New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-26
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Columbia and Yale Crews Picked
to Win Big Races.
OARSMEN READY FOR GUN
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.


and Professional.
When Columbia defeats Cornell. Pennsyl-
van.a, Syracuse and Wisconsin on the Hud-
son River a. Poughkeepsie tomorrow. ana
when Yale, confounds the critics by WIN
ming the four-mle race from Harvard on
the Thames River at New London on FIJI
day the college rowing season. which mas
been fraught with more than usual interest
this year. will pass into history THESE
predictions are not made IN jest, or without
due consideration OF the chances involved
but favorites do not always run true 10
form" and for reasons which are worked
out 10 my own satisfaction l am disposed
TO cast my lot with Columbia against the
strong and finished Cornell crew and with
Yale against Harvard. in spite OF the mis-
cradle showing OF the Blue varsity in two
preliminary races this year.
Jim Rice has developed a strong and well
balanced eight at Columbia this season.
Nobody who has seen the men in action
could help but be impressed with the
smoothness Of the swing. the finish Of the
Workmanship and the power in the drive
II there is anything in studying men and
their characteristics. courage, which means
go much I'm the stress OF conflict, Is not
lacking. either. The crew has won It's pre-
linlinary races. beating the strong Navy
crew on two occasions in a way 20 inspire
confidence: the time trials. although l DO
not take much stock in these tests, have
been highly satisfactory; the men are in
fine condition physically. according TO
latest reports from the camp at Poush-
keepsie. and. better yet they are orimtul
OF confidence in their ability TO carry the
stroke for a fun four miles without loss OF
form or power 1t viii take a good crew TO
Ieat Cornell which year after year has
sweut the Hu1son clean, but II there Is
anything in practice rows Columbia has
crew which is quite as good as, If not bet
ter than. the powerful eighJ that was beat
en- last year only because the men finished
with a shell half full Of water on account
Of being forced 70 row on the outside
course. where the waves ran much higher
than they GiG nearer shore.
So far as can be judged. Pennsylvania
has missed the services OF r. Reath. Jr.,
one OF the best strokes who ever sat in a
shell; Syracuse has not impressed the
critics and has failed 10 improve much
over the form shown at Annapolis When
beaten by the Navy, while Wisconsin,
which has been suffering from all sorts Of
handicaps, Is not even considered seriously
Pennsylvania might furnish an upset. as
the shell has been running mighty smooth
l. and freely in recent trials. but on all
that can he Judged Columbia and Cornell
will be the ones 10 fight il out in that last
lruellinS mile of an eXhaUstins four-mile
struggle. Charles L. Courtney has re-
markable faculty for turning out winning
crews His men are much lighter than
usual this year, but there is 10 denying
the fact that the shell runs along between
strokes with scarcely the faintest sign OF
check. and that there is that same finish
and apparent lack OF effort which bespeak
the good crew. and because of which Cor
nell crews have been so successful In the
mast The secret Of speed in a shell is the
proper application of power Courtney
more than any other man, has the AFFINITY
70 irupart this knowledge 10 his men and 10
get results that are not possible with even
more powerful athletes Cornell defeated
Harvard i'm a way 10 indicate that the early
rouor.s from Ithaca Of a crew belo" The
standard were not altogether Justified.
There is no reason 10 doubt the stamina
and skill OF the men. but between the two
have been more impressed with Column
bias work and for that rather uncon-
.v1ncing reason am expressing a slight pref
erence here. one thing seems sure--a stir
ring. invlgorating struggle is sure 70 result
from The meeting tomorrow If conditions
afe favorable.
II seems almost Ike flying in the face Of
protiderce 20 even suggest victory FOR
Yale over Harvard at New London on Fri
6ar. more particularly as ! was disappoint-
81 I'm getting zap 10 New London 10 get a
last glimpse OF the crews in practice. l
know. however that the Yale crew has i'm
proved 20 q marked degree in the last
three or four weeks. and that the poor
SHOWING in The two preliminary races, one
with PENNSYLVANIA and the other with Cor
nell and Princeton. cannot be accepted as a
fair measure Of its strength over four
mile course. Kennedy returned 10 first
principles after the race at Princeton and
practically beea1 afresh 10 build up crew
10 beat Harvard. II appearances count for
anything. he has been successful beyond
tae hopes Of the most enthusiastic Yale
followers.
W-v was plainly worried over Harvard S
cec,.t bv Cornell An eleventh hour
chance iu the stroke was an indication
TIA. he was nor satisfied with the way the
crew was going and with the speed de-
veloped. On top Of this the Crimson crew
Suffered "a serious handicap in the loss for
= few d-ys f Palcb az bow. who strained
a Ucarent in his knee while playing lawn
tennis on "Wednesday. IL is q serious mat
To- 20 breal; up q combination on the eve
Of "a four-mile race. and while Balch IS
back in the boat the weakened knee may
givo out before or during the struggle. 4
eo1d judge tells me that so far as water
,nanship Is concerned there Is little 10
choose between the TWO crews. and that If
anything the Yale men appear 10 be in
better condition physically for the long
grind II has been announced that The
times Of the two crews. which by the way,
are rarely accurate. were practically the
same in trials made within half an hour
OF each other so that all things ccnsd-
cred the prediction that Yale Will get par
tial revenge for three straight defeats on
the water IS not so rash rs would appear
on the surface. l thoroughly agree with
"rhe Harvard Alumni Bulletin. which
SAYS. 1T is clear that there is no justi-
acati, for oyerconAdence among Harvard
men.
II is high time that the National Base
ball Commission pat an END 10 exhibition
games while the league season il in prog
rcss Hal Chase ard his Yankees did not