Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-02
CORNELL'S STAMINA
ithacans' Staying Powers Is
What Win Races.
HAVE A GREAT RECORD
Red and White Crews Have Won
Eleven Out of Sixteen Re-
gattas Since 1895.
BY Edward R. Bushnell.

courtney nave Deen beaten but hNe
tirues, and in the years they lost the
1thacans were nearly always the run
nsr up
Cornelrs triumph gives the crew from
Ithaca the undisputed right to the
championship of America Not once
this year has the Cornell crew been
defeated. The Ithacans beat Harvard,
Yale and Princeton, the first in dual
regatta on Lake Cayuga. and the latter
two in a triangular regatta on Lake
Carnegie. BY beating Columbia, Penn
sylvania. Syracuse and wisconsin on
the Hudson the Ithacans have met every
college crew in the east, with the ex-
csption of Annapolis. The Middies.
however. were beaten by Columbia, so
that they have no argument for
supremacy with the Cornell men.
All who saw the 1911 regatta are
unanimous in the statement that the
history of the intercollegiate Rowing
Association contains no record of a
race more thrilling than this. Before
the crews went to the starting line
Cornell was decided favorite, though
the margin Of the alleged superiority
of Columbia was so slight that many
wagerS were made at even money. Penn
sylvania, on account of changes made
in the makeup of her crew, was at no
time considered on even terms with
either Cornell or Columbia, but the
wonderful squirt she made last year
was sufficient to make the Quakers the
much feared dark horses of the regatta.
Wisconsin. by holding Pennsylvania so
close throughout the race. was a sur
prise. while Syracuse did not do so well
Is had been expected.
1t is hardly fair to say that Columbia
lost through lack of condition. 1t was
rather the superb condition and the rug
Red strength of the Cornell crew which
hlod he
nell enjoys a peculiar advantage In the
development of crews which neither Co
tumbia nor any other college whlcn rows
1t Poughkeepsie seems able to cope with.
This advantage is double one. Primarily
Charles III. Courtney has once more
proven himself the greatest coach i'll this
country. Not only does he have unusual
skill in the development OF green oars
men, but his rare ability in rigging boats
and teaching a stroke best suited to the
men in the shell cannot be matched by
any other coach in the country IT mat
ters little whether the crew is made up OF
veterans or green men. Given plenty OF
time the Cornell coach rarely fails to de-
velop a championship eight. Indeed II Is
usually the occasion for a surprise when
the Ithacans do not sweep the river On
account of the great prestige which Cor
neN enjoys the Ithacans every year have
4 much larger rowing squad than any OF
their rivals. In fact, the number of can
aidates which reports annually FOR the
Cornell crew exceeds that at Pennsyl-
rama and Columbia combined. This, OF
eourse. is only natural. but it explains
much Of Cornells phenomenal success on
the water.
A good many rowing critics attempt to
bxplain victory and defeat at these Dig re-
rattas by comparison of the strokes
which the various coaches teach. This Is
hardly an accurate way to size up the
Different crews. 1t is true that eacn
coach teaches a stroke which is charac-
~ lxr,t tlNn Univ
must be adapted to the character OF the
men who make up the crew. Coach Ten
Eyck of Syracuse teaches the shortest
stroke that is used on the Hudson. but
The strokes used by the other crews are
yery much the same. Ellis Ward. the
Pennsylvania coach, has the reputation or
teaching short stroke. but it is more
apparent than real. Many persons are
misled as to the length OF a stroke by
the different methods Of the catch and
recovery.
Cornell Stamina Told.
Il was Cornells greater stamina, rather
han superior Workmanship, that de-
.eated Columbia The Columbia men led
sor practically 3sAmiles, and possibly they
-owe5 themselves out. That this resulted
vas not due to lack OF head work on
heir part, but rather TO the fact that
Cornell hung persistently There Is
nothing that worries leader more than
10 have second crew either rowing side
BY side or having the two shellS over
appel. In their desperate efforts to keep
n front and to maintain open water be-
.ween the two shells the Columbians used
ap every ounce OF energy they had. All
their strength was spent before they
reached the finish line, and then Cornell
same from behind with that surplus ener-
~ which both Cornell crews have shown.
No. crews need to have any apparent
axfx-aF tao nm nf fhl nD sRf
the water. IL there was any advantage
L was probably with Cornell, whose crew
was farther out in the river. There was
90 wind to kick up the white caps and the
water was unusually smooth. Both CO.
pmbia and Pennsylvania had demonstrate
I'd that they were the best rough-water
crews on the river, and If the water had
peen rough 1t might have given Columbia
The slight advantage necessary 10 have
won the race.
Now that the intercollegiate regatta at
Poughkeepsie and the dual races between
Harvard and Yale at New London are a
part of the years rowing history. there
10 much speculation as 10 what Princeton
will do next year The Tigers themselves
have given no inkling OF which regatta
they viii ask permission TO enter. or
whether they will row in either But
the development of rowing at Princeton
has reached such stage that the Tigers
are more than certain to branch out into
intercollegiate aquatics. As has been
course at New London is hardly suited
10 the addition of q third crew. This was
given as one of the reasons, many years
ago, for Yale and Harvard excluding
Cornell from further competition on the
Thames. The river has not been widened
since. and two crews require just as
much space as they did then Although
Yale and Harvard would probably like TO
nave Princeton as competitor. IL the
Tigers could make things interesting
they could hardly invite them now with
consistency.
II would seem only natural for Prince
ton to have more of a leaning toward the
PoughkeepSie regatta than the Harvard
Yale dual race. Princeton would make
the sixth crew on the Hudson, and would
have an excellent opportunity to be well
placed. Furthermore. the coach of the
Princeton crew Is DR.. Duncan Spaeth
who not only is graduate Of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania, but rowed on
several Of Pennsylvania's crews. While
he has not committed himself one way or
the other. IL would seem only natural
for him to express q preference for the
crews which row al Poughkeepsie. AT
any rate. every move OF the Tiger rowing
authorities will be watched with much
interest for the next few months.
The plans of the Yale athletic authori-
ties, who wanted the university board OF
trustees to cooperate with them In the
construction Of an immense athletic sta
dunn received a decided setback wher
that body expressed its disapproval OF
any such cooperation. The trustees were
not autagonisuc to the construction of an
athletic stadium. but they pointed out the
fact that their duties are educational and
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