New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-03
COMMENT ON SPORTS
CoIumbia'S Crew Only as Strong
as Its Weakest Oar.
MAY CHANGE YALE SYSTEM
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.


and Professional.
Columbia's varsity eight-oared crew lost
a race at Poughkeepsie on Tuesday through
the lack OF courage or lack Of stamina OF
one man. Sage, the bow oar, was not equal
10 the final call. and a chain is only as
strong as its weakest link. Whatever
others may think. II is my opinion that
Sage rowed himself out and collapsed from
sheer exhaustion. cannot believe that ne
would give UP for any other reason. II he
tainted, as has been said-and there was
every indication that such was the case
he cannot be blamed for his failure TO keep
the swing, even II he did not pull pound,
which might have made II possible for the
other members OF the crew TO last out the
distance II he did not faint, or II he old
Quit. as has been said by some, then the
responsibility rests upon his shoulders, and
his alone. According TO Downing, the
newly elected captain. the ill-timed squirt
as some critics would have II. passing
under the bridge at the three-mile marx
was not responsible for defeat With all
credit 10 Cornell, II IS hardly logical to
presume, either, as other critics have pro-
claimed, that the race was won because
; the Cornell coxswain used his head. under
instructions from Courtney. and waited
until almost the last quarter OF a mile 10
make his squirt. He would have been Sc
verely criticised for waiting too long under
ordinary conditions Cornelrs fash TO the
front when defeat looked certain was not
( due so much 10 any greater speed in the
shell, but rather to the sudden check IN
the Columbia boat II was an optical de-
fusion to those watching the struggle from
: the shore and surrounding excursion boats
An optical deuson emphasized so many
times in horseracing. when the pacemaKer
stops" as the saying is. and some other
horse closes from behind with what ap-
pears to be a dazzling fight of speed.
II is not my purpose TO detract one whit
from the credit due the Cornell crew winch
won one OF the greatest eight-oared shell
B races ever decided in this or any other coun-
try The men had the speed and the STAN
ina to go the distance and while they SUI
fered in comparison with Columbia men
so far as form and workmanship were
concerned. they deserve all the praise that
soas with winning and all the glory Of add
ing another victory TO CornelFs long ana
s-owing string The fact remains. how
ever. that with victory in sight for Co
luu1hia Sage faltered. and the careful
preparation of months. the hard work or
weeks and the best efforts Of jim Rice IN
turning out one Of the most II not the
most. finished crews that ever pulled a
sweep went for nothing in the eyes oil
those who demand something more than
second place Columbia crews appear 10 De
suffering from some lurking hoodoo. A
wear ago a rough outside course and smell
half fun OF water brought about defeat.
This year dead weight in the bow, when
affects so quickly a sensitive shell. robbed
the crew of victory with the finish line at
hand.
After the race Jim Rice, who, by the way
has earned forward place among the pest
coaches in the country, remarked: Ihere
another year coming" one cannot help
but admire him for his sportsmanship and
ortimism in the very face of bitter ana
erievous disappointment. His words may
be prophetic. and in any case II is safe TO
assume that he will not lack for material
for his varsity boat another season lie
took a lot Of green men and developed a
strong and well finished freshman crew,
and with these men, whom he has brought
I'D. no difficulty should be experienced IN
recruiting his varsity and turning out a
powerful eight. Columbias rowing year
has not been a failure All the careful
r-eparation OF months, all the hard wor;
OF weeks. did not go for nothing.
Fred Colson. one Of the greatest cox
SWANS who ever guided a Cornell she'll
has expressed the opinion that Columbia
was beaten before Sage collapsed. Two
other Cornell men have said the same
thing TO me. in substance. There is bound
10 be a difference OF opinion on such a
delicate question. Downing, the Columbia
stroke. IS quite as positive that the race
was won before Sage wabbled, and that
The Cornell bow was in difficulties If looks
count for anything, all through the last
mile Anyway, 1t was great race, ana
once more il is hats off, TO Charles T..
Courtney. the maker Of oarsmen, and to
the game. sturdy men he developed. Cor
nell has had a wonderful season on water.
diamond, track and field.
Jim Rice is authority for the statement
that Downing. at stroke, did not collapse
es was said by some. and while he de-
p,ored the failure of Sage TO last the dis
lance. he had only words Of praise for
his bow oar In speaking TO me of Down
ing. Rice said: That boy is one of the
greatest strokes that ever sat in shell.
In looking az him you are looking at an
other Ned Hanlan, and Columbia is for
tunate in having him back for another
year and as captain" This is high praise,
end well deserved. from what can be judged
from HIS work in practice and from his
work in the race. Rice. by the way, is
deserving also Of the raise in salary and
a contract for ten years, signed on Friday.
The Columbia rowing authorities can be
congratulated on their acumen. 1t may
he recalled in passing that Rice built up
tfjs winning freshman crew from twenty
l1hree candidates, whereas Courtney had
l1sA would-be oarsmen 10 pick from. II
was the same in the varsity boat Nine
denominations. or some eighty odd men,
worked at Cornell. while Rice struggled
Hlong 10 build up a crew at Columbia
with not more than twenty
1 must confess 10 being badly msled in
The Yale crew From what l could gather
tn talking TO men who know rowing ant
who had studied both crews in practice
did not hesitate to predict a turn in the
tide for Captain Frost's eight. It is easy
10 understand. however, by the race itself
why the best OF judges were led astray IN
watching the practice. In form, in water
manship in smoothness and precision. no
fault could be found or al least mighty
little fault. with the Yale oarsmen. There
vas no marked break in the boat. the shell
ran smoothly with only slight check be-
tween strokes. but-and here lies the crux