The morning journal-courier., 1908-06-23
YALE SEEMS TO BE THE PAV0RlYE Blue Varsity Crew Believed to Be Slightly Superior to
 That of Crimson
 Eight.
CLOSE LOOK AT THE MEN
Both Sets Comprise Great Rowing Machincs-Light Work at Gales Ferry and Red Top Yes
 terday.
Special to the Journni-couricr.)

Gales Ferry, June 22.-On the eve of the great struggle which, more than any other athletic event, Is looked for ward to and looked back to by those who old in years perhaps, but young In heart, were in the past graduates from old Bli or fair Harvard, not only those who will participate in the aqua tic contest on Thursday, but those who have, by sheer stress of muscle, will power. and skill well applied helped to carry their university colors to the winning post are pausing to carefully weigh up the prospect.
 As the day of the race approaches It is seen more and more plainly that the contest Is likely to prove the keen est ever fought out on the Thames. The rival eights are in the very pink of condition and are practically resting on their oars until the starting signal fig given Yale is ready. Every man of the Blue eight will do his utmost for the palm and none of the Crimson oarsmen will do other than die game.
 There will be no more time trials. Custom and common sense alike dlc- tate this. With tonight as com- mencement. the. crews will have only just such work as will keep them in present form. Easy rowing, practic- ing of prompt starts, and all the min utiae of a big race are what the boys behind the oars will occupy their minds with for the balance of the training Tonight 1t looks like Yale And the more the question Is discussed the more ! 1t looks like Yale The varsity eight will go to Yale by narrow margin, unless something unforeseen happens between the present time and the day of the race. The Yale eight fig decep- tive to an untrained eye. The con trast between the brawny. large -boned. muscular. wiry oarsmen In the Blue shell and their opponents of the Grim. son is not at first go apparent. but al closer glance the opinion of the spectator alters and the sheer strength of Harvard's stout champions is scarce lly considered so highly as the long reach and steady, machlne-like move. ment shown by Yale.
 The tendency shown by Harvard tc
 raise the stroke to 3s or over, without
 an adequate return in the form oi spacing for the energy expended leads
 those who see the practice to believe
 that the oarsmen from New Haven will
 again prove their superiority ovel
 Cambridge.
 For the varsity four-oared race |
 can in reason be said that Yale should
 win. The Yale four oar Is a fine crew
 and this Is Harvard's weakest. No
 that Harvard will allow the race to gt
 without a struggle, though, for ther,
 is a vast amount of stored up energ,
 in the Crimson four
 The freshmen eight is likely to h,
 IIarvard's. Harvard has fine fresh
 men crew and the men are doing ex
 cellent rowing However, Yale, al
 though very weak in her freshmen
 eight at the outset of the training, f improving rapidly and this race wi
 he no walk-over Every race will b
 worth seeing and every one will b contested to the last.
 Tonight John Kennedy sent hi
 varsity eight out at 5:2o ?. m, in rather heavy sea, the men going owe to the west bank of the river an rowing down for about one mile. the turning up stream above quarters [ Allyn's Point, being joined at Gale Ferry by the varsity and freshme fours, In spite of the rough wate the shell moved finely, spacing or well and the blade work being smoot
 and effective. The other boats wer also doing fine work OOn the re turn of the varsity and fours Joh Kennedy sent the freshmen eight O, up stream and the crew showed Il better than at any previous row There are no changes in any boa either at Yale or Harvard and tn crews will go to the start on Thursda as they rowed tonight.
 At Harvard similar tactics wei (Continued on Fifth Page.)