which a short time ago
Let US have such uncertainty on this SIDE Inc
| afidavits as to the bona fde amateur standing or
| every possibe member of the Pennsylvania ere"
have been posted the authorities here The crew
and their instructor. Mr.. Ward, ought TO arrive
about the middle of June May they meet us in the
same spirit in which welcome them. as crew
of amateur oarsmen at the premier anna teur regatta
/ of the world.