Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-26
HARVARD CREW
WINS EASY VICTORY
Yale Stroke ColIapses and
Crimson Finishes All
Alone.

NEW LONDON, Conn. June 2s.-Har-
wards eight-oared varsity crew defeated
the Yale eight last evening. on the his
toric Thames river course. BY nearly
mile in one of the most spectacular races
ever rowed by these two old aquatic
rivals. For the first time in the history
of the Yale-Harvard dual boat races the
Yale crew stopped rowing before the FIN
sh mark was reached. This extraordinary
happening took place two hundred yards
before the three-mle mark was passed.
and was due to the utter collapse OF Girls
void. the Yale stroke. and Hunt, who
pulled No. in the Yale boat.
The former was taken out OF the shell
and placed aboard the launch. and Yale
eventually finished the race with seven
men in the shell.
Harvard took the lead soon after the
start. gradually increa sing IL in spite OF sew
eral heroic spurts by the Yale oarsmen
in the first two miles. These spurts were
what killed the Yale crew. and before the
halfway flags were reached Griswold. At
stroke. was beginning TO show unnistak-
able signs OF distress. IL was simply
case of the Yale oarsmen rowing them
selves to death in an effort TO hold the
fast pace which the perfectly trained and
tremendously powerful Harvard men were
setting with such apparent ease.
Harvard Takes Lead at Start.
Harvard was one-quarter OF a length in
front at the halfmie flags and this lead
was gradually increased by almost imper-
ceptible advances, until at the two and
quarter mile post off the naval coaling
station. clear water appeared for the
first time between the Crimson and the
Blue shells. Yale was hanging on dog
gedly and frequently squirting. but
shrewd observers had already noticed that
Griswold, the Yale stroke. was not just
right. He was huddled up too much and
failed to carry the stroke through in the
customary manner which gives Y ale shells
such splendid following. Just after the
two and half mile mark was passed
Griswold stopped rowing for a moment,
and the Yale coxswain at once dashed
several handfuls of cold water over him.
This seemed to revive him temporarily.
and he began to row agtn.
Meanwhile the Harvard crew had forged
ahead some three lengths, and IL was
plain that the contest was over. Girls
wo,d rowed steadily for few hundred
yards further. but Hunt. at No. 4. began
showing signs of distress. and suddenly.
jusl before the three-mile flags were
reached. Griswold and Hunt both stopped
rowing. with the result that the shell
came to dead stop. The Yale launch.
aboard, went alongside, and Griswold.
who appeared to be In great pain, was
taken out of the shell.
Hunt was revived. and just before Har-
ward finished the race the Yale boat got
into motion again. propelled by only seven
oars. In this way the Yale crew rowed
on to the finish mark. which was crossed
some four minutes after Harvard had
won. Harvard's time for the four miles
was "a minutes 10 seconds.
Yales bad luck began right at the start
Of the race when Capt. Ide. who rowed
at No. in the Blue shell. had the misfor-
tune to break his blade OF short on the
seventeenth stroke. AS the accident In
ward. the officials decided to recall both
boats and start the racee over again.
Yale men. however. took this episode as
bad omen. and SO it proved to be.
Odd Finish, With Harvard All Alone
Odd, indeed. did II seem. after the Yale
crew stopped rowing, to see the Har-
ward shell gracefully and speedily c!eav-
ing its way through the placid waters in
the glow of a declining June day which
can only be described as perfect. Cruel.
indeed, was the revenge which Harvard
thus took all unwittingly on old Eli In re-
turn for the many defeats which the
Crimson has suffered here on the Thames.
To say Yale men were dumfounded and
chagrined at the complete collapse Of the
Blue crew would be putting 1t mildly. On
and on to the finish flags the Harvard
smell gllQe0, ana JUST Delore the marx
was crossed the hopelessly beaten Yale
shell was seen to get in motion once more.
Yale men, ever loyal to the athletic stand
ard bearers Of the university. cheered the
revivified oarsmen, but II was like trying
to smile at a funeral.
After the Harvard crew had finished IL
did not stop rowing and wait for the
launch John Harvard to come alongside
and take the victorious oarsmen aboard.
Instead the crew pulled without splash or
drag across the river to the Harvard
quarters at Red Top. performance which
showed magnificent stamina and drew
forth prolonged cheers from both the Har-
ward and Yale supporters. Just before the
ped rowing and waited for the Yale crew
to cross the finish mark-a sportsmanlike
act which the crowds noticed and ap-
plauded generously.
Gloom hung deep over all the Yale cars
on the two observation trains, but no.
where was IL thicker than in car No. a.
on the train which went up the east bank
of the river. In that car sat William
Howard Taft. the republican presidential
nominee and member of the class OF rs OF
Yale who had come up from New Haven
eight in the same fashion as of yore. Blue
were Mr.. Tafts colors and blue was his
good-natured countenance when Griswold
collapsed.
The big Secretary OF War. however. took
matters as well as Yale alumnus could
when he saw the Blue go down to defeat.
and by the time the observation train
had wound its way back TO the New Lon
don station his usual smile had dispelled
the gloom. Mr.. Taft's small SON Charlie
was with him, and across the front OF the
.Ia hal