Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-23
BIG VARSITY
CREWS RACE TODAY
Special Dispatch to The Star.


PoUGHKEEPSIE. N T., June 23.-Over
the beautiful four-miie straight-away
course on the Hudson river today will be
held the annual regatta of the Intercolle-
giate Rowing Association. with Georgetown.
Syracuse. Cornell. Columbia. University Of
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as the contest
ants in the varsity eight-oared event.
which will decide the college aquatic cham
pionship of the year. This race will be the
third on the days program and will not be
started until Q O'Clock. or even later. II tide
and wind conditions are not favorable at
the scheduled hour. The result will be
known some twenty minutes after the
starters pistol has sent the shells away on
their Misunderstanding journey. The start
Will be made three miles above the gaunt
steel bridge, which spans the Hudson at
this point. hundreds Of feet in the air. The
finish will be one mile below the structure
at a point where, early today. scores of ex-
cursion steamers, yachts and all manner Of
pleasure and observation craft cast anchor.
The first event of the afternoon will be
the varsity four-oared race at two miles,
In which the contestants viii be Cornell.
Syracuse, Columbia and Pennsylvania. This
race Is set down for decision at O'Clock.
TIL, second race will be started forty-five
minutes later and will be for eight-oared
crews of freshmen from Cornell, WILSON,
SIM Syracuse. Columbia and Pennsylvania.
The freshmen win also row over the short
twc-mlIe course starting one mile above
the big bridge.
Poughkeepsie Crowded.
This little city. nesting In the green hills
on the east bank of the river, is filled today
with college men, young and old, who have
come to see the races. Summer girls are
mere in their prettiest frocks. Without
them the regatta would hardly be worth
rowing; Everywhere the college colors are
IN evidence Georgetown Is not wanting
Tor friends In this respect. Gray and blue
bunting Is most conspicuous In the general
color scheme. Georgetown flags futter
from scores OF canes and parasols gayly
waved by young men and women. Long
streamers OF blue and gray ribbons float
from the coat lapels of young students and
from the corsage bouquets OF the pretty
girls VINO accompany them. Everywhere in
the Wild riot of red. which predominates
the college colors of the crews represented
In TINS years regatta, the more modest
colors or Georgetown are to be noted.
Inc Georgetown crew will go into the big
varsity race this afternoon In as fit con-
dltion as careful training and earnest efforts
nave been able to contribute to such an
end. Coach Dempsey gave the men their
last rowing exercise this morning Their
stay on the water was of a brief duration
ana was intended simply as a warming-up
exercise, much as thoroughbred race horses
are prepared for notable event on the
TURF. The crew was to have had a good
hard spin over two miles of the four-mile
course yesterday afternoon. but the weather
was SO clustering at the rowing hour and
the hudson was chopped up into such
heavy sea Dempsey did not deem It wise
10 FISK either men or she'll the water.
Dempsey Confident
We have good crew." said Dempsey
this morning. land I will be much disap-
pointed If we do not figure prominently In
the race. The struggle this afternoon will
De the hardest seen in years over the
Poughkeepsie course. I have been watch
ing all the crews steadily since coming here
ana their chances seem more evenly match
ed than any lot OF college oarsmen ever
entered In an American regatta The row.
ing men who are here from all parts OF the
country tell me the Georgetown boys are
displaying better workmanship and are
working better in their boat than last
years crew. Whether or not we have the
same Duiidog courage to fight out the finish
as we oid last year and secure third place
remains to be seen The stamina that may
De IN a crew Is never developed until the
crucial stages Of the contest arrive Then
one weak man at an oar may upset every
thlng. III my boys do as well as We did
last year we Will all be mighty well pleased
at ourselves.
Since coming here week ago yesterday
the eight has improved wonderfully. The
brought them up wonderfully. Then too
the cessation of study and the opportunity
TO row when We pleased made a wonderful
difference. Altogether, the folks who last
saw US row on the Potomac would not
know the crew that Is going into the boat
TINS afternoon There will be no change of
personnel whatever, but the men have been
keyed up until they are right on edge We
have had no sickness or anything to ham
per US In our Anal days of preparation
i look to Pennsylvania this afternoon TO
surprise some Of the sharps. This crew has
always had strength in the boat This year
they know how to row as well and the
combination is a dangerous one, but Cornell
has splendid eight. Syracuse is stronger
than ever; Wisconsin has veteran crew
men who know how to go about their
tasks from first to last, and Columbia is
admittedly In better shape this year than
last The struggle. therefore, must be a
keen one. and the best crew ought to win"
The spirit among the Georgetown crew
Is one Of do or die. The men are confidently
predicting that they will finish inside the
money and are wagering that they will.
The eight Is looked to put up the same
game struggle that has characterized the
Blue and Gray boats Of the past.