Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-07
BIG RACES TO Be
ROWEO THIS MON TIL
Intercollegiate Athletic. Season
Will Be Closed by the Hud-
son and Thames
Regattas.
Bv Edward r. Bushnell.

The intercollegiate athletic year will be
brought to a close with the two big re-
gattas of June % and 81 On the first date
the Yale and Harvard crews will settle
their aquatic rivalry on the Thames at
New London, Conn. and on the Saturday
following the intercollegiate regatta will
be contested on the Hudson at PouSh-
keepsie, n. Y All of the competing crews
are now either already on the course or
will be there within the next week. This
year more than any other there is an
open fight for aquatic honors at both big
regattas. Particularly Is this true in the
case of the Poughkeepsie race. at which
it looks as though Cornell would be de-
throned.
The Ithacans' aquatic prestige received
two stunning blows on Memorial day. At
Cambridge the Cornell varsity eight Sus
tanned crushing defeat from Harvard,
the Crimson oarsmen winning the annual
two-mile race by nearly ten lengths, a
margin by which Cornell was wont to
win from the Harvard crews in the early
days Of these dual regattas. On Lake
Cayuga the Cornell junior eight sue
cumbed to the second crew from Penn
Sylvania in a race which made a new
record for the course and the first time
that Cornells second crew ever lost to
Pennsylvania.
Cornell Unusually Weak.
But lest MISUNDERSTANDING arise and
the hopes of Harvard and Pennsylvania
be exalted too much it should be said that
Harvard won not because the Crimson
crew, although better than the average
Harvard eight, was so phanomenally fast,
but because the Ithacans were so lam
entably weak. 1t Is doubtful if Coach
Courtney ever found his way beset with
so many difficulties as this spring On
two separate occasions the Cornell crew
was practically broken up by internal
and external dissensions. Cornell men
who are genuinely interested in the ath-
letic success of their alma mater charge
that the cause of all the trouble, which
has been almost a scandal, is the peren-
NAL and pernicious activity of the fra
ternities, an evil which it has been posi-
BILE heretofore to contine to foot ball and
base ball. There is probably no other
university In the country which would toll
crate this sort of high-handed interfer-
ence which crops out so regularly at Cor
nell. and If not checked speedily 1t is
likely to wreck some other teams at Cor
nell.
On account of Cornelrs troubles it is
not unlikely that Pennsylvania, Columbia
and Syracuse will be favorites over the
lfhacanS at the coming regatta. The
Pennsylvania eight attracted considerable
attention from The rowing experts by its
fine work in the American regatta. when
it made new record for the Henley
course. On the same day the Syracuse
crew defeated Annapolis with greater ease
than had Harvard, the cCnquerors of
Cornell AS Columbia lost to Annapolis
by a small margin the Salt City colleSians
lcci very good just now. Nobody knows
how strong the Wisconsin crew is, for it
has had no dual regattas this year.
While it is unfortunate that the num-
Der of competing crews this year should
be reduced by two. by the absence of
Georgetown and the Navy, it should not
greatly affect the interest in the races.
1t is likely that next year will see eight
starters in the varsity eight-oarcd contest
Both Georgetown and Annapolis wish to
re-enter in 1909. and New York Jniver-
sity, which installed a varsity eight this
year for the first time. has planned to
launch it's shell in the Poughkeepsie re-
gatta.
Harvard Favorite Over Yale.
In view of Harvard's fine rowing against
Cornell and the Navy, the Crimson is be-
ing made the favorite for their dual re-
gatta. Those who have seen this Harvard
eight work together pronounce it the
best Harvard ever turned out. Harvard
beat somewhat mediocre eight from
! ale two years ago. but last year the
Ellis turned the tables. The Yale var
slty eight has not had the experience Har-
ward has obtained in two dual races this
year. and will be lucky indeed to defeat
the men from Cambridge.