The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-26
YALE SMASHES NEW WARD SHELL Eight-Oar Strikes Floating Log and a Hole is
 Punched in Her
 at Keel. FILLS WITH WATER
 BUT DOES NOT SINK Stroke of Yale Freshmen Eight Removed-Fresh- man Four-Oar Race
 Y To-day.
trrom Special Staff colregpOndentl

(From Special stan ColTesponuehIl
 Yale Headquarters, Gales Ferry, June s5.-Almost the eve of the great race and everything along the silvery Thames Is quiet and peaceful. It is plainly the lull which indicates the out break of the annual period of excite ment, the wild commingling of blue and crimson favors, the exchange of X putspoken opinion which precedes the day of the Yale-Harvard regatta.
 Rowing practice to-day has been somewhat devoid of interest, few being In either training camp who were not compelled to remain there either be- pause they were members of the crews or because they held some official po- sition which forbade their departure.
 Every one who could get away from Broadview and Red Top took ticket the wise ones purchasing return. pasteboard--for New Haven, where they yelled for and planked down their money on their respective favorites.
 For the evening rowing was subor-  dinated to the great national game, and nothing was required around the train sns quarters except the latest reports from New Haven.
 When news of Yale's victory reached iBroadview there was an immediate call for a supply of fireworks and requi- sition made on every available piece of unsecured timber within mile of Broadview. The old dock in front of quarters had to bear one more big bon fire, the thorough trouncing given to Harvard calling for an extra supply of
 Most of the men in quarters who at fuel.
 tended the game at New Haven return ed to Gales Ferry tonight, reaching New London at S;10.
 Rowing practice at Yale quarters was light all day The varsity eight had an easy paddle during the forenoon, the other crews getting trifle more work. An unfortunate incident of the morn Ing practice was the smashing of Yale's new Ward eight-oar shell. The fine eight-oar caught a floating log which was just below the surface of the wa ter and a big hole was punched in her on the keel close to the center line. The shell filled with water rapidly and but for the efficiency of the tight compart- ments at stem and stern it would have been under water before the dock could have been reached.
 The crew were unaware for some time what had happened, the shock of Impact with the floating obstruction being so slight as to pass unnoticed, but still being forcible enough to pierce the fragile 275-pound she'll
 John Lynch took the shell in hand as it reached the float and in a few hours had it all ship shape and ready for use. The shell was used again at the evening rowing and was found tight and seaworthy. John is firm believer in signs and one of his beliefs is that whosoever injures a boat the day be- fore the race is bound to win This he backs up by instances where his theory worked out and draws there from the inference that Yale will win the big race.
 She ought to win it on form, for the varsity eight is rowing splendidly, ev- cry little nicety of watermanship which marks the finished and well trained oarsman being there in perfection.
 The staying power of the big eight mile race is the unknown factor. So far as John Kennedy is aware (and he has tested his men thoroughly there are no weak spots in the eight But there is a material difference between a hot tryout over four-mile course against time or a two-mile race against freshmen eight and a hot tussle against the real thing in the form of an opposing crew almost equal in proficiency and possibly su- perior in physique.
 There is really little to choose between Yale and Harvard for the big race. Betting should be even money, In New London there is a sentiment slightly in favor of Harvard, but on the varsity