The Washington times., 1907-04-21
NIDDIES EIGHT
DRAWS INTEREST
OF THE COUNTRY
Has Won Ten of Last
Eleven Races Good
Chance at Pough-
keepSie.

ANNAPOLIS. April 20.-The entry OF
/ a Naval Academy eight in the regatta
/ on the Hudson on June % is admitted
| to be one of the most interesting events
/ in college sport OF recent years.
| The doings Of Uncle Sans naval and
military wards never fail to excite H.
/ teTest, whether it is in the line OF haz-
, ing. class fights, or athletics. and the
success Of the midshipmen in securing
/ the consent Of the Secretary of the
Navy 10 a trip away from Annapolis
to meet other institutions in an ath-
ietic competition is an absolutely uni
que event, and well calculated 10 arose
more than a passing interest.
Strong in Athletics.
It cannot be denied that the work u
Annapolis and West Point in various
lines during the past few years has
been OF a kind which would attract at
tention merely from an athletic stand
point had the institution no special
claim upon the public interest In
rowing The midshipmen have certainly
done work in the past two seasons
which cntitie them To be considered
among the big rowing colleges, ana
make their entry at POughkeepsie d
source OF distinct additional interest.
OF the eleven last races rOWed by the
Naval Academy crew, extending over
the seasons OF 1903 and 1906, and the
race with Georgetown this year the
Navy has won ten. Georgetown has
been defeated three times, Yale. Column
bia and the ArieIs. Of Baltimore, twice
each and the University Of Pennsyl-
vania once, and the only defeat was
a frSfared nv he latter r.r1vzv
Weather Prevents Practice.
The assurance that the crew would
enter the big race has made no change
! in methods OF practice and training at
the Naval Academy up TO this time.
The weather has been very bad during
the week, and on some days the crews
have not been able 70 get on the water
at all. No special privileges in the way
Of getting excuses from drills or ex-
ercises have been granted the oars
men, and the crewmen have been get
ting IN their work in the short periods
allowed them by the strict academy
routine.
The rowing situation at Annapolis has
its advantages and Disadvantages. The
midshipmen are limited in point OF time
! for practice. but il is probably that they
others by the convenience of all faciIi-
ties for rowing and the fact that their
boathouse Is directly on water. ntted for
the best practice work, and no time IL
lost in getting 10 the proper surround
I. ings for practice under advantageous
conditions. The Severn opposite the
bOathOuse is twO-thiTds OF a mile broad,
and there are excellent sheltered creeks
at hand. The midshipmen get on the
water in advance of any rowing college
except Georgetown, and there are very
few days that are unified for rowing.
Have Made Four Miles.
It has been thought that Annapolis
will suffer severely from the fact that
the crew has only rowed in two-mile
races and viii have TO keep up steam
for double that distance on the Hud-
son, but that il is not believed that that
will cut much of a figure. The Navy
crew has always won its races BY its
superior staying power, and II Is be-
lieVed that with ample time TO prepare
for the new distance its veteran crew
will have no trouble on that score AS
a matter of fact, sprint OF four miles
is the usual thing in daily practice az
Annapolis. The course begins two mics
above the railroad br dye over the Sew
ern, the bridge being 1h0tIer Two mics
from the academy. The crew regularly
rows TO the starting point and covers the
full return distance at q good clip. and
never has any trouble doing II.
Changes in Boat
During the Ilrger part Of the week the
crew has been arranged by Coach Glen
don as follows: Bow, Davis 2 Bagg; 3,
Prichard: 4. White; s. Leighton; 6. Rock
we'll; Z, Mckee; stroke, Captain In
gram: coxswain. Roberts. There are
some changes from the arrangement Of
the crew in the race against George
town. Leighton has been moved from
the bow to take Montgomery's place at
4. while Davis. who rowed 7, has gone
TO bow. Mckee, a veteran of last sea-
son. who was sick on the day of the
Georgetown race, has resumed his old
place at 7. The new arrangement has
put more weight in the body Of the boat
and somewhat increased the general
average of the crew Leighton weighs
IFS pounds and is heavy man for
bow, while Davis is twelve pounds
lighter. Mckee is a little heavier than
Montgomery, whom he replaces. and
has more strength and experience
Men in Second Crew.
The second crew has been rowing
during the week as follows: Bow. Par
ker; 2 Kinkaid; 3. Richardson: 4. Stoer;
5, Magruder; s. Montgomery; 7, Erie
dell; stroke. Stevenson; coxswain. Will
Jams. The average of this crew is
about five pounds below that OF the
first crew. With one exception, all Of
the members had experience under
Coach Glendon's coaching in one of the
minor crews last season.
It is not claimed here that the Navy
has wonderful crew or that il is sure
of a high place in the big event, but
there Is no doubt that the prospects OF
strong crew are good and there is
general realization that the academy has
the best opportunity to make a place
for itself in aQuatics that il has ever
been given