The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-30

hrSt time or record Yale today
triumphed over Harvard in all three
of their boat races in the annua re-
gatta on the Thames. The carers OF
the blue Won the eight Dared varsity
by three and one half boat lengths, the
freshman eight Dared race by two and
a quarter lengths and the Varsity o
cared race by one and a half lengths.
In all three races Harvard put up a
memorable fight and went down to de-
feat after gallant struggles in which
her boys rowed out the last ounce Of
their strength.
The official time for the races was
as follows:
Varsity race: Yale 20 minutes. 10 As
seconds; Harvard 20 minutes, 90 So sec
onds.
Freshman race: Yale 9 minutes, 43 1-5
seconds; Harvard 9 minutes. As 3-5 sec
onds.
Varsity four-oared race: a 10
minutes, SO % seconds; Harvard IL
minutes, 10 1-5 seconds
Yale's three victories are attributed
by the experts to the superiority Of the
i'll IA "oS C1O Wy CO1l11
over that taught Harvard by her grad
uate coaches.
So far as physical form was concern
ed, there was no choice between the
crews, except with the possible excep-
ton that the Yale shin outweigh
ed their rivals over seven pounds to
the man. The varsity was a surprise.
The freshman race had been conceded
to Yale, While n f~Our-Oared race was
also given to Yale in the great major
ity Of the predictions.
The greatest crowd that ever came
to this oniet old harbor town by rail
and water, saw Harvard go down to
defeat. The sky was dull and leaden,
with the Wind cold enough for October.
Referee William kielham, the old
Columbia oarSman at 11:30 notified the
crews. to get ready. In three minuteS
time the Varsity ~fouroared was begun,
and by half past one the big Varsity
race was underway. The three events
for which the blue and the crimson
had trained for Sib weeks as had been
disposed of in a trifie over two hours
without a break or a single incident
to mar any Of the races. The story of
the Varsity race will live long in the
annals of college boating. Harvard led
Yale almost to the mile and a half flag.
over the first mile it looked like Har-
wards race. For the past ten days the
coaches of both crews have said that
the race would be finished within the
first two miles.
New London, June 25.-Last night
John Kennedy told his crew that they
must strike a thirty-two per minut
stroke and hold 1t right through the
race, no difference what happened. 1t
takes rood head work and lots of nerve
to row . lower stroke than the other
crew. when the other crew is leading,
but this is just about what Yale did
this afternoon Harvard OOt 3W9V at
50 strokes to the minute Yale at 90.
Harvard a decidedly the best Of the
start and Nv the end of the first half
mile was leading. Yale by half a boat
length. over the second hal mile Har-
ward held her lead over Yale. Harvard
seemed to think hat she had a grip
on Yale, and Captain McGrew eased his
stroke down to thirty-twO.
The third mile. however. showed that
Harvard could not hold Yale without
rowing a higher stroke. Harvard'S eff
fort over the first mile had begun to
tell on the nerve of the Crimsons eight.
Little by little, the Yale boat began to
creep on Harvard. ust before the
mile and a half flag the shells were
even. and by the time the flag was
reached vn1e had Wrested the lead
away from her old rival.
At the three mile flag. Yale had in
creased her lead to nine seconds, and
had practically won the race. Harvard,
in passing the three mile flag, made her
last squirt to get back her lead. AL
though he was reelmg in his stretcher
and the Harvard crew was SplaShing
water in his a Captain McGrew
raised his stroke up to 81 to the minute.
but even at that gait Harvard could
not catch Yale. For a few strokes the
Harvard gained a tribe. but before the
three and a half mile flag was reached
Captain McGrew had been compelled to
drop back to a 81 gait. Harvard was
now tired and Yale began TO gain on
every stroke.
It was now only a question of boat
lengths. Harvard cheers had died away
and the broad Thames now reSOunded
with one grand Yale, Yale! -Yale.!!"
while from the decks of 200 yachts the
cannon were booming forth a alu to
the victor, and a Bravo" for the van
pushed. Finally the flag dropped. 1t
was Yale's race by three good BOAT
lengths.
Captain McGrew who had rOwed for
Harvard as gallant a race as n mar
ever rowed for any college, fell over
limp on his oar, while Duffy sank down
in the shell from sheer exhaustion.
Swain at bow had also rowed out
the last ounce of his power and his oar
slipped from his hands. Yale, strong
with the nerve which victory gives
pulled on below the great ~draWbrldge
for two or three boat lengths before
her coXswain called his men to rest.
The story of the freshman race is that
of a long sprint by Yale's stalwarl
~youngster with Harvard clinging to
their heels in a plucky fight. In this
race. as in the Varsity race. Harvard
rowed a higher stroke than Yale While
the latter took a 80 to the minute gait
and hung to it with scarcely a variation
of the stroke in the whole two miles.