Evening star., 1909-03-14
BOATHOUsE GOSSIP.

I l OOA4AXOo0o 0SS0AAs
Unless the Naval Academy managers
recede from their stand the prospects of
a. race between the crews of that institu-
ton and the two picked ones OF the
Potomacs are very slim for this season.
at least. Manager Benson of the Mid
shipmen crews has named April II as
the one date convenient for the "Middies'
to meet the Potomacs, stating that such
fixture was the only one they could see
their way clear to settle on for this year.
and he hoped that the Potomacs could
make 1t possible to meet his crews at that
date
Wednesday evening the racing commit
tee of the PotomacS made report to the
board Of governors of their club the cOndi-
ton that exists, stating that while it
desired most earnestly to race with Naval
Academy, the date was too early to con-
slider and was impracticab1e. The racing
committee also said that it would be able
to get crews any time after May /, and
requested permission to go ahead and
request the naming of a later day, in the
hope of getting the Navy in line. Per-
mission was unanimously given the COM
mittee to go ahead. The date selected
by the Naval Academy is out of all rea-
son. as far as the Potomacs are con-
cefneQ, the men all DelnS WnOllS out Ol
training. not one having been in a shell
boat since last September, while their
clubhouse IS still in winter quarters. The
inclines are pulled away and the float is
on the Virginia side of the river being
calked and repaired, so 1t was impossible
to get crews out of the house. 1t is ex
pected the house will be formally opened
the coming week. and that the men will
be ordered to report for active work Sun
day. March q. 1t would require all the
N intervening time between that date and
May l for the oarsmen to round to in any
shape, and the men are hoping the Mid
dies will give them a race some time
during May.
Saturday. May g. the Midshipmen meet
Columbia College in a two-mile race. and
the Potomac have proposed that they
make it triangle affair, they being al
lowed to start in that event. while the
second crews row race Immediately
following This would please the clubmen
70 nicely. and If properly managed
there would be no opposition on the part
of Columbia which Is always willing to
race all corners.
A good many oarsmen Of New York
were down here during the inauguration.
the famous 7th Regiment being full of
members Of the clubs along the Harlem.
One of the crack drill companies, r, is
composed almost entirely of men who be-
long to that famous old club. the Nassau,
and another one. c. is made up of New
Rochelle OdrSmen.
The meeting of the National Association
of Amateur Oarsmen takes place Friday
and Saturday next In New York at the
Hotel Marlborough. Many important
measures looking toward the betterment
Of the clubs Of America will come up for
action while the location for the next
annual regatta will be finally settled. At
present New York. Saratoga Lake and
Detroit have put in claims for the re
a ton, {-
at work getting up strong feeling for
its section. If the unknown is Phila-
delphia it will he very pleasing to the
people of this city Washington made the
mistake by not entering the list of COM
pettors for the great regatta this year.
A strong delegation OF the Patapsco
Navy will go over to New York this week
to get in some strong licks for Middle
States next September at Baltimore. They
will catch all the big guns at the meet
! ing of the National Association. which
will be IN session, and want to cinch
things for old Baltimore.
| The smoker Thursday night of this week
under auspices of the Potomac Boat Club,
which will be pulled off at Carroll In
stitute Hall. is going to be the SWEETEST
| thing during Micareme season. The Vari-
! Gus features of the evening will be so
| diversified as to please all, the wrestling
and other sporting events being selected
from the pest IN the city Inc m1nStrel
| olio In itself is going to be rich and ele-
| CANT as Messrs. Pierce and Merkling
| have worked necessarily to make it ap-
propriate and successful. Col. John A.
! Joyce will give a wonderful poetical
monologue, something entirely new and
unique In its way. 1t will be worth
while TO give up the evening to witness
| the fine program.
| Mr. w. W. Brney, the old Central High
| School flyer" has joined the Potomacs
| and will come out for the junior crew.
| The announcement that the senior
| freshmen race of the students of George
| town would take place on the course
| facing the new Potomac Park is attract
| ing more attention than the students
| anticipated. 1t Is the most beautiful
course In the world, but it lacks the most
essential Qualification-acceSSib 1t will
never become popular until trolley cars
can carry people down to the river bank,
as 1t is now almost impossible to reach
unless one take walk of an hour from
! the street cars. If IT. had been easy of
| access the POtomacs would have built
| their clubhouse on the banks OF Potomac
Park facing the course. but were forced
! to go up stream owing to the lack OF ad-
vantages to reach the resort from the
center OF the city. The local oarsmen
will watch Georgetown's attempt with
considerable interest, hoping that the col
| legians will make a success of attracting
| a crowd down to the races