Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-02

hopeful as the hour for the race drew
near. There seemed to be growing
confidence that Colson. the old Cornell
coxswain, had done remarkably well for
Harvard and that he might fool Yale
even though the Ellis said they had as
good an eight as they had ever pro-
duced.
The race was rowed with a strong
tide and a strong wind in favor Of the
crews. There was too much wind, how
ever. for good shell racing and the time
was correspondingly slow. The two
VARSITY Fights are both capable of very
much faster time. as they have de-
monstrated in their practice spins on
the Thames.
Both crews dropped their strokes
down very low again and again on ac-
count Of the heavy swells which made
:. high stroke impossible. For this. the
race was unique. 1t has never before
happened that two Varsity Fights
have raised and lowered their stroke
to such an extent as these two crews
did in today's races. Yale's stroke
ranged from % to SO to the minute.
Harvard's ranged from % to 36 to the
minute Yale's normal gait was 81.
while Harvard's normal gait was from
80 to "a.
II was $50 before the four-oar race
was started up stream from the navy
ward. This delayed the Varsity race.
At 1O.55 the Yale eight arrived at the
start lust above the big drawbridge
and five minutes later the Harvard
launch appeared with the Crimson
crew. At 11.15 both crews were at their
stake boats and in less than two min
ntes the referees pistol sounded the
signal for the start.
Both crews got away in splendid
style, Yale rowing So strokes to the
minute while Harvard was only row
ing "a. Yale's boat was not running so
smoothly as Harvards and the Rlis
were plainly making an effort to get
the lead. The Harvard shell was run
ming smoothly and the crew was row.
ing we'll within itself. Harvard's row.
ing was very smooth and attractive
and old oarsmen expressed some sur
prise and wondered whether Yale
could hold her lead. The Ellis finished
the first half mile rowing at % strokes
to the minute and leading Harvard by
one and half boat lengths.
Harvard was also rowing % strokes
Mt the half mile. The Crimson had the
worst water over the first mile of the
course While Harvard's course lay
in the swiftest tidewater it was most
affected by the wind. By the time the
mile flag was reached Yale had raised
her stroke to 80 and Harvard had
iumped hers up to 80 to the minute.
Haryard's squirt cut down Yale's lead
nv lust one-half second. Although Har-
ward spurted again and again over the
remaining three miles Of the race this
was the only time in which the I'M
sons squirt decreased Yale's leaf
At the mile and a half 'agzr,
ter was very choppy and b9 trd Tvs
were compelled to drop hex " re
down to 25 to the minut. q ho $
now leading by little Ge,lv var
lengths. Just below tie ,yhe III
where the hills protect tn CO. tho riv-N
the wind is from the souteas ;,,r,ned n
er was smoother and botl Gre "
their stroke back to 81. ! 4c,eaIX
At the two-mile flag, Yale had Xa1R.
Of IL seconds, or three good bSf Y
lengths. Above the navy yard YSaS
let her stroke down to 81. but Harvard
kept here to %. The Ellis gained just
one second over the next half mile.
Between the two and one-half mile
and the three-mile flags the New Hav-
en- crew began to do its best to make
time. Capt. Cross men increased their
lead by five seconds. They jumped
their stroke up to SO and as Harvard
saw Yale's squirt she put hers to "a. All
ter this effort Yale dropped her strokf
down to 90, where she held it until x
most at the finish. when she ag2
raised It to "a. Harvard had dropks
her stroke down to 80 at the snd
flag, after which she raised II to ~ II
-