The Elbert County tribune., 1906-09-13
HARVARD BEATEN
oEFEATED BY cAMsRiDeE UNI.
vERsiTY CREW.
TWO BOAT LENGTHS BEHIND

Performance OF American Crew 10 Dis
appointing-Did Not Show the Vim
Expected Of Them-Finish In Bet
ter Condition Than Cambridge
Putney. England. Saturdays boat
race between crews OF Harvard and
Cambridge universities. which was won
by the Englishmen by two lengths,
was probably the most surprising ever
rowed on the Thames. not so much
ip the result as the way in which It
was run.
Cambridge. as has been feared by
Harvard and hoped for the by Eng
lishmen, got away the better, secur-
ing the lead which they increased to
three lengths before Hammersmith
bridge was reached Both crews, as
they went under the bridge
were rowing steadily at twenty
eight strokes to the minute.
neither apparently exerting itself.
Suddenly Harvard commenced to use
more power. and although Cambridge
already had the race won and had tho
VI NditT tnt ldt-
ter was. compelled TO increase its
stroke to thirty-three and finished
tired out crew. Donaldson was ready
TO collapse, and Closebrooks, in tho
bow, was nearly as bad. The remain
der OF the crew padded the boat to
the landing stage. The Harvard men,
on the other hand, apparently were
quite fresh, and took their boat across
the river at brisk rate.
English experts say there Is but
one explanation for the result. that of
superiority of English Craftsmanship
and OF the English stroke. Harvard
was one of the finest crews physically
ever seen on the river, but was unable
to overcome that training which Eng
lish oarsmen receive from childhood.
The Cambridge crew, too, had in
Stuart one of the best strokes England
had produced. 1t also had the advan-
tage of choice of side, but those who
know the river best say this was little
in their favor with the tide and wind
as they were Saturday.
The crowd which lined the banks
| from Putney to Mortlake. massed on
bridges. roofs and balconies and
weighed down the branches OF trees.
was record gathering for recent
years. To estimate the number OF per
be impossible, but they stretched in
unbroken strings for four and one-half
miles on eithar side of the river. or
Americans, there we're hundreds. all
showing the Harvard colors, chiefly In
| specially chartered boats. The Grim
son, however, only showed in splashes
amid the endless display of the light
blue of Cambridge. When the light
| blues were seen TO have gained an
| advantage at tho start a great cheer
went up from the crowds on Putney
bridge, in Fullham park and on the
| Putney towpath. II was taken up by
those farther along and continued
| without interruption to the end OF tho
race, when there was final tremend-
GUS outburst from the people on Barns
| bridge. the excursion steamers an
chored at the finish and the thou
sands who had gathered at Mortlake
Stroke Stuart of the Cambridge
crew said:
| "Filley and his crew rowed a magni-
fcent race. We are glad we won, but
sorry to defeat such good fellows
Captain Filley of the Harvard boat
laconically declared that his men had
been beaten fairly and squaroly.
Coacn Wray was gloomy and had moth
| ing to say, except that he had no ex-
cuse to offer. Coach Mattlebury or
Cambridge, said:
"The Harvard men made up the best
crew ever sent out from the United
states. With another year and little
more of the English style the Har-
yard men will be dangerous rivals.
hope the Americans will favor us with
another visit"