Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-29
PROTEST OF LOCAL OARSMEN
WANT RECOGNITION WHEN
OLYMPIC CREW IS PICKED.

, THE Philadelphia papers are making
great claims for their oarsmen in regard
to the crew that will represent America
in the Olympic regatta in England next
July" recently remarked a prominent
local rowing man, and are informing
Mr. James Pilkington Of the National AS
ISOLATION of Amateur Oarsmen the men
he must select.
Every one will admit that collectively
the Schuylkill navy has the largest num-
Der of sweep oarsmen In America, and
from them first-class coach should get
a wonderful crew: but results are the
best criterion by which to measure up
oarsmen. and in late years the SchuylkiIl
boys have not showed their shells, that is,
eight oars, to the front very often.
Take last summers national regatta
as an Illustration and the senior eight
Dared contest as the objective point and
the case is well summed up. and is de-
cidedly against the Philadelphia end OF
the string. In that race were crews from
the several centers of aquatic localities.
and the Schuylkill navy was represented
by the West Philadelphias. touted as the
fastest crew that ever rowed on the
,Schuylkill, not even excepting the famous
Vespers of sad memory of 1900 and 1901.
In that race they finished last, Argonauts,
Potomacs New York Athletic and River
SIDES of Boston beating them out, and
hence the exalted claim for Philadelphia
.oarsmen does not hold good
Now when President Pilkington sets
about choosing his men for the crew the
oarsmen of Washington, and the Po-
~tomac Boat Club in particular do not
intend to let him forget that champion
crew of this city whose work last year
took the breath out Of the veterans of the
north. and one\ of them was no less
parsonage than MIR. James Pilkington OF
the National Association.
when this fast eight of the Potomacs
defeated Vespers and Fairmonts in the
intermediate eight-oared championship
and then requested that they be allowed to
staT in the senior eight President Pix
-fNSton argued with President Doyle OF
theYfo<omacs THAI it would be better not
TO Nary in the senior race, as, being an
unbSA9en crew, Y would be pity to have
them 10 in and get a bad drubbing from
the beft of America. After the race,
Wien NE Arg9nauts had just nosed out
aI~ictoty over the Potomacs, who led
ths>tew York Athletics and the rest by
good margin both crews eclipsing the
record for the distance, President Pilking-
ton was most enthusiastic in Offering con-
I gratulatohs and predicting wonderful
crewlr 1908.
- Philadelphia may pirate about it's vet
Grams as sure of places, but those IA
Inliiar with the rowing game know the
Gtuole there - in teaching veterans as
thfy always Know more than the coach,
ard that developer of athletes is no more
nor less than rigger of the boat, as the
veterans run things generally. But with
youngsters like the Potomacs under
skillful coach it Is entirely different
Bobbie Brewster, who stroked the Po-
tomacs. fs just as good as the veteran
Zane of the Bachelors. Ellis, Hart and
Sp4Rsey are better than old-timers Ike
DeHeke, DR.. Swallow, Doyle and the
PICK 81 the navy, because they are lust
reaching the zenith of the game and can
be nodded into shape better than the
pick of veterans throughout America
The Potomacs will take steps i'm
mediately to inform President Pilkington
that In making his selections from among
the bonaffde amateurs of the country he
must not skip the fast crew Of this city,
one that startled the country last sum
mer and sent the pennant Of the po-
tomacs to the topmast and Pat Demp-
sey's method as coach to the highest
point In regard to coaching A trip to the
Olympic regatta in England should be
an incentive for every ambitious oarsman
TO enter into competition, and IL Presi'
dent P1iktngton and his associate. Dr.
Julian Curtiss. really desire the best ex-
ponents of sweep rowing the Potomacs
are prepared to meet several strong COM
petitors."