Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-19
LOCAL OARSMEN IN
POTOMAC REGATTA
Make Excellent Showing
Against Baltimore and
Philadelphia Crews.

getting first place in q rowing race. The
Potomacs won the senior eight-oared shell
race. the biggest event Of the regatta
and their junior eight shell and
Junior single scull crews also carried Off
first honors.
The intermediate eight and the Junior
four Of the Ariel Rowing Club OF Balti-
more covered themselves with glory by
easily winning their races. The Analostan
Boat Club OF this city and the Virginia
Boat Club OF Richmond rowed good races.
but had TO be content with second places
In the canoe events the Washington
Canoe Club easily took first place BY
winning the championship doubles, the re-
mixed doubles. The Analostan club had
entries In nearly all of the canoe events.
but failed to land first place.
Weather Almost Perfect.
Conditions were almost ideal for the re-
gatta. The only way in which nature
could have improved upon herself would
nave been by easing up bit on the wind
that swept across the course and kicked
up choppy waves that interfered with the
racing shells a little. Still. the sun was
SO bright and the air so pleasantly cool
and clear that the troublesome breeze
could be forgiven. Practically every river
craft smaller than an excursion steamer
or coal barge in this vicinity was some
where along the course. which extended
from point about opposite the old naval
observatory to the Highway bridge dis
tapce of mile. The Atlantic torpedo flo
tflla OF the United States Navy and scores
or other craft anchored up and above the
Highway bridge along the course End to
end the torpedo boats Worden, the flag
ship, with Lieut.. Commander F. n. Free
man on board: Stockton Blakely, Shu-
brick. Stringham, Dupont and Biddle.
marked the southern line.
The small boats of the revenue cutter
Apache acted as the police department of
the regatta. together with the harbor
boats OF the local police force The
lighthouse tender Holly was above the
bridge. The commanders of all these
crafts were under strict instructions to
maintain order and carry out the rules
! Of the regatta
notwithstanding all these plans for
properly policing the course. however.
the lower end, near the finish line, was
badly congested most Of the time with
canoes, launches and other small craft
that had no business there. and were ap-
J parently not ordered away. SO bad was
this condition that in the senior single
scull race Thomas ]. German Of the Po-
tomac Boat Club fouled canoe with one
| OF his oars. and got so .mixed up amid
| these trespassing craft that it was hope
less for him to try to win the race.
| AhouSdlOS VI pcOple llHeu tfl0 sea wall
| Of Potomac Park and the northern side
| OF the Highway bridge where they got a
| splendid view of the entire course Many
were so enthusiastic that they tried to
push their way through the crowd along
| the wall and follow their favorite boats
the full length Of the course. In most in
stances the other spectators objected
strenuously. but some managed to pull
off the stunt successfully
Many of the races were exceedingly
close and furnished the finest sort of ex-
citement from start to finish. This was
espe cially true Of the senior eight-oared
shell event. The entries were the Poto-
mac Boat Club Of this city and the Arun-
del Boat Club and Ariel Rowing Club OF
Baltimore. The Potomacs got SPLEEN
did start and jumped about half length
ahead of both of their rivals in the first
minute. but Immediately after both of the
Baltimore crews settled down to some
mighty hard work. and at the half-mile
were slowly but surely edging up al
most equally on the leading crew.
Fights Have Exciting Pull.
Then for brief period it was nearly
neck and neck. In the last squirt the
Potomacs were able to put more steam
into their stroke and by a mighty strain
pulled away far enough to let consider
able daylight show at the end between
their shell and the Arunders. which
barely beat out the Ariel. The Potomac
crew was given a rousing cheer as it
went under the bridge just below the
finish line.
The Washington Canoe Club and the
Analostan Boat Club padded a truly re-
markable war canoe race. For every foot
Of the third Of a mile which they had to
go the two big canoes were fighting Ike
mad. The Washington Canoe Club. which
had never before worsted the Analostans
in this race. managed to get nearly
boat length ahead on the getaway, but it
commenced to lose it's lead almost at the
same moment. Inch by inch the other
boat crawled up. until In the last few
yards 1t looked as If the Analostan boat
would surely nose out the other. But
the Washington boys put superhuman
strength into their last few strokes and
pushed their canoe across the line to vic
tory q good half length ahead.
Carl l.. Belcher of the Malta Boat Club
Of Philadelphia did some fine rowing.
He carried off the senior and fnterme-
date singles without apparently trying.
But 1t remained for the whaleboat and
frenen's crews Of the torpedo fiotilla to
arouse the greatest excitement OF all,
and also, incidentally. to stir up the
greatest racket. AS the husky sailor
lads pulled the big whaieboats over the
course In wonderfully fast time every
whistle in the flotilla screeched as hard
as it possibly could, and when 1t was an
nounced that the Stringhams crew had
won that warship had a nice. large noise
the sailors that swarmed over the decks
was nearly as loud as that Of the deafen-
ing whistles.
Some Noise, This.
If possible. the racket made by the
men and steam Of the torpedo boats was
even louder when the flreroom crews per-
formed. three in a boat and with their
,shovels for paddles. They worked harder
than they ever do in the stokehole, and
that is pretty hard, and they splashed
water. ran into each other and the pad
dies fell overheard, but it was all in the
race and nobody minded bit. There
was another private noisefest when the
Stockton's boat was announced the victor.
The program OF the regatta called for
the presentation of the prizes last night
sternation of the custodians of metals
and cups to learn about dark that there
wasn't anybody that anybody else could
find that knew anything officially about
who won the various races. Those in
charge of the regatta had apparently
forgotten to appoint an official scorer.
and the judges had, 1t appeared put their
notes in their pockets and gone home TO
dinner and bed after the last race was
called of.
Tired oarsmen and canoeists wended
their way to the park and waited In the
immense throng to get their trophies so
they could hurry home and go to bed,
but after they had hung around for sew
eral hours the news began to be spread
about that there would be no presenta-
thing to do except go home tireder and
frn