Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-06
GREAT INTEREST IN
AMERICAN REGATTA"
Harvard, Yale, Pennsy, Cornell
and Georgetown RoWers to
Compete This Year.
By Edward R. Bushnell.


son it manages a regatta dissimilar to
regatta was the outgrowth Of one
Cornell. Pennsylvania and Columbia.
For years various efforts had been
made to bring about rowing races be-
tween Harvard and Yale and Cornell,
Pennsylvania, Columbia and the other
crews which row annually at Poughkeep-
sic. Neither Yale nor Harvard could see
its way clear to meet any OF the Pough-
keepsie crews in a varsity race, but the
rowing authorities at both the New Eng
land institutions were quite willing to aid
in the organization Of the association to
bring about a much-needed regatta for
| second or junior Fights. whose Oarsnen
were hitherto precluded from intercol-
legiate regattas, unless they could make
varsity crews. From the very start all
the intercollegiate differences were for
gotten by the managing stewards and the
various universities represented have
sent their crews regularly.
This years regatta is already assured
OF as large an intercollegiate representa-
ton as any Of its predecessors, with the
likelihood that 1t will bring out several
college Fights which have not been there
before. Harvard, Yale and Pennsylvania
have all promised definitely to be repre-
Although Cornell has a regatta OF her
own a week later, at which Pennsylvania
will row, the Ithacans may also send
crew to Philadelphia. Georgetown, whose
competition in outside regattas usually
depends upon the state OF her athletic
treasury and the caliber OF her crews,
confidently expects to be on hand this
year. Patrick Dempsey. who has return
ed to coach the oarsmen after the failure
Of the graduate coaching system, thinks
o1Ohf
a good showing, and the rowing authori-
ties will doubtless send it UP to the
Schuylkill under these circumstances.
There are two big rowing universities
regatta They are Columbia and Prince
ton. The Tigers have abundant reason
for their position. because they have been
rowing only three years. and have not
yet developed their aquatic strength to
the point where they are In position to
make the Orange and Black as famous
on the water as on other fields. This
year, though. the Tigers wish to engage
in some outside competition, and 1t is
understood that q serious effort will be
made to secure the consent OF the row.
ing authorities to send some kind OF
crew to the regatta. Columbia has here
tofore pleaded lack OF funds for her abb
sence, but this year the New Workers.
have promised the stewards to use every
effort to send q crew. There is likewise
a faint hope that Annapolis will send
crew, particularly since the Middies could
not get permission to send their oarsmen
to the Poughkeepsie regatta. Syracuse
has competed in these regattas but once,
and owing to the expense crew Is
hardly expected from Syracuse this
spring.
Association. peculiarly enough. are much
concerned over the pers stence of the
rowing public In referring to this re-
gatta as the American Henley" This
name was given to the regatta when 1t
was first held. due probably to the fact
that the length Of the course is one and
five-sixteenth miles. the same distance as
notes every year on the Thames. But
In only one other respect is there the
slightest similarity between the two re-
gattas. This Is that the American stew
right to reject any entry up to the time
Of starting the race. and without the
formality Of a trial or hearing OF any
kind. Only once. though, have the
American stewards exercised this right.
In all other respects the two regattas
are totally different. The stewards wish
this regatta to be known simply as the
american regatta" but the other name
Is popular, and has chung to the annua
regatta in spite of the stewards EFFORTS
to change 1t.
According to their present plans. the
stewards have some ambitious scheme
for the development OF interscholastic
rowing. This was the first body IN
America which ever concerned itself with
schoolboy rowing. 1t was. and still is,
the aim OF the stewards to make the
| scholastic race emblematic of the inter.
scholastic rowing championship OF
America. Usually this is SO In fact fact
especially two years ag g. when mime mime
made to secure big representation Of
school crews this spring. including those
from Boston, New York. Philadelphia.
Washington and Baltimore.
Dual Regattas.
| There is less definite Information OBJ
| tainable about dual collegiate races just
now than is usual at this season Har-
| ward has announced a race with Cornell
and another with Annapolis. The Mid
dies will also row Syracuse and possibly
Columbia and Georgetown, but outside
| of these races everything Is speculation.
| It is not even known that Pennsylvania
and Yale will row again. The Eli man
| agement wants to send Its crew to Phil
adelphia during Easter week, but per-
mission has not yet been obtained from
the Yale faculty. Columbia is anxious for
| race with the Yale varsity. but IL the
| Ellis row any other college besides Har-
ward it Is virtually sure to be Pennsyl-
vania.
The intercollegiate rowing world is
much concerned to know what Princeton
intends to do on the water. The Tigers
would be welcomed warmly by either the
Poughkeepsie stewards or by Yale and
Harvard. They cannot row in either
regatta. though. until the faculty rescinds
| its rule prohibiting intercollegiate COM
petition for the crew. 1t is pretty thor
oughly understood both at Princeton and
| elsewhere that II the Tiger management
finds a desirable opponent this regulation
will be speedily annulled.
An unusual number Of rumors are flying
about through the middle west concern
| ing the future OF college rowing there.
At present Wisconsin is the only univer-
sity which maintains q crew, but from
cago and even Illinois have been credited
With such intentions. Now 1t is said that
Iowa will take up rowing, and with Min.
nesota and wisconsin form a western or
conference regatta. But this delightful
project had been advanced SO often with
| out any basis OF fact that the rowing
public can afford to wait for something
| bit more definite.
PENIS Monster Relays.
No better tribute to the University OF
Pennsylvania annual relay carnival
could be paid 1t than the series OF an
nouncements from all the leading col
leges and universities Of the east and
west that they will send teams to COM
pete. There was a time when represen-
| tation was not very general, when the
big universities competing in the three
championship relay races were limited
to three or four. But now 1t is differ-
emit, for almost without exception the
big universities arrange their schedules
so that they can send their best men to