The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-28
COLLEGE CREWS
WILL ROW TO-DAY
THE INTERCOLLEGIATE RACE
BETWEEN SIX BIG UNIVERSITIES
WILL BE RUN.

Ithacnns Are FavOrites in Nearly All
of the Events, but May Withdraw
Their Four on Account of Forbes
Illness from Blood POison-If the
Four Does Not start 1t VIII BE the
First Time in the History of the
Regatta That They Have Failed.
Poughkeepsie. June 27.-The annual
intercollegiate regatta will be held on
the Hudson river off this place to-day
and the struggle for aquatic suprem-
acy promises to furnish the usual keen
competition that has marked the fix
ture for many years past. Three races
are scheduled, but, of course, interest
is centered in the varsity eight race,
which will bring together six repre-
Sentative crews of the leading col
leges.
Those that will start in the big
event are Georgetown. Columbia, Syr-
acuse. Pennsylvania. Cornell and Wis
consin. According to the drawing last
week the crews will row as named
above, with Georgetown No. l and the
others to follow.
During the last week there was con-
siderable activity among the coaches
whipping their candidates into shape
for the final effort. AS a result of the
hard work done along the river and
the preparations before their arrival at
Poughkeepsie all of the crews will be
fit for the four-mile row.
Cornell is the FavOrite.
Nearly all of the crews have many
supporters, and there is expected to be
some spirited betting among the col
legians on the day of the races. Cor
nell is a slight favorite, and the fol-
lowers of the Ithacans are willing to
wager that they will carry off a ma
jority of the races. The Cornell crew
is said to be strong. Notwithstanding
the fact that Coach Courtney is not en-
thusiastic over the performances of the
varsity eight.
Courtney has surely had his troubles
with the varsity four, and there is
some doubt as to whether the four will
start If the crew is withdrawn it
will be the first time in the history
of the regatta that Cornell has not
been represented by a four. Forbes,
the regular incumbent of No. 8, who
is i'll with blood poisoning is the cause
of the upset. Courtney has tried the
experiment of putting George Foote,
of the varsity eight, in Forbes's place,
with the idea of having him row in
two races. The combination worked
well, but Courtney is afraid that he
may spoil his eight, and this he does
not think would be a wise move just
for the sake of strengthening the four
Foote, who is a giant in strength,
~, Ill
isfactorily, but there is a risk that
Courtney does not feel inclined to take.
In speaking of his varsity eight Court
ney said that he considered it several
seconds slower than last years eight.
Those who have, seen Cornell in
practice are satisfied that they have
improved greatly since their arrival IN
the Hudson and few doubt that the
Red and White will again be victorious
in majority of the races. The Cor
nell crew has weight. hight, some ex-
perience and the benefit of Courtney's
skillful coaching. The mems physical
advantage has enabled them TO take
hard practice both morning and even
ing, and up to date they have not felt
the effects of the heat.
Heat Affects CoIumbians.
The warm weather has played havoc
with some of the other colleges. espe-
cially Columbia. Coach Goodwin has
little to say about the Columbia boys,
but he expects them to make a good
showing in the events.
The Georgetown oarsmen. who did
not put in an appearance until the
middle of last week. have attracted
considerable attention
The collegians have not forgotten the
splendid race Georgetown rowed last
year. They have had very ragged
form, both in body and blade work, but
the same characteristic, was manifest
last season, and yet Georgetown fin
ished second. This absence of form,
usually exalted by rowing experts,
seems peculiar to Georgetown. With
the stroke taught by Dempsey and the
mems natural advantages they seem
to have the qualifications to get there,
and that is what counts