Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16
ROWING SEASON OPENS
ANNUAL EIGHT-OARED SHELL
CONTEST AT ANNAPOLIS.
Georgetown Crews Beaten by Small
Margin in Two Races on
Severn River.


ANNAPOLIS, Md, April 10.
The rowing season of 1903 was opened
here today by the annual eight-oared shell
contests between the first and second crews
of Georgetown University and the CORE
spending crews of the Naval Academy.
The day was all that could have been de-
sired and the water the upper course
was in almost perfect condition, but un-
fortunately the inner stretch is so far away
that it is almost inaccessible, unless one
launch. In consequence of this the large
crowd of Georgetown students, as well as
the goodly number of ladies and gentle
men who journeyed down 10 see the races,
were deprived of IA view of the whole
course
Owing to the ceremonies of transferring
the remains of the Mexican ambassador to
the vessel for transportation to Vera Cruz,
the time of the boat race was changed from
O'Clock in the afternoon to 1879 in the
morning. This change kept many of the
Washngtoniars from seeing the contest
The race was beautiful one in every re-
spect, the finish line furnishing as hand
some effect the biggest contests i'll
the north.
There were myriads of little launches
clustered about the finish Ene and as the
crews came in the stretch there was such
drowned. Besides the many small launches
there were two torpedo boats and several
tugs The main body of midshipmen
viewed the race from the gunboat Landoya
and as their two crews crossed the line
winners In each event their shouting rivaled
the deafening sirens.
Decatur as Referee Boat.
The referee boat was the torpedo-boat
Decatur, and the delay at the starting point
a
No. I, Neal of the Georgetown varsity felt
this especially, as he had been very sick
the night before and had eaten nothing
since leaving Georgetown. At II 30 I'm. the
four crews backed up to the starting buoys,
it having been decided to run all four crews
in one race to save time.
AT the word Coz the Navy varsity
jumped to a good lead the two George
town crews taking the water together The
Navy first crew went up with thirty-six
and forty stroke, and kept up its lead for
the first half mile, while the other three
crews came along on the even.
At this point the Georgetown varsity by
a long stroke. began to creep up, and they
soon came to almost even terms with the
leading crew. The two second crews were
having a lively fight at this point.
Down the river came the frail craft a a
splendid pace, and the crowd of launches
began wig-wagging signals of Hurry"
Navy
The two leading crews were now nip and
tuck, and from the first mile point Barber
of Georgetown sent up his stroke with all
the power in him. In the last reach for
home the race was beautiful-one of the
hardest that has ever been rowed on the
Severn.
Here the illness of Georgetown's No
began to tell, and the Navy crew slowly
crept into the lead. AT the mile and three
quarter mark Coxswain Shriver called the
men up for the final squirt, and they came
with all the power that was left in them.
The boat left at each stroke and the crew
was gaining steadily, but once again the
Navy spurted and went across the line by
scant quarter of length. The time was
1921 10. Georgetown following in 1921 30.
so one can realize the closeness when there
was but two-fifths of a seconds difference.
In the meantime, while this great race
was being waged between the first crews,
the second Fights were having a battle
royal just in the wake of the leaders. The
Navy eight, by great form in the squirt and
almost perfect outboard work, went to the
fore and won by almost two open lengths in
1871. Georgetown second crew came across
in 10 80 ID