Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-10
POTOMACS' EIGHT
WINS GREAT RACE
Captures the intermediate
Championship, Breaking the
SchuyIkiII River Record.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
PHILADELPHIA. August 10.-The P0to-
mao Boat Club achieved the greatest vic
tory in It's history yesterday by winning the
intermediate championship of America in
race that never was in danger and which
has set the wiseacres thinking over the
possibilities Of today's great battle.
Incidentally 1t might be well to add right
here that in landing this great victory the
Potomacs- broke the record for the Schuyl-
kill river. as they crossed the winning line
In 74O1a. two lengths ahead Of the Fair
mounts and five ahead Of the Arundels.
The day was full OF notable races. but
every one was keyed up for the eight-oared
events. which was expected to be heart
breaker for all contestants. as each Of the
three clubs had hosts OF friends on hand
telling OF the wonderful doings Of their
crews. 1t was somewhat of the story of
Fourth Of July repeated. Tie Potomacs
did not show that excellence Of form pos
sessed by the other two crews; indeed, 1t Is
safe to say that the Arundel boys Of Balti-
more showed a form that could not be sur
passed anywhere, and their followers. on
the advice OF Rice, their coach, placed on
them many hard-earned dollars. which are
safely housed in the pockets of the Poto-
macs adherents.
But it was not an exhibition OF fancy
rowing that the Potpmacs went out to give
the people but an exhibition of good. clean
n,
time. and though to some 1t might look
ragged. it this power behind the
sweeps that swept them to victory In rec
ord time.
The start was beautiful. the. twenty-four
oars catching the water together. From
the angle In the course Paramount looked
like a leader. After the first ten strokes
Coxswain Slocum of the Potomacs. seeing
that the crew was holding the others easily.
let the crew down from thirty-four to thir-
ty-two When the trolley bridge was
reached open water was apparent. The
Potomacs made the most graceful turn I'M
der the arches of the bridge and straight
ened away for home with a lead of a length
all the way, but the heavy and beauti-
fully rowing Arundels dropped astern al
most at every stroke.
A Burst of Speed.
When the head of the island was gained.
the point where all the crews usually begin
to squirt the Potomac kept up their method
ical swing of thirtytwo. while the beat
en-off Fairmounts attempted to make their
final effort. Still CoxsWain SlOcum, obey
ing Pat Dempseys instruction to the letter.
never yielded point and did not call on the
crew once for a squirt. until within fifty
yards of the finish. when he gave Stroke
Brewster the word. The latter lifted the
stroke to thirty-sx, and the crew shot over
the finish line with show of speed rarely
witnessed and never excelled. each stroke
seemingly adding half lengths to their al
ready fine lead. Old oarsmen who witnessed
the finish said its power was wonderful and
that the crew if held together for another
season. would be a world-beater.
Their achievement has made them hosts
of friends among the people. as they are re-
garded as the wonder of the rowing season.
more so when they learned that seven of
them never had any experience or sat in
boat before this year.
Many of the eliminates thought that it