Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-26
CORNELL THEFAV0R|TE
Crowds at Poughkeepsie for
Boat Races Today.
SIX EIGHTS TO CONTEST
COLUMBIA THOUGHT TO HAVE
GOOD CHANCES WITH RIVALS.
Sun Shone on Hudson for First Time
in Three Weeks, but Frequent
Showers Are Likely.
SIX EIGHTS TO CONTEST

POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y, June 26.-When
the 100 college oarsmen looked out of their
windows this morning they were surprised
to find their race day opening with clear
skies, and to see the sun for the first time
in twenty days. There were indications in
the west of showery weather.
The wind from the south was hardly more
than zephyr. While the conditions this
morning are exceedingly favorable there
is no assurance that they will continue to
be propitious, for the wind is in a natur-
ally bad quarter, the majority of storms
along the Hudson valley being heralded
by south winds.
Very Light Attendance.
Never in the history of Poughkeeps.e has
there been such a light attendance of col
lege sympathizers and followers as ap-
peared in the hotels and on the streets this
morning This may be due to the fact that
the races are held late in the afternoon,
and there is plenty of time for the people
in the cities up and down the river to get
here by special trains before the first race
is rowed.
of all kinds began to arrive this morning,
some of them coming from New London,
where the owners had witnessed the Yale
and Harvard races yesterday. Among them
antine boat, carrying Governor Odell and
party. The governor affects the colors Of
Columbia, his alma mater.
Cornell Feels Certain.
Cornell is still the favorite. Coach O'Dea
of Wisconsin said today:
II have been trying to instill in my men
the idea that they win a race on their
merits, and not merely on a chance acci-
dent to the Cornell crews, but the public
press and the people surrounding the men
are continually pounding into them that
they haven't any chance, and l am afraid
that this affects the mems minds and thus
the chances of winning. But race is won
by the men at the oars, and not by the peo-
pie making the bets in the hotel lobbies.'
Hanlon of Columbia is, next to Courtney
of Cornell the most confident of all the
coaches here this morning. He says that
his men, especially in the varsity crew,
have a good chance to win, and that it is
anybodys race.
Syracuse Freshmen.
The Syracuse coach is confident that his
youngsters in the freshman race will give
the other crews good fight and stand a
chance to land first.
Cornell puts the heaviest crews on the
river this afternoon and Syracuse the light
est. The fact that Cornell has the heaviest
crews shows decided change of sentiment
on the part of Coach Courtney as to the
weight of men behind the oars. Some
years ago when Yale and Harvard We're
rowing with Cornell Courtney contended
that light crew was better than a heavy
one. and, in fact. he won two races from
very heavy Yale crews.
At noon the wind had shifted around to
the southwest, with indications of a further
shift westward. This If maintained, would
be good for the course and make smooth
water. for the highlands along the west
he rlv
winds. All indications at noon favored
ideal weather for the contest
Moving the Shells.
There was practice this morning of
any account, the principal work scheduled
for the oarsmen being the moving of their
shells from the respective. boat houses to
the ice house at the two-mle mark which
Is the rendezvous of all the crews.
They are required to have their boats
placed in the Ice house at least two hours
before the race to insure all hands being
promptly at the starting line time. The
Cornell boats were first at the rendezvous
at 10 O'Clock. Wisconsin a close sec
Ond and Georgetown, Syracuse, Columbia
and Pennsylvania arrived at a seasonable
hour, so that there was no likelihood of any
delay in starting the races through fault of
any of the participants