The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-07-02
HARVARD wins
BIG BOAT RACE
oRlsWoLD, THE YALE STROKE,
GIVES WAY UNDER THE
TERRIFIC STRAIN.
He Lasts Only Two Miles-stirring
Contest In Beautiful Setting on the
Thames-President's Family and
Taft Among Spectators.

New London, Conn, June 26.-Amid
a deafening din of steam whistles and
horns and the frenzied shouts CT col
legians, the Harvard varsity eight
shot their boat over the finish line
Thursday night, winning from the Grip
pied and distanced Yale crew that
classic of American college aquatics,
the Harvard-Yale varsity boat race.
But instead of a race, Harvard
finished the last mile and half alone,
while far behind Yale limped along
with but seven men at the oars, with
Griswold, the stroke-the man who
had been relied upon to set the win
ming pace-bent forward, limp and
faint from the terrific strain of the
opening two miles. Up to this unex-
pected climax it had been a stirring
struggle, worthy of the best traditions
of the old antagonists, and with the
fitting setting of a marine spectacle
such as has seldom been equaled along
regatta course for brilliancy and
magnitude.
Distinguished Partlsans.
For the first time, too, the president
of the United States was taking keen
and active interest as a champion of
the Crimson colors, and although com
PEELED by circumstances to absent
himself, the spirit OF his enthusiasm
was voiced by the Roosevelt family,
who witnessed the contest from the
deck OF the presidential yacht.
Yale was more fortunate in having
her distinguished champion, Secretary
Taft, present in reality.
Yale had splashed at the start and
the Harvard men had been quick to
take this advantage, pushing their
boat slightly ahead. There they hung.
nip and tuck, Harvard stamina against
Yale pluck, through the roaring av-
enues OF nerve-racked, screeching
thousands. Half a mile from the start
both crews were almost side by side,
Harvard being few feet to the fore
one mile, Harvard still ahead with
Yale holding on doggedly; two miles,
Yale squirting and lessening the gap;
two and half miles, Harvard still In
the lead, with open water between the
beats and Yale fighting on like grim
death.
Yale's Stroke Collapses.
Now came the decisive moment with
the final stretch almost in sight and
the breathless throngs straining to see
If Harvard could keep up the pace,
or would weaken at the close. Stead
fly on they came, when suddenly com
motion was observed in the Yale boat,
as Griswold, the stroke, fell forward
on his oar and ceased to row. Cass
Yale's coxswain, had already been
dashing water into his pale face. Fol
nearly a minute-it seemed ten-the
Yale stroke sat motionless, bent down
as II lifeless. Then he was seen TO
straighten up and bend to his Ca
again, and great shout went up from
the Yale cohorts, as their crew was
seen to pick up the stroke and rally
for another effort.
But they were now six lengths be
hind, hopelessly beaten. Another 20
strokes and Griswold was seen to col
lapse again and then the whole crew,
disheartened at the fall of their lead
er, quit their work and sat detected at
their oars. Yale was beaten. 1t was
no longer a race and Harvard swung
ahead alone, still keeping up the rae
ing clip and crossing the finishing
line with a regular swish. swash," to
the very end.