Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-18
HARVARD DEFEATS COLUMBIA
Grew from City of New York is
Beaten by Six Lengths.
GREAT CROWD SEES THE RACE
visitors Badly Outclassed and Are
Much Disappointed by Sorry show
ing Made-River Conditions
Almost Perfect.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. April 1L-with a
powerful and finished stroke the Harvard
varsity crew defeated a weaker and less
river today by six full lengths in a race
of a mile and s~even-eighths. After the
first few dashing strokes which followed
the referees pistol shot there was never
any q~eustion regarding the outcome. As
If impelled by a powerful motor the Har-
ward shell swept proudly down the Charles
river basin before the 2Oi00O people on the
river bank and shot like an arrow across
the finish line. Behind them trailed the
Columbia shell, with the oarsmen plunging
their blue and white blades into the water
in a vain effort to KEEP up with the crimson
shell. Despite the almost perfect river con-
ditlons, the Columbia boat rolled like a
kn%ockabout in a heavy sea and it was
with difficulty that Coxswain lockwood
kept the nose of his boat heading down the
course. Harvard's veteran crew showed all
the dash and force which wore out Yale
at New London last year, while the exhibit
ton of Columbia. even to Coach Rice. was
disappointing.
It was a few minutes before 4 o'clock
WIlCH ne HNWO SlGWo OhChC0 w NAAC PNAANe
underneath the Cottage Farm bridge. The
start came almost exactly at 4 p. m. With
the firing OF the pistol the Crimson shell
was the first to get away. Both crews hit
up the stroke above forty and for 100 yards
more rowed side by side, Then Harvard
began to draw away. Columbia continued
the high stroke for a couple of minutes
longer. but presently Captain Cerussi
dropped back to thirty-si At the quarter
mile Harvard was half a length to the
good, and at the half-mile flag there was
open water between the boats. The Har-
ward boat gained steadily. the Crimson
stroke decreasing to thirty-two and at one
time to as low as twenty-eight. In the
Coiumbia boat Cxswain lockwood was
continuously shouting encouragement to
his men, but with onlypartial success.
Under Harvard bridge dashed the Grim
son crew. with 5000 people awething. Ten
seconds later the Columbia shell swept
underneath and the two crews started
down the last mile of the course. The
water was now rougher than in the upper
reach OF the river. The motion had no
effect whatever on the Harvard shell, but
the unsteadiness OF the Blue and Invite
boat was the feature Of the race from that
point.
Stroke Sergeant of the Harvard crew
again dropped the stroke below thirty. but
waen the mile ana a half flags were passed
there we're five lengths of water between
the boats. Coming down to the finish CO.
lumbia was the first 10 squirt, but there
was no gain on Harvard. As the finish
line was reared Sergeant called upon his
men for the last effort. UP went the Har-
ward stroke. while astern the Columbia
shell wobbled uncertainty. Then the red
flag fell and Harvard had won. Nineteen
seconds later the Columbia shell rolled
across the line like a spent rune Coach
Rice said his men could not seem to get
together. The Columbia oarsnien showed
dependency after the race, but would not
discuss II.
The times OF the race were: