New-York tribune., 1908-06-26
TRv Telegraph 70 Tie Trihune !

eieht-oared varsity crew defeated the Yale eight
tonight on the historic Thames River course,
nv 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 finish mark was reached. This
extraordinary happening took place some two
hundred yards before the three-rnile mark was
rassed and was due TO the utter collapse of
fSrlsHold. the Yale stroke, and Hunt, who pulled
No in the Yale boat
The former was taken out Of the shell and
rlsced aboard the launch, and Yale eventually
finished the race with seven men in the shell.
Harvard took the lead soon after the start, and
gradually increased it in spite Of several heroic
spurts by the Yale oarsmen in the first two
miles. These spurts were what killed the Yale
crew. and before the halfway flags We're
reached Griswold. at stroke. was beginning to
show unmistakable signs of distress. 1t was
simply a case of the Yale oarsmen rowing them
selves TO death in effort to hold the fast pace
which the perfectly trained and tremendously
powerful Harvard men We're setting with such
apparent ease.
HARVARD TAKES LEAD AT START.
Harvard was one-quarter of a length in front
at the half-rlile flags and this lead was gradual
'ly increased by almost irnperceptible advances.
naval coaling station clear water appeared for
the first time between the Crimson and the Blue
shells Yale was hanging doggedly and fire.
ouently squirting, but shrewd observers had al
ready noticed that Griswold, the Yale stroke,
was not just right He was huddled up too
much and failed 10 carry the stroke through IN
the customary manner which gives Yale shells
such splendid following. Just after the two
and a half mile mark was passed Griswold
stopped rowing for moment and the Yale cox
swain ct once dashed several handfuls Of cold
water over him. This seemed to revive him
temporarily. and he began TO row again.
Meanwhile the Harvard crew had forged ahead
some three lengths, and it plain that the
contest was over Griswold rowed steadily for
few hundred yards further. but Hunt ar No,
1 began showing signs Of Distress and suddenly,
lust before the three-nle flags were reached,
Griswold and Hunt both stopped rowing, with
the result that the shell came to dead stop.
The Yale launch. with Kennedy and the other
coaches aboard. went alongside. and Griswod.
who appeared to be in great pain, was taken out
Of the shell.
Hunt was revived. and just before Harvard
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 minues 10 seconds
YaIe's bad luck began right at the start Of
the race. when Captain Ide. who rowed at No.
in the Blue shell. had the misfortune to break
his blade off short on the seventeenth stroke.
As the accident in the Yale shell made victory
sure for Harvard, the officials decided TO re-
call both boats and start the race over again.
Yale men, however. took this episode as
bad omen, and so ii proved TO be.
ODD FINISH, WITH HARVARD ALL ALONE
ODD. indeed, did it seem, after the Yale crew
had stopped rowing, TO see the Harvard shell
gracefully and speedily cleaving its way
through the placid waters in the glow of de-
clining June day, which can only be described
as perfect. Cruel, indeed, was the revenge
which Harvard thus took all unwittngly on
Cd F-li II, return for the many defeats which
the Crimson has suffered here on the Thames
To say Yale men were dumfounded and cha
erined 2, the cou1plete collapse of the Blue
crew would be putting it mildly On and on TO
the finish flags the Harvard shell glided. and
tust before the mark was crossed the hope
lesslv beaten Yale shell was seen to get III
motion once more. Yale men. ever loyal 10 the
athletic standard bearers Of the university
cheered the revivifed oarsmen, but 1t was ike
trying 10 smile at a funeral.
After the Harvard crew had finished 1t dld
not stop rowing and wait for the launch John
rious arsrnen aboard. Instead the crew pulieo
without splash or drag across the river to the
Harvard quarters at Red Top, a performance
which showed magnificent stamina and ore"
forth prolonged cheers from both the haF-
ward and Yale supporters. Just before the
she'll reached its float the oarsInen suoPpeu
rowing and waited for the Yale crew TO cross
the finish uark-a sportsnlanli1e act WHICH 'iio
crowds noticed and applauded generously
Gloom hung deep over all the Yale cars on
the two observation trains. but nowhere was IL
thicker than in car No. T. on the train whlch
went 1Ip the east bank OF the river. In that
car sat William Howard Taft, The hepupii0Hh
Presidential nominee and member OF the claS0
Of rs Of Yale who had come up froih Ne"
Haven 70 see the Yale crew wallop the .Har-
ward eight in the same 1ashioh do " -
Blue were Mr.. Taft's colors and blue was ms
gUou natured countenance when "flsNoiu 'o'
lapsed
The fip Secretary OF War, however took mat
ters as ,yeu as a Yale alumnus could when ne
saw the Plue 20 down to defeat, and by tiie
time the observation train had wound IT'S way
back Ia The Nev, London station ms us""I
smile had djspeled the gloom Mr.. iatt slii"'i
son Charlie was with him, and across tie ifoN'
of the car was a handsome '7S class banner
GATHERING OF THE CROWD.
With the freshman and four-oared races u.
cdec before IL O'Clock, there was loiiS "oe ~
for tho ,varstt-, eigf1t-oared race. "hich "+'
scheduled a he rov,ed upstream at $50 O'Clock
p m The college men and college maius ,f'
not roir5 the hiatus however, but spent 'iie
tine wandering about the sleepy old to"h o-
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