Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26
B0ATH0UsE GOSSIP.

| those who in the past who have catered
| to the rowing interests of Washington
are summing UP the fruits Of the recent
meeting and the possibility of all sucil
| future regattas. Previous to the recent
regatta The Star. through its columns. re-
| peatedly stated that mistake was made In
changing the course for the rowing events
from the peaceful and tranquil part OF
the river on either side Of the Aqueduct
bridge down to the usually rough part
facing and adjacent to the new Potomac
Park, holding that it was an exception
when the water was smooth enough for
shellboat racing.
This fact was well illustrated in the re-
cent regatta, as during the entire day the
course was in an abominable condition
caused by the wind blowing right up the
river, and heightened by the constant
churning Of tugs and the hundreds Of
motor boats. The time In each race was
about one minute slower than the average
time. showing how much the heavy water
counteracted anything like good form
and kept the time away and beyond
the limit. In the opinion of experts the
Analostans in the junior four-oared race
were regarded as a dead sure thing. but
when they went out on the course the
heavy water proved their undoing. as
the -Ariels, used to such. proved easy
winners in race minutes beyond the
time made by ordinary crews.
* u
For environment the course AROUND
Potomac Park SurpasseS Paramount Park
and its exploited Schuylkill river course.
But environment does not make she'll
boat races the attractive features the
promoters desire. unless the water is fit
for the contests, and hence the almos,
unanimous consensus of opinion is that
to- 1,@ <,,t1 o11 he
held. There would not have been any
of the crowding in of small boats a,
the finish on the up-river course as Wit
messed on that at Potomac Park last
Saturday. for the promoters would moi
have stood for such violations of the law
as these individuals exhibited on this re-
cent occasion.
Capt. Worth G. Ross, commandant OF
the revenue cutter service. while loud In
extolling the beauties of Potomac Park
as a park and playground for all. said 1t
was mistake to hold the rowing events
there, as the stretch up In Georgetown.
harbor was the best he ever saw, and
also it was the easiest to keep clear of all
numerous regattas held here on the Po-
tomac, witnessing large regattas on both
courses, but / am convinced, says capt.
Ross, that the upper one Is the only
one worth considering"
Thomas Driscoll. the best posted man
on aquatics in Baltimore, an old Ariel ex-
pert and writer of reputation on the
staff of the Baltimore. American, severely
criticised the lower course and said 1t
would make Ferry bar, the neighborhood
of the Ariel and Arundel clubhouses,
blush to think 1t was on a par with the
Potomac course. Driscoll in the American
urges the Capital city clubs to stick to
their old friend, the up-river course. in
the future.
One of the strange things about the
lower course is the fact that the two
clubs, Potomacs and Washington Canoe.
which voted solidly against changing the
course captured every race they were In,
while the Analostan and the Canoe clubs.
which voted to change. did not win prize.
1t certainly was Irony of fate with a
vengeance on the promoters of the lower
course.
The picture made by The Star photo
graphic artist of the winning junior eight
is one of the very best pictures of crew
in motion ever snapped by camera. 1t
was taken near the Highway bridge at
such an angle that 1t looks as II the crew
were rowing up a hill: each particular
oarsman is caught right at the finish of
the stroke. the oars just about to come
out on the feather. and everything. there
fore, is perfect. An enlarged copy Of the
picture will adorn the clubhouse.
The friends Of the Analostans, and they
have many in the city who still cling to
their support. despite the defeats of the
recent regatta, are hoping that the en-
thusiasm manifested this year will con-
tinue next spring and that they will come
forth determined to wrest honors away
from those who this year made them
take their wash" Their crew this year
was a good one. and had their eight been
as we'll boated as the Virginias or Po
tomacs. different result might have re-
suited. Capt. Edmonds worked like
Trojan and deserves credit for welding
such a crew together. and he should see
the spring Tor regular work. There
should be no turning back to old days
again. Keep to the front.
The Potomac Boat Club will not be rep
resented at the regatta next Saturday in
New York in honor of the Hudson Fulton
ceremonies. This decision was arrived at
Wednesday by Capt. Richardson, after
consultation with the racing committee
and the senior crew, as they deemed it
unwise to make such a long trip for the
purpose of rowing race of so small
distance. The races at the celebration
will only be one-half mile I'm length. and
hence the Potomacs do not think 1t worth
the trip. even though the members of
the crew said they would all pay their
own way until they learned 1t was only
half-mile affair, when they all kicked and
COIClUucu " ISl tie NiClOIlcS VI ldSt SdI-
urday be their last affair Of the year.
* = x
Our own Pat Dempsey was the happiest
of men last week, as his victories over
Coaches Jim Ten Eyck and Joe Rice were
all the glory the local coach desired, and
having accomplished them, he was happy
If the authorities of Georgetown Uni
versity ever desire to- bring back glory to
the institution through rowing 1t goes
without saying that Dempsey will be the
man they will secure.
II Baltimore makes a fight for the Mid
die States in 1910 and Washington puts
in a bid for the National Association
date, there will be enough aquatics in
this section of the country to please the
most enthusiastic. 1t is no idle gossip
about Washington making d fight for the
National. 1t is an assured fact and the
Potomac. River Association will shortly
make its purpose known.
OF the Potomacs, Bell. Richardson, Ed
Mueller, Slocum and Frank Smith will
take up single sculling as a means Of i'm
proving themselves oarsmen, and at
the same time developing into single
sculers of note. Already Bell and Capt.
Richardson have purchased boats. the
former securing the fine craft that be-
longed to S:gnor Cora of the Italian en-
bassy, while the latter has the one
formerly the property of Dick Reding
ton.