The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-03-15

YI4{ a L - fLsoo
Cvronasinm but feW@people patronize
it Few are the men VINO cannol
from such g. list chuuse some form
OF athletics suited for themselves.
Rowing is the one sport ! nave
omitted to mention among Il Wihtei
athletics. Il, Of course, goes on winter
and summer. OF all the sports e l.
the favorite and lucky IS the man Hno
can boast q rowing blue Beside nm
the f~ootbaliist and cricketer seem 10
sink to quite minor positions. An
American football player may be a
hero but the man who rows against
Cambridge is something more than .
nero. T4e Oxford color is blue. dark
blue: the Cambridge light blue. In
stead then Of being given Il sweater
with an Q or q G upon it, the man
who had made an Oxford or am
bridge team or a is hoDored by
being given the right to wear blue.
He. we say, is a blue wno can wear
blue.
Beginning at old Foley Bridge. the
Thames is lined with the barees Of
the different colleges. These two are
made SIS convenient as possible with
a pleasant lounge room. an open fire,
easy chairs and papers on file. The
rest Of the barge is fitted up as Il
changing room. During Rights Week
tn decorated goats form one Of the
most charming scenes III all England
Here the students sisters and friends
cone to view the races. Tea is served
on top OF the barges, and old eight
men gather or the raft to discuss by
gone days. Therefore to be Ven 4 col
lege eightsfnen. to sWank aroun IN
a Y~afiegated blazer and cap. seems
to amply repay the men for the cold
winter days spent IL learning the art
Of rowing and <ne beautiful spring
ones spent tied to you seat III the
boat.
1t is only during HI boat races
that Oxford men become enthusiastic
enough to cheer by voice and bells
and pistol shots. It is indeed q trans
crowd watching 2 hard fought Rugby
game to the running, yelling crowd
OF excited undergraduates upon the
tow path during q abumping' race.
Since there are usually thirty-five or
forty oat to row. and since the
Thames is not wide enough for such
q race they have here to
humping races. The boats start two
lengths apart one behind the other.
and il you have succeeded in humping
the boat ahead of vol your boat
takes the higher place on the fol-
lowing day. Since the races go on
for six days II is possibIe for a boat
to inmproye ;ts position BY six
places.
a college to = "bump . at
which the entire student body and
the faculty unite. Fortunately the
faculty retire before the last cham
paign is drunk. When Christ Church
gained the position at the laad Of
the river q modest bonfire would not
suffice. SO the grandstand erected for
the Oxford City Pageant was also
given TO the flames.
I have dweit at length on rowing
because only In this department OF
sport are you able to get beyond the
c%oolness and Indifference OF the Eng
lish Undergraduate in regard to ath-
ietics il which he Is not personally
engaged. Yesterday Cambridge defeat
ed Oxford 2 to I in Association foot
ball yet I have not heard the event
remarked upon. London is only an
hour and a half from Oxford. vet T
dare say fifty men did o go down
to see the match.
In college games it is even worse
At no time will you see more than one
or two OF your own college mates
watching q game Of Rugby, and these
you will find out are too ill to nlav
or have cracked" their knee or
The truth is that ali are |
so busy taking exercise themselves
that they haven't time to watch others
play.
OF all times at Oxford the summer
term IS the best. 'rh more vigorous
games are put aside: the student dons |
MS white f%lannels and goes either TO |
the mild sports OF tennis and cricket
or to the much miider pleasures Of the
river. Nor is the ardent American
Wienout ms own game, for twice q |
week q small band of the faithful |
gather to practice baseball Tor their |
games with the Itondcn team. But II
IS tennis which seems to appeal most |
70 1he american, for nowhere is exer- /!
.!se MADE SO pleasant as on the beau |
Iiui grass tennis courts of Oxford
10 the mar who finds tennis too |
energetic, q boat with Easy cushions |
beneath the overhaneinr
Frees OF the CherweII offers pleasures |