The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-21
BETWEEN 5 CREWS
Varsity Race at poughkeepsie Will
Be Very Close.
BADGER oARsMEN ARE STRONG
Westerners Are Considered by the
Rowing Experts to Have an
Excellent Chance.

For. the fourth time, the sturdy oarsmen
from the university of Wisconsin strug-
gled this afternoon on the course at
Poughkeepsie against the crack crews Of
the east. For the fourth time the badgers
went to New York with high hopes of
winning first place in the greatest event
Of the year in college aquatics.
In 1899 the Wisconsin men made their
first appearance as an important factor
in the Poughkeepsie ragatta. Before the
, race they. were not reckoned by the ex-
perts as having fighting chance. Their
stroke was ragged said the experts; true
form was altogether lacking in the Wis
consin boat = z--
Three minutes after the start of tho
race form charts were shattered into an
hundred fragments. The ragged, splashing
stroke Of the wiryj westerners was send
ing their shell to the front at rate that
the Pennsylvania and Cornell crews
struggled in vain to equal At the two
mile mark Wisconsin had the race we'll in
hand. At three miles they were still
ahead, and at three miles and half.
Then just before the finish of the race,
the coxswain of the badger shell saw
a floating berry crate directly in the
course of the boat. To run into it meant
| certain defeat, and adopting the only pos
sible course, he turned the shell aside
| to clear the obstruction.
That turn threw Wisconsin into the
wash of the pleasure boats that lined
the course. The boat lost much of her
headway, and Pennsylvania sweeping on
with steady stroke, flashed across the
Lime.
Two years ago Wisconsin finished sec
one, Pennsylvania again winning the
event. The badger freshmen, however,
took first place in their race, so that all
together the westerners did still more to
A.
ern oarsmen.
Badgers Are Favorites.
Last year, with the flower of the Quak-
er oarsmen absent in England at the
Henley regatta, the badgers had a fair
chance to win, but the green crew which
represent ed the! west was not equal to the
occasion, finishing. third This year, with
a crew Of veterans, the badgers have been
touted as favorites ! by the wiseacres-
That opinion has been still further aug
mented by the splendid showing made by
Wisconsin in practice at Poughkeepsie.
Nevertheless, Georget own, Pennsylvania,
Cornell and Columbia are recognized as
strong factors, and so little was there to
choose between the crews that it was
prophesied that the victory would be one
Of feet or even inches, rather than one
| of lengths.
1 Cornell has a crew that in form and
perfection Of style Is the superior of any
aggregation that has ever represented ths
Ithaca institution. Last years vict orious
crew is practically intact, and if the men
have as much speed and endurance as
they have style, they should win out.
This point, however, Is mooted one,
and the work Of the 1thacans In practice
4 at Poughkeepsie has rather lowered the
crew in the minds OF the experts. =
Columbia is not now regarded as strong
body OF men as last years, but the
rowers have been steadily improving and
are expected to be at their best to-day.
The poor showing made by Pennsylva-
MIA in the earlier rowing events of the
year has somewhat detracted from the
prestige accorded a crew which included
five of the men who rowed at Henley q
year ago. r. e. --.
Nevertheless, the Quakers will undoubt-
ed1y have a much stronger crew than
that which competed at Poughkeepsie last
| year. and cannot be disregarded in pre-
dictions OF the race r.
Georgetown has surprised all by the
showing of her men in practice, and from
being regarded as a very doubtful dark
horse, has been accorded consideration as
one of the important factors in the race.
Advantage In Choice of Course.
With these Ave crews apparently so
evenly matched, it was the opinion of ex-
perts that the weather and tide conditions
Of the day might determine the victory.
Although there is supposed to be Mo adj
vantage in any of the courses, experts be-
lieve that under certain conditions GER
tain crews will be favored.
Beginning at the west shore, Pennsy1-
vania has No. /, Cornellis second. CoIuu-
bia third, Georgetown fourth, Wisconsin
fifth, and Syracuse sixth.
With smooth sea the middle courses
will prove most advantageous. while II the
l water is choppy, the inner course, whore
the water, is always comparatively smooth
will be the desirable position, At slack
water there will be little choice OF
courses, but If the race is rowed with a
strong ebb tide as planned the places near
4 the center Of the river, where the tide Is
swiftest, may decide the victory.
II conditions in the varsity eight cared
race are uncertain, those that prevail in
the freshman and four cared contests are
absolutely chaotic. If Information Is
scanty in regard to the respective merits
OF the crews entered in the varsity race.
it is entirely lacking in the minor con-
tests. No one seems to know anything
about any of the five freshman eights, and
the makeup of the three varsity fours Is
still uncerain. =