Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
PROSPECTS OF
COLLEGE OARSMEN
Pennsy's Crew Not Promising.
CoIumbia's Outlook Good.
Navy Disappointed.

The idea that the University of Penn
syivania had more than good chance for
first houors in the intercollegiate regatta
at Poughkeepse next June because OF the
fact that the entire eight men who rowed
in the varsity boat last year are still
available has received a severe jolt by no
less an authority than Coach Ellis Ward
of the university. who says he is labor
ing under a heavier handicap this year
than for several seasons past In sup
port of this Ward argues that the Penn
sylvania varsity eight finished fifth of the
seven crews in the race of 1907 and that
is a poor indication of their winning this
year.
why should the same men be able to
win this year," asked Ward in a recent
interview. They weren't green men who
would develop. They had all rowed before
IN freshman or varsity crews, and they
will not be much better this year than
they We're last, If. in fact. as good. Our
friends are reckoning without Columbia.
for that colleges eight finished second last
June and seven men of that crew are
back in college. Plainly their chances are
better than Pennsylvania Then, too. !
am handicapped by lack of good mate
rial from last years freshman eight. Or
dinarily with full varsity crew back.
the weak spots could be bolstered up with
the men from the preceding years fresh
man boat. but this year only two of last
years freshmen are good enough for the
varsity"
Trouble at Annapolis.
There is trouble at Annapolis over the
crews prospects of taking part in the in
tercollegiate regatta at Poughkeepsie
again this year. When the Navy Athletic
tJ,n,
permission to accept the invitation of the
stewards of the Intercollegiate Rowing
Association to row this summer, which
must be accepted by March 1. that per-
mission was refused. The new Superin-
tendent at the Annapolis Academy is not
clear in his mind as to athletics. and it
VIII take a good deal of urging by others
10 convince him of the adviSabilty of per-
hitting the crew to go to Poughkeepsie.
The outcome of the matter is doubtful.
but the cadets. who think that they will
win this time. hope that the President or
the Secretary of the Navy may see fit to
Interfere by suggestion and thus bring
about the desired end An appeal to the
President by the cadets would be a serious
breach of regulations. but the midship-
men hope that publicity will bring about
the intervention
Rowing at Princeton.
Prnceton's graduate advisory commit
tc" has decided TO allow no varsity crew
this year. but will devote all it's atten-
tl"n to developing four class crews for
AN Lntcrclass regatta at Carnegie lake,
commencement week. The committee is
raising the money to purchase four
eiGht-oared shells to be presented to the
four classes when rowing practice be-
gins this year. and next year the varsity
eight will be got together and rowing
made one of the major sports at the
university. Arthur Wheeler, SO, one of
the members of the committee, says in
regard to the plans for rowing at Prince
ton:
We have no intention of turning out
Il varsity eight this year. or rowing in
either the PoughkeepSie or New London
regattaS. Rowing is in its infancy at
Princeton. and it would be unwise to at
tempt to do more than foster interclasS
rowing. 1t has been suggested that we
enter an eight this spring in the Ameri-
can regatta to be held here May 23 No
plans have been made to This end, and
if such crew We're gotten together ii
would not represent Princeton. but would
have TO take the name of some club. But
year from now We intend to have
will be entered in the American regatta.
No plans have been made toward de-
Gliding where Princeton is to row after
this year We are not worrying now
about either Poughkeepsie or New Lon
don. 1t is a big undertaking to install
rowing at modern university, and we
will be satisfied this year if We have
our class crews and good regatta for
the championship of the university during
commencement week.
The length of the commencement week
race will probably be two miles. 1t is
possible to get longer course than this
on Carnegie lake. but not one suitable
for racing purposes. There will be no
indoor work on the machines this year.
AS is customary at the other big uni
VeTs!ties. No actual work will be done
this season until ii is possible TO train on
the lake. Next year We may be equipped
for this sort of indoor practice.
Il don't think that the addition of row
ing Will injure the success of Princetor's
other teams. 1t is not usual for men who
play base ball or compete in track ath-
l"tics to take up rowing, and We figure
that the installation OF rowing will bring
out for athletics an entirely different
class of students. and Will afford good
sport for those boys who went in for
rowing during their preparatory school
days"
The Princeton graduate advisory COM
mittec is made up of eleven men, nearly
all of whom were prominent in athletics
during their undergraduate days.
Columbia's New She'll
Columbia's new eight-oared shell has
been delivered at the Gould boathouse on
the Hudson river. The new shell follows
the general dimensions of last years boat
and has only a few notifications. u Is
trific longer and the bow is a little
deeper. The most important innovation is
in the bracing- Sixteen nickel steel
braces are used. doing away with much
at the wooden bracing ordinarily used.
The boat is consequently much sitter
than the previous shells ard nothing has
been lost in lightness. Tho four-oared
shell will be ready at about the time when
tn" crews are put on the water.
The shell which used by the varsity
eight at Foughkeepsic last June will be
used 10y this years 1911 freshman eight.
The Edwin Gould. the boat in which last
Years freshmen rowed. was too Much
damaged 10y the starter of the race in
i.ic big II gatta TO permit of its being
used for racing purposes again. All the
other boats to tie used in the spring train
ing haFt received complete overhauling,
ard a number of eight-oared gigs which
have been out OF commission for several
seasons nave been renovated for this
years work
The coach. Rice. plans To have the
crews on the Harlem within d few weeks
and from present indications he will be
able TO put four varsity and three fresh
man Fights on the water. Attendance at
practice on the machines is nickiury I'm