The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-03
C0rneHs Splendid Crews Defeat
College Rivals In EUery Contest

Poughkeepsie, n. Y, July VARSITY
eight-oared shells, four miles: Cornell
1902; Columbia 1902 2-5; Syracuse 1915 Is;
Wisconsin 1894 is; Pennsylvania 1882 10.
Varsity four-oared shells, two miles:
Cornell 1901; Syracuse 1910; Columbia
1912 Pennsylvania 1927.
Freshman eight-oared shells, two miles:
Cornell 9:07 3-5; Syracuse 9:14 As; Penn
sylvania 9.21; Wisconsin 9.22 AS; Column
bda 1926
This was Cornelrs day on the Hudson.
as decisively as yesterday was Harvard's
on the Thames. Her stalwart crews made
a clean sweep of the fifteenth annual
regatta of the intercollegiate Rowing
association just as those of her sister uni
versity in New England won over Yale
at New London. But Cornell did more
than defeat the crews of the other four
universities represented in today's races;
she established two records for the two
mile course, one in the varsity four-oared
race and another in the freshmen eight
cared race. Altogether it was a great
day for the collegians from Ithaca and
tonight they are celebrating in true Cor
nell style.
Cornells sweeping victory was not I'M
expected. From the time her shells first
appeared in practice on the Hudson for
today's regatta. her crews were picked
to win. 1t was conceded that she would
take the four-oared race and probably the
freshman race, but there was some doubt
about the varsity race, the big race of
the day. AS was predicted this proved to
be the hardest contest, the other two be-
ing won in rather easy fashion. In the
varsity eight-oared competition, however,
Cornell met a stubborn and unexpected
contender in Columbia and it took all
the stamina and great rowing strength
of her crew to poke the bow of her shell
across the finish line scant length in
the lead. In the four-oared race Cor
nell won easily, three lengths ahead Of
Syracuse and in the freshmen race by
length also from Syracuse.
The official time in this particular race
would indicate that Cornells lead over
Syracuse at the finish was more than
a length and in the opinion of scores Of
observers an error was made but there
was no change in the time as originally
given out by the officials. The unofficial
time In the freshman race was 9:14. Thus
Cornell lower two records for the course
the four-oared race by 40 and the fresh
men race by 10 2-6 seconds A strong
wind and a favorable tide is partly
responsible for the fast time made in the
first two races.
Before the varsity race was called the
wind had died away to a light breeze
and the tide had turned.
Syracuse made the best showing next to
Cornell, taking second place in both the
four cared varsity races and the fresh
man race and third place in the varsity
eight. Wisconsin, the only western uni
versity. had crews in but two races and
finished in front of Pennsylvania, while
Penna's showing was the least creditable.
Her crews finished last In both the var
sity aeight-oared race and the varsity
tours, and took third place in the first
race.
Columbia proved surprisingly strong in
the big race, but could finish no better
than fourth in the varsity fours and
last in the freshman race. Not mis-
hap of any sort marred the days sport
and the races were started with conf
mendable promptness. The weather, too,
was perfect and there was but one thing
that did not come up to expectations.
The crowds did not come and the assem-
bling of smart river craft was far less
than In former years
Though not up to the records in num-
bers, the crowds of colegians who came
to Poughkeepsie from New York, Phila-
delphia, Syracuse. Ithaca and other places
to cheer the crews did not lack in en-
thusiasm and the ability to make them
selves heard. The long observation train
that carried the thousands along the
river as the races were rowed, was
blaze of color, the blue and white of Col
umbia predominating, though Syracuse
was strong. Cornell too, had soodly
following which made itself heard. Penn
sylvania's sons cheered her as best they
could, under the depressing circumstances,
and even Wisconsin's unfamiliar yell was
often heard.
Every craft carried the crowds across
the Hudson some to the observation train,
but many more to seek places on the
high shaded hills whence they could see
the races.
Promptly at o'clock the crews in the
four-oared race rowed upstream to the
starting mark and from that time on.
the programme went through with
promptness
The freshmen eight followed sharply on
the heels of the varsity tours, although
there was an hour wait for the stiff
breeze which had kicked UP the water to
a choppy roughness during the early af-
ternoon to die away and to leave the
water smooth. This came about s o'clock
and a few minutes later the five crews
for the varsity 8-race rowed slowly up
stream. Connell took her place first, fol-
lowed by Wisconsin, Syracuse, Column
bia and Pennsylvania. There was no de-
lay and at 6:18 the starting gun boomeu
out on the board the yacht Gretchen the
stewards boat. Pennsylvania got her
stroke first and for brief spell poked
her shell In front Scarcely had the
crowd time to say Pennsylvania Is
ahead" when Cornells sheltt shot to the
front Settling into 81 stroke, Cornell
began to gain Syracuse. however. had
got into her stroke by the time Krum
Elbow was reached and pulled up to
within half a length of the Ithacans.
Pennsylvania was third. The Column
bia crew was a bad last. At the first
mile Cornell had q lead OF three-quar-