Evening star., 1909-04-18

Ash shell as in one American rigged
| there will be some to attribute Yales de-
| cisive defeat at the hands of the Univer-
| sity of Pennsylvania last week to her at
| tempt to utilize English methods. In this
race Yale used a shell rugged according
to the English methods and equipped with
English oars. The innovation was the re-
suit of Mr.. Kennedy's trip to England a
year ago. He was sent there to make q
study of English methods and to learn
whether or not they would benefit Amer
lean crews. He thought they would. but
Yale used an American shell and English
oars, and had 1t rigged according to the
| English style.
| Nobody but Mr.. Kennedy himself is well
enough versed in the intricacies of the
matter to determine who or what was at
fault. 1t was expected that Yale would
| use a long stroke. longer, In fact, than
Pennsylvania. because this Is the charac-
teristic OF the English stroke, but Yale S
stroke was always shorter and more chop
| py than that of Pennsylvania. An ou-
| server not knowing how the two crews
were rigged would have thought Penn
sylvania rowing the English stroke in
stead Of Yale.
AS result Of this race Yale will prob
ably make some changes. If Kennedy
decides that English rigging Is at fault he
! can change 1t to American style. He
can still use the English oars. for these
oarsmen now. There will probably always
be difference of opinion concerning the
| relative advantages Of the English and
American riggings.
has made an exhaustive study Of the
English and American methods, and def
nitely abandoned all thought of using the
English. Ward claims that the English
| stroke is suited only to men of a powerful
build and Of more mature age than the
American c0llpRlan9 HIS conclusion iS
that American methods are best for the
development OF our eights.
The splendid feeling resulting from the
Yale-Pennsylvania race is taken to mean
that this event will be a permanent fea-
ture Of Easter week for the two uni
versities 1t was the first race between
the varsity eights of the two universities
in twenty years. and did more to bring
about a closer union between them than
anything short Of foot ball game could
do The Ellis were the guests OF the
Quakers for ten days. and during this
time the oarsmen became very we'll ac-
quainted with one another.
The result of the race has no meaning
whatever. as applied to either Pough-
keepsie or New London. 1t does indicate.
however. that the Pennsylvania crew is
a stronger aggregation than year ago.
and that 1t will have more confidence In
itself when 1t goes up the Hudson in June.
1t has also aroused more enthusiasm for
rowing at Pennsylvania than anything
since the Quakers' trip to the English
Henley in 1901.
AS for Yale the result will undoubtedly
make the Ellis harder for Harvard to de-
feat than IL they had won. 1t is one of
Yale's characteristics to convert every
defeat into a future victory.
Intercollegiate Boxing Unpopular.
The effort on the part OF Columbia Uni
versity boxing enthusiasts to establish
boxing as an intercollegiate sport. with an
annual championship tournament. looks
like q losing venture from the start. AL
though boxing has been quite literally
patronized at most Of the big universities
there is practically no chance for the va
rious colleges to organize an association
This is due to the bad odor of profess
sional boxing and the ease with which
hard feelings might be engendered be-
tween colleges over these bouts.
Most liberal-minded people believe In
boxing as a pastime and approve placing
in in the gymnastic curriculum. There
is no doubt that 1t adds to mans conf
dence in himself and produces agility and
suppleness. 1t was on account of its de-
veiopment of the latter qualities, not for
pugilistic purposes. that 1t was recently
made a part of the Princeton foot ball
teams preliminary training. No one will
oppose boxing in college gymnasiunfs. but
let 1t be seriously suggested as an inter-
collegiate sport and 1t will raise up a big
crop of enemies.
Virginia Intercollegiate Prospects.
AS a result of the Yale-Virginia track
meet last week both these teams loom up
formidably in the Intercollegiate cham
pionships The records OF Rector. 4-5
seconds for 100 yards and 21 40 seconds
for the go yards, were features Of the
day and indicate that II this young man
can repeat successfully he may score ten
points for his college at Boston.
T. ls 1onhff,1l if Rector actually did
94-5 seconds this early in the year, but
the margin of seven yards by which he
won is evidence that he is still in his
old form. There are some who doubt
that Rector will live UP to expectations
at the big meet. This belief Is based on
the fact that Rector Is q poor repeater.
If he Is compelled to run only single
heat in one day he can win it in record
be obliged to run preliminary heats In
both the 100 yards and 22O yards in the
preliminaries. Then he will have to run
both distances again In the semi-fnals,
and repeat shortly afterward In the finals.
1t is characteristic of Rector that he al
ways does his best work in his first heat.
This was the case last year In the Olym-
pic tryouts at Philadelphia, and also at
first heat at London. and was nearly two
yards slower than this in the finals In
deed, he would probably have beaten
Walker of South Africa II the two had
met in the first heat. But In spite of this
defect he may be enough superior to his
rivals to win both sprints at Boston.
Next to Rectors running. the half mile
by Splitter of Yale. in 1.5s 2-5 was the
best of the day. Splitter has shown such
speed in this event that he may give up
the mile altogether. Capt. Howe Of Yale
was travelling fast over the high hurdles
II he actually did Is 2-5 seconds. Nelson
OF Yale. in clearing twelve feet. equaled
the intercollegiate record. Cooney OF
Yale, by throwing the hammer nearly $50
feet. showed that he will be a dangerous
factor In this event. which had been pop
ularly assigned to Talbot. the Cornell