The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-03
WHY CAMBRIDGE WILL WIN.
Ex-CantaD Says Victory or q Length over
Harvard Will About DO.

Harvard will lose by about a len 9Th 10
Cambridge" said an eX-Cantab who once
sported the light blue in more than one
wetbob tussle; at least if the Englishmen
are masters OF the situation that il all they
will care to come in ahead Of tn eir oppon ents.
IL will be remembered that English crews
Of recent years who ave defeated crews
from foreign countries have neve won by
more than a length or thereabout. To
win In enough, and EnRlishmen are never
out for making a monkey Of the other man
BY no means do | wish to underrate the
abilities OF Harvard, for i think they ars
good men, and will put up a good stiff fight
but will be found defective at the crit ical
moment. To this record trial OF the Ameri-
cans on Saturday ! place very little import
ance. for II is strange what difference there is
In the course from one day to another. A
crew may go out to-day on the Thames and
row In record time and the day sftet may
a minute of the figure accomplished the day
prev ious. Then. again. oarsmen know that
lnyarlaoly 2 crew VIII 90 wonders when
but the case will be totally different when
there Is another crew TO worry them all ov or
rs there much Of adherence between
the Harvard strokes? Why. yes. and 40 much
Oughly explain IL. Jim WTay. the Australian
%sculler, has done we'll with Harvard in making
ing | have seen them exhibit he has simply
grated a sculler's stroke TO the Harvard
sweep,
1T il laughable to read the critics state
ments that Harvard rows exactly like Cam
bridge. In one thing they are similar, and
that is in the length OF slide used, which is the
veriest item of the stroke. Harvard men
dip their oars into the water perpendicularly
at the catch and make q sort of an irregular
cut, which causes several inches Of broken
water and first Of all is a disadvantage, as
II means the loss OF 40 much at the very be-
ginning OF the stroke. Then in pulling the
stroke through the Wray plan In that Of the
sculler. for the Harvard men partly Jerk the
oar out at the finish. spillinR the water on the
blade, and these are mostly the points pur-
sued by a professional sculler. A Cambridge
man is taught the execution OF his stroke
entirely different.
He gets his oar into the water on a bevel,
thereby getting a clean. firm grip on the
water in the first instant, and he avoids a
splashy. foamy beginning for his stroke.
With a good heaYp Of the shoulders he drives
the blade horizontally through to the end,
at which he drops the hands into the lap
and the oar Is lifted clean out Of the water
and without the least fuss. This means GEL
ting all the power possible out Of the oar
while II Is in the water. which, after all, il
the chief thing in boat racing.
Another difference Is that the Americans
feather their oars Immediately before the
catch and the two delicate parts Of the stroke
the feather and catch-occupy the same
instant. This Is too much. One thing AZ a
time. and the plan used by the Englishmen
il pr BILE They feather when the blade
IL even with the rOwlock and carry II hack
on a bevel. having it ready for the catch at
the proper time"