The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-09-23

Crews Fate
Known Soon
Question Likely to Be
Settled This
Week.
Alumnus Discusses Aquatic
Situation-FavorS Re-
tention.


situation at Georgetown appeared in this
mornings New York Sun:
There has been nIuch talk recently
over the possibility Of rowing being
dropped from the list OF sports at
Georgetown. and many persons have
been found in the undergraduate body
at the institution who are opposed to
the continuance OF what they choose to
consider a losing venture.
Against these students many gradu-
ates are likely to be found strongly op-
posed. Judged from what can be
learned II viii be a tight OF graduate
IS underg aduate, although there are
many men still students at Georgetown
who want he oarsmen to keep on try
ing.
The first struggle over the question
probably viii come along this week.
when a meeting of the athletic associa-
ton IS to be held. The sentiment of the
college body IS described by an alumnus
as divided. although there are many ad-
herons Of baseball and other spring
sports who are for having Georgetown
quit a game which has been supported
under increasingly discouraging condi-
lions as far as results are concerned
Alumni Want Crew.
The alumni will do their best 10 keep
up the crew spirit, because they believe
that Il is unworthy Of Georgetown 20
quit solely because the crew Is not a
winner. rather than to struggle on until
the crew does either win or becomes =
permanent contender at Poughkeepsie.
I viii admit that Georgetown has
ba0 case on the face OF H., as far as
rowing "a concerned says an alumnUs
who himself was an Oarsman. but Il
must always be remembered that condi-
tons among US are not the same as
elsewhere. For instance. Murray Rus
sell, who had the crew IN charge this
year. had hardly enough men to select
from 10 make up two Fights. In fact,
Just enough men reported AT the start
of the season for two crews. Now, /
do not believe that any other college
started out under anywhere near as IN
favorable conditions as that, consider
ing men alone.
Russell Inexperienced.
Russell himself was totally new 10
the game, although he mad had some
experience with club crews. He had to
learn while he was teaching, and even
that would not be fatal II a man had
all sorts Of fine material to work with
But he eventually came down to the
stage where eight fair men were all
who could be had. There was some
trouble over training matters before the
crew came 70 POughkeepsie, and Rus
sell had 10 sacrifice the welfare OF the
crew as racing organization 30 the
welfare Of discipline. A man who could
not well be spared was taken from the
boat for breaking certain rules. Rus
sell was right in doing that we believe,
In
had done anything else, no matter how
much the showing Of the crew had been
improved in the race, IL wouli have
been q loss to Georgetown, after all
We who know the inside of George
town rowing affairs. do not CONT that
race at POughkCepsie in June as bad a
showing as II appeared, because we
know what Russell had to contend with
Something has to be done TO maintain
discipline, and without that we are lost.
The undergraduates are little TO
blame, Il appears TO me, for the poor
work Of the eight II only sixteen men
report, how can a crew be had? OF
course, tn It comes, too, from the fact
that there were so many veterans OF the
1906 boat in college.
Barred by Faculty.
The other men who might have been
candidates were scared because they
believed that there were not many
places left open for them Again. fac
ulty regulations barred from the boat
men who were fairly eligible, or rather
would be in other colleges It Is not
well, however. for the friends OF row.
ing TO lay the blame on all sides, be-
cause IN scattering condemnation in
this way we are bound to injure our
own cause.
Il want to call attention 10 one thing
at Georgetown. however. Men who are
On SOLE .
matter what their scholastic standing.
are not eligible for sports at all l do
not believe that any oJner institution
goes as far as that for athletic purity.
know that Georgetown has been
blamed In years past for ali sorts of
athletic impurities, but show me the
college which bars a man from athletics
just because he is in the institution on a
scholarship. / do not think YOU can do
It Then again, the men who have A
single condition are barred from ath-
letics. Furthermore, the medical school
men are not permitted to enter into
athletics. and the situation of our law
school geographically from the univer-
sity proper is such thGt those men have
trouble getting into sports, especially
rowing. which takes a greater or less
time
Il do not call into account the fact
that in our former rowing coach, p. a.
Dempsey, we had man OF greater ex-
perience who naturally WIS able to turn
out a better crew than Russell. do
not want TO say anything about rowing