The San Francisco call., 1909-10-24
JAPANESE CREW
AWARDED PRIZE
Cruiser St. Louis Cutter Wins
Race, Although Not COmpet-
ing for Trophy
ThrOngs Watch Exciting Battle
of Oarsmen From Big Fight
ing Ships in Bay

II viii be news to most Of those who
yelled themselves .hoarse at the regatta
held yesterday afternoon IN the China
basin 10 learn that the prize in the
snternational boat race was won by
Japan. The race itself. however, was
won by the men from the cruiser St.
Louis, who gave as fine an exhibition
of Craftsmanship as San Francisco ever
saw and who received from the crowd
that tbrOnged the piers and bulkheads
along the course a tribute of cheers
5hat was worth half a dozen trophies
This victory that brought no prize
10 the victOrs carried more comfort to
those who cheered the Yankee tars
thHn those who yelled and ltowled and
whistied and shrieked may be willing
10 admit. The Japanese, before the
race. was an unknown quantity. Before
1he race was half over any doubt that
may have existed as TO the American
biuejackets ability to lick creation, IN
a rowing match at least was forever
Iispelled. The naval militia also won
more than the race just as the Jap
snese won more than the trophy.
JAPANESE TRUE SPORTS
The citizen sailors showed them
selves men OF grit The japanese, those
who rOwed and those who thronged the
decks and nearly capsized the steamer
General Frisbic. showed themselves
good sports. for when it was supposed
by all THAI the ST. Louis boat had won
zhe race nobody cheered any more
heartily than the little brown men,
The ST. Louis crew was disqualified
before the race began for the reason
that their boat was racing cutter
INSTEAD Of the working cutter entered
by the japanese and by the crew of the
naval training ship Alert. AS the st.
Louis men have been spelling for
race for a long time II was decided 10
allow them 10 enter and show what
they could do. Il viii be harder now
than ever for them 10 get a race
It was a disappointment to the COM
mittee and TO the spectators that ali
7he visiting foreign ships were not rep
resented in the race The fact that
the Germans. italians, Hollanders and
Briushers had been diligently practie-
sng every day since their arrival had
given everybody interested reason TO
expect a fun entry list When> the
showdown came. however. only the
men from Nippon Of all the foreigners
EOed the mark.
The Idzumo entered two boats. There
was a boat from the Alert and one
from the st. Louis and the race was
over straightaway course against the
GETS SLIGHT ADVANTAGE
To be strictly fair to the Japanese,
ahe ST Louis boat had the advantage
of the inside course. where the tide Of
1ered less opposition than it did far
zher out This. with the great light
ness Of their boat helped more than a
little but hardly accounted for the
zap Of a quarter mile that was be-
tween the St. Louis boat and those
behind when the "Bluebird,' as the
aagship's cutter is known. crossed the
dine.
The ST. Louis forged ahead from the
start and kept widening the gap until
The finish one of the japanese boats
was left behind early in the race and
STAYED behind The real battle was
between the Alerts boat and the other
japanese. The boats were like as two
peas The japanese were inside and
every man in the boat trained TO the
minute.
THE Alert was manned by civilians,
members of the naval militia, men
whose training had been an occupa-
tion Of leisure hours and whose daily
work in most cases made them more
familiar with fountain pens and type
writers than with ash oars and flood
tides.
GALLANT RACE ROwED
At the start the japanese drew away
from them and We're nearly a boats
length ahead when the militiamen
changed their stroke a little The gap
gradually closed Inch by inch the
-Alert's boat crept up on the sons Of
Nippon. who were tugging like frantic
devils at their oars. Another hundred
yards and the tale might have had a
different ending. AS il was the Jap
anese boat was not half way across the
line when the judges ol9nnounced
the crossing Of the Alerfs boat. The
sl7ilftiamen lost the race. but they won
the wholesome respect Of everybody
who watched their gallant struggle.
Japan was out in full force.-&t least
half dozen Of the numerous steamers
and launches that conveyed the race
Were covered with japanese flags. The
steamer General Frisbie had been char
tered by George Shima and was
1lronged. decks, rails and roofs by the
potato kings countrymen The fact
that the steamer was keeled over at an
angle of IS degrees didn't worry the
men from Nippon and If they had only
known in time that their boat had
really won San Francisco might have
heard banzai that was worth listen
ing 10.