Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-03
MUCH INTEREST IN
THE VARSITY EIGHT
The Rowing Room CT the Ryan Gymnasium at Georgetown
College Frsqusntsd by Large Number Of Ambitious
Youngsters-Formation of a Potomac
Navy Again Discussed.
Navy Again Discussed.

The Georgetown University crew squad.
under Coach Murray A. Russell, is becom-
ing the principal object of interest at the
college on the hill. The rowing room OF
the Ryan gymnasium is the most impor-
tant place at present. and is frequented by
a large number Of ambitious youngsters
anxious to become proficient in the aquatic
sport.
There are indications that. although the
squad has reached larger number than
at this time last year. there will be many
more additions in the near future. The MID
term examinations were completed Thurs
day. and there are few who gave up crew
work for the time beng in order to be sure
that no conditions would hinder their
chances of being In the PoughEeepSie boat.
Manager Ed CrumTey has also lured quite
a few away temporarily with his sugges-
tons of valuable prizes to be easily won AT
his big indoor meet next month The men
have already begun to dope out the WIN
ners of the class event. the most popular
relay the card. and each class has called
It's runners away from the machines until
its relay team for the meet Is picked.
The men whom the coach cares most
about, however. have been kept down to
work as much as possible and he has been
especially soiicitous that the big new men
acquire the intricacies OF the stroke. he
has been laying more stress than is usually
the case on the machines. of getting the
hands away properly at the finish or the
stroke, and he homes tnat IN inns way lie
will avoid the usual tendencies of beginners
to lose all control of the blades when first
they step from machines into the shells on
the river.
His stroke is practically the same style
that Georgetown has always used in Its
four-mile contest, as Coach Russell was
careful student of the famous Pat Demp-
sey's methods during the three years In
which he participated in aquatics. Coach
Russell was one of the best sweep oarSmen
that the old coach ever turned out In his
first year on the crew he had considerable
difficulty in getting his stomach into shape
to stand the strain of the four-mile pull.
and under Dempseys personal tutelage he
began regular set of sitting-up exercises
at the end of each days work. These
strength ened him to such an extent that he
has always attributed his later success to
them. Accordingly, he has inaugurated that
system for the whole squad. After their
ten or twelve minute row he has them go
through the breathing and trunk exercises
for the development OF muscles of the stom-
ach on the inside and out.
The new shell that Georgetown Will use
at Poughkeepsie is now under construc-
ton at Ithaca. N Y. The builders have
for years made every she'll that the
auuatically-famous Ithacans have used. 1t
will be built along the latest improved
lines modern in every respect, and or the
same standard as the boats now making
for the Cornell navy. The craft Is due to
arrive here early in April when 1t Will De
carefully put away until the final selection
of the Poughkeepsie eight will be made
The Philadelphia people are still keeping