Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-23
PLAN TO SELECT
THE OLYMPIC CREW

The suggestion in recent Sunday Star
regarding the formation of the crew that
will represent America in the Olympian
regatta attracted.the attention of a. num-
Der OF rowing men, and especially college
men. Up at the University Club the
suggestion was discussed by the men who
years ago used to delight in aquatics. and
although the general opinion was that
college crew was the very best to send
abroad as typical American it was ad-
rnitted that the plan laid down in The
Stars article was fair one
The following plan was suggested in
the Sundays Star.
The u4kest on is to allow Boston. New
York, Philadelphia and Washington to
select two men each for the crew. the
the local association existing in the locali-
ties named. and that they be sent to a
central point for training throughout
June, and then after the Poughkeepsie
race they row the winning college crew
over the distance rowed at the Olympian
regatta-one mile and slxteenth.'N
Capt. Obenchain's Opinion.
Mr.. Charles Obenchain Of the University
of Illinois and Georgetown voiced the
sentiment of many when he said. Il
never became an oarsman myself in my
student days, but from observation and
close study believe 1t to be the best and
manifest SPORT, and ! want to see the
very best crew in America represent our
country abroad I believe that college
crew is best fitted to make the race, for
the close and rigid work 1t Is put through
and the long days of training together
give 1t more finish. better workmanship
and naturally finer staying qualities. but
II the rowing club oarsman proves his
xn,n
collegian then l will be convinced and
glad that the better crew is going. 1t Is
fair way. to my mind, to select the
crew, and / hope" said Mr.. Ooenchain,
being a resident now of Washington. I
want to see the local oarsmen get a
show 's 49,
Capt Robert slocum. one. of Cornell's
oarsmen and great protege of Charley
Courtney. said that the suggestion in
The Star appealed strongly to him as the
one direct way to prevent any suspicion
OF favoritism in selecting the crew. Il
should like he said. to make the trip
to England to see this Olympic regatta.
and it Is not unlikely that l may go. and
1 want to see Americas best crew beat
the pick of the world"
Manager Woods of the Georgetown
University oarsren, like all collegians.
believes the college crew the best to send
abroad claiming that 1t Is hest qualified
10 represent America. but he admits that
the bone and sinew of Americas rowing
club organizations should have an equal
chance to make good before the world.
Will Urge It on Commission.
Mr. Claude r. Zappone. the local MEM
Der of the National Association of Anna
teur Oarsmer, left Wednesday for New
York to make arrangements for the ma
tional regatta and also to consult Messrs.
Pilkington and Curtis In regard to the
selection Of the Olympic crew. Mr. Zap
pone said before leaving that the plan
advanced in The Star was the best one
that had come under his observation for
solving the yeXed question, and that he
was going to urge it upon the commission.
Mr.. Zappone, although thoroughly appre-
ciative of college rowing, is OF the opin-
ion that a crew selected as mapped out
by The Star would. in Il short time, get
together and would push its shell over
the line ahead OF any college crew on
the short Henley course He hoped the
commission created to select the Ameri-
can crew would give the plan considera-
ton.
Capt Carl Mueller Of the Potomacs was,