The morning journal-courier., 1908-06-24
YALE'S OARSMEN FIT AS RIDDLES Condition and Form Perfect, While Harvard Shows Need of Slight Improve
 ment.
ALL ARE READY FOR RACE
Finishing Touches Put in Yestcrday--- Yale Celebrates Victory on Din- mond-Rcgatta Plans
 Completed.
Special to the Journal- -cour,er.)

Gales Ferry, Conn.,. June 23.--It looked like Yale yesterday and 1t looks still more like Yale tonight for the big race. However, Yale supporters must not run away with the Idea that the blue will have anything handed out on a platter. The race will be race from start to finish and with two eights of men trained down to the minute there will be suf- fcient of active interest to crowd into the twenty minutes or so of time much of the actual experience of life.
 There Is absolutely nothing to add to what was said yesterday as to the form of the oarsmen. In both Yale and Harvard the crews are looking forward to the time of the race eager ly, like hounds held in leash, yet con- fldenty, as men will, who feel reliance in their own prowess and their ability to uphold the honor of their own alma mater. Harvard will be in the race from the first, and so will Yale, and whoever wins will know that the aquatic laurels have been well and honestly gained.
 Yale oarsmen are In the prime of condition and form. Their oarsman- ship, is superb, and is not eaualled by any crew on the Thames or any other river. Never before has it been pos- sible to test .out crew ont the eve of big race and find the shell travel ing without check, spacing out as Yales shell is doing, and, making the pace that Yale Is making with the low stroke to watch records. It's like seeing masterpiece of clockwork to watch the crew at work. In Harvard circles tonight there Is a feeling that every man i'll do his, utmost to carry out the principles nculcated by their coach, Jim Wray--and MT. Wray has striven hard, perhaps harder than ever before, to turn out winning crew.
 The men at Red Top are just as fit, apparently, as their rivals to enter the four mile struggle, but along the river banks, where scores of old oars men and men who have seen the Blue and Crimson struggle for years and years watch the preliminary practice with interest, it Is thought that Yale has the men best adapted for the stress of a hard row.
 There are thought to be certain spots in Harvard's eight where i'm provement might have been made and while this may be correct, still | the Crimson may win, but this Is not thought by those best able to judge. Yale is considered to be able to hold her own and to be equal to any pace Harvard may set. At all events win or lose, the race will be one of the finest ever witnessed and the wish of each university is that the race shall be contested on Its merits and that no mishap of any nature may mar the l contest
 As to the morning races The 'varsi- ty four-oar should be Yale's by a fair margin. Harvard's four-oar is not quite in the race with the fine crew John Kennedy has selected. This four is one of the very best ever seen on the river and rows like the splendid piece Of machinery 1t is.
 Harvards four has had hard luck undoubtedly and has not yet fully had a chance to recover from the mixup | (Continued on Sacond pape