New-York tribune., 1909-04-18
HARVARD OARSMEN WIN
COLUMBIA Badly BE4TEN
ON CHARLES.
Crimson Shell Sleeps to DecislCe
VictOry by Big Margin IN
Z I'll Fast Race.

Cambridge Mass April 17--Wtth a powerful
and finished stroke the Harvard varsity eight
Dared crew defeated Columbia the Charles River
fhis afternoon by six fuii lengths, in race Of a
mile and seven-eignths it was a runaway from the
start After ;he first dashing strokes that fol-
lowed the referees pistol there never any
question regarding the outcome As IL inpelled by
y powerful motor. the Harvard shell swept proudly
down the Charles River basin before twenty thou
sand persons the river bank. and like an arrow
shot beneath The arching pillars OF the bridge to a
finish line over which il swept like torpedo boat
destroyer.
Behind traied the Columbia shell with the oars
men pIunging their blue and white blades into the
in a effort catch or even keep up
with the flying Crimson shell Despite the almost
perfect river conditions. the Columbia boat rolled
like knockabout IN heavy sea, and II was with
difficulty that lockwood kept the nose Of the boat
heading down the course. TIsryaTd's veteran crew
SHOW ed all The dash and force which out Yale
~ New London last year. while the exhlbtlon OF
Columbia. even Rice, the coach, was dlsappoint-
3ns.
L was few minutes before 4 o'clock when the
two crews backed 10 their rE1nts underneath the
Cottage Farm bridge Stretching of down the river
she looked quite smooth 10 Harvard bridge
half way 10 the finish with the water only a trihe
rrf7ed- Underneath the Cottage Farm bridge II
was without movement and the shells had little
cificulty fn keeping in position
The failure Of the referees pistol TO work and a
misunderstanding the part or Columbia caused
rhe EtUe ana " fUe crew lndh5 a 1o]oO e|0@ -
With their nerves somewhat ruffiec over the INCL
dent the Columbia oarsmen once more lined up
beside the calm Harvard men, who had sat Ike
statues in their boat waiting for the real start
zhich came a minute later and almost exactly at
- .. With the firing Of the pistol Columbia was
the FIRST 10 respond Their cars moved before those
tsn the Harvard boat, but somehow the Crimson
lshell the first TO get away. Both crews hit
rrp the stroke forty. and for hundred yards
Froped side by side like the hulls OF catamaTan-
into
creasing stroke broke the invisible connection and
began 80 draw away Columbia continued the
thisher stroke for a couple Of minutes longer. but
;she Quickness lacked rhythm and power. so Cap
tain CerussI dropped back thrty-six 10 a min
.Ste AT the quarter mile Harvard was half length
.so the good. and the half mile flag there was
opeH water between the stern OF the Crimson shell
s<nd the sharp bow of the Columbia boat
Foot by foot, and sometimes yard by yard, the
Harvard boat pulled steadily away, the Crimson
stroke decreasing 10 thirty-two and time
going q low Renty-eight 10 the minute over
in tie Columbia boat lockwood was continually
shouting 20 his men, urging them on with en-
couraging word and trying TO instl weight vigor
and sInoothness into their stroke, but with only
partial
Under Harvard bridge dashed the Crimson crew,
with five thousand people watching Ten seconds
later the Columbia shell swept through and the two
crews started down the last mile OF the course.
on getting past Harvard bridge the water proved
rougher than in the upper reaches of the river.
The motion had effect whatever on the Harvard
she'll with two of the Columbia oarsnen swing
ing from side side they dug their blades inio
and swept through the stroke to a splash
tnE finish. the unsteadiness OF the Blue and White
boat the feature OF the from this point on
Sergeant, the Harvard stroke again dropped be-
low thirty. this did not prevent a couple more
lengths being pulled away from Columbia, and
when the mile and a half flags passed there
were lengths OF water between the boats. Com
ing down the finish Columbia was the first TO
squirt but. with the uuevenness in the rhythm the
rolling of the shell and the lack Of power in the
stroke. there was gain Harvard.
the finish line neared Bagden swung
OF HIS tiler ropes in the air and Sergeant called
upon his for the last effort Up went the Har-
they hilaTiously drove their she'll with increasing
shell wabbling uncertainty. while the water
red flag fell and Harvard had Nineteen sec
like spent runner
stop the finish, but. continuing down the
stream, made long sweep out into the basin. and
then headed back 10 the boathouse.
4 the Columbia boat crossed the line Rice So
terly shook his head and remarked: Harvard had
4 good crew, while my boys could seem 20 get
tcsejher'
II was despondent lot Of oarsnen that stepped
frcm the Columbia shell at the Weld Boat Club
after the race. Not would talk. and there
no comment on the false start or criticism OF
the race
The tine Of the race at the various stages fol-
lows: