The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-06-26
STROKE OAR WEAKENED
UNDER FEARFUL STRAIN
Secretary Taft Present to Wit
ness Defeat Of His
Alma Mater
(py -. ated peess.l

New LondO John., June 2G.-Amit
a deafening roar of steam whistles and
lolns and amid the shouts of cole
gians. the Harvard varsity eight shot
their boat over the finish line last
aigat. winning from the crippled and
dlstanced Yale crew that classic OF
american college aauatins,the Harvard
Yale boat race.
But instead of a race, Harvard fin
ished the last mile and a half alone,
While far behind Yale limped along
With but seven men at the oars, With
Grlswold. the stroke-the man who
lad been relied upon to set the win.
ming pace-bent forward limp and faint
frOm the terrific strain OF the opening
swc miles. Up to this unexpected ell
max 1t had been stirring struggle,
Sorthy Of the best traditions of the
I'd antagonists and with the setting of
D marine spectacle such as has seldom
been equaled along a regatta course
,0r brlliancy and magnitude.
For the first tme too, tine presi-
dent Of the United States was taking
4 keen and active interest In a cam
paign of the crimson colors. and al
though compelled by circumstances to
absent himself the spirit of his en-.
thusiasm was voiced by the Roosevelt
family, who Witnesses the contest from
the deck of the presidential yacht.
Yale was more fortunate In having
her distinguished champion, Secretary
Taft. present in reality the central fig
ure of a group Of collegians who aban-
doned the observation train, shouted
announcement TO the Yale crew as
they sped over the early reaches Of
the course and then lapsed into glum
dismay as Griswold was seen to fall
over helpless in the Yale boat The
race was rowed under the most favor
able racing conditions just as the sun
was setting over the picturesque
Thames, with the wato" broken only
by ripples, a c!oudless sky and light
northwest breeze.
Through the maze of craft loaded
with sightseers, the racers threaded
their way with clear. open course 200
feet wide marked every half mile with
red and blue standards blue for Yale
and crimson for Harvard Every eye
was rivited on the swaying bronzed
forms in the boats as they bent TO
the terrific strain of 26, then 30 and "a
strokes to the minute driving their
frail crafts through the water as with
knives. Above the shouts from the on
lockers could be heard the shrill voices
OF the eoxswains, megaphones TO
mouths. stimulating their men and
marking time with "one, two, three,
~ n. 4 a. hst tsts fsf M
the Harvard men had been quick To-
take this advantage, pushing their boat
slightly ahead There they Aung, nip
and tuck. Harvard, stamina against
Yale puck through the roaring avenues
Of nerye-racked, screeching thousands
Half a mile from the start both cie' II
were almost side by side. Harvard stil
ahead with Yale holding on doggedlyi
Two miles. Yale squirting ana lessening
the gap, two and half miles Haryard
still in the lead with open water be-
tween the boats and Yale fighting on
like grim death.
Now came the decisive moment, with
the final stretch almc in sight and
tne breathIess thrOng S IA ling to see
II Harvard could 4 k-np , D. or would
weaken at the close Steadily on them
came when suddenly comotion was OBJ
served IN the Yale boat as Griswold,
the stroke fell forward on his oar and
ceased 10 row. Cass. Yale's cOxswaln,
had already been dashing water on his
pale face For nearly a minuie-t
seemed ten--the Yale stroke sat mo-
uonless. bent down as " ifeles Then
ne was seen 10 straighten az a be.d
10 his oar again, and a great )s- vent
up from the Yale cohorts, .neir
crew was seen TO pick up the stroke
and rally for another effort Another
20 strokes and Griswold was seen to
again and then the whole crew
aisheartened. quit. sat detected. Yale
was beaten. II was no longer race
aqd Harvard swung ahead ami crossed
the finish line with a regular swish,
.Sssh 10 the very end.
(jriswoid aad been helped from the
Yale boat and tagging far behind the
Harvard team. seven remaining Yale
men az last made their appearance
at the finish a halt mile behind Har
ward receiving a generous ovation
for their pluck under such disheart-
ening conditions.
Halt mile-Harvard, 2:3S; Yale 2.S9.
One mile Harvard a.S7i Yale, 5.39.
Nile and d half-haryard 9.lz;
Yale. 9;16.
Two miles Harvard 1913; Yale.
1887.
Two ard ba1 miles Harvard, AZ
So. Vale. 1876.
Three milss Harvard, Is: 90; Yale