New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-05

| anu prayed tnem 10 tie IN anOtHer' nv
the same time Cornell defeated Pennsyl-
vsnia in two games the second victory COM
Ing only three days after the Quakers nad
beaten the Tigers so badly. Other cases
Of like nature could be quoted to empha-
size the labyrinth into which any one VIII
find himself who tries 10 classify and rate
the teams.
In order TO show Prnceton's side OF the
controversy / quote from one OF the many
letters received last week. This letter says
IN part:
| / think that IL is almost q hopeless Job,
as you say. TO attempt 70 rank college teams
this year. and that your story last Monday
wasi perfectly fair. although some or the
enthusiasts here think that because we
have beaten Cornell and not been beateii
by them we ought to be ranked first II we
beat Yale In the series that starts on sat
urday think we ought to be ranked mrs.
despite defeats by PENNSYLVANIA and VIII.
Jams for neither of these teams has had
nearly as good seasons. taken as whole
lly season record isn't as good as Prince
toms, and. besides that, Princeton has
practically won the series from Cornell py
winning one game and tieing the other. inc
Williams defeat shouldn't count too much
against us, for the team was suffering
from bad slump. and. further, Williams
since has been playing poorly. II Amherst
heats us next Wednesday she may have a
good call for first honors.
AS for the defeat by Pennsylvania, we
had crippled team In the felo ana pIa!eo
worse than at any other time during o ine
played poorly in the field, but their pitcner
saved the day. II we had third game
with them have little doubt as 10 what
/ the result would be.
However. this is perhaps a greatly pre1u-
diced opinion, and what l want to men
ton chiefly is the hard luck we nave pesn
PLAYING in all season Steve WHITE oroke
/ his coilarbone and has never been able 20
pitch his real game the entire season Ineii
Pendleton broke his ankle and mace neces-
sary an entirely new plan for the lrlieIu.
This meant more Of handicaP 70 4 tn1 mined 9h
/ what would otherwise have been re-
markabe infeld and made out OF IL =
rather mediocre one that has zone wen
under the circumstances. Then ABOUT the
middle of the season Carter. who was play
/ ing riCht field and playing Wen, WIN u,,s 6
highest batting average on the teaiil' ~,
hit on the head with q nan ana rs tew
al his home To cap the climax, Lackey;
the leading catcher. with Sterrett neeaeo
on frst. pulled tendon In his leg ana ana mas
been in poor condition since the Wliliarns
game.
This sounds more like football than base
| hall and under the circumstances the
Tigers have done well to make such a
strong fight.
II took Princeton nine full innings to beat
yaIe on Saturday. but the fact remains
that the Tigers won. while Cornell was oe-
ing beaten by Williams. These two games
are likely to have most important pear
Ing on the final placing. Surprises were III
order on Saturday. as Amherst worked up
10 more forward place by deteatlrG
Brown, while Pennsylvania and Harvard
lost ground by losing 10 Lafayette ana
Dartmouth, respectively.
"The Harvard Alumni bulletin In COM
menting on the Cornell-Harvard boat race
on Nav q pays Charles f. Courtney high
compliment by saying:
The defeat Of the crew in the race at
Ithaca last Saturday should not nave
caused surprise. although II was dlsap-
pointing College boat races. whatever they
may have been, are not now contests pc
tween crews made up OF students; tney are
matches between professional coaches. IN
asmuch as Cornell has the best coach IN
the country it is not to be wondered AT that
Cornell wins by far the greater part OF the
races in which her crews take part.
While admitting that Courtney stands al
the TOP among the rowing coaches OF this
country, I am not willing TO subscribe to
the statement that college boat races are
not contests between crews made up or
students, but are matches between profess
sional coaches. This IS almost too absurd.
in my opinion, TO be worthy Of notice. All
things being equal, the coach has much to
do with developing a winning crew. The
ability to impart knowledge is a recognized
gift, and Courtney has it TO a marked de-
! Workmanship must be acquired just so
much as skill in baseball. football, polo or
any sport, and this skill, combined with
strength properly applied. stamina and cour-
age-to say nothing of the generalship of the
stroke and coXswain-are the things That
count in winning eight-oared shell races.
Proper instruction is all important, but COL
lege boat races are quite as much now as
at any time contests between crews made
up Of students.
Another item in the current issue of The
Harvard Alumni Bulletin struck my eye.
In commenting on Cornell's amazing sue
cess on diamond water, track and field on
May q, when clean sweep was made,
THE Bulletin" says
It IS not much, If il is any. exaggeration
10 say lfldL 1OIUeIl SldUuS dl lllt Iitdtl VI
all the American colleges, so far as sthlet-
ics are concerned; its crews and track
teams are the best Of all. its baseball mines
are as good as any. and its oo-ball elevens
rank among the first half dozen. No other
university does so well in all branches Of
sport.
This is high praise and is we'll deserved.
have called attention to the fact more than
once in this column, but for some reason
many have been slow to appreciate the pc
sition Cornell occupies in the college ath-
/ letic world. after a long. uphill fight.
Chick" Evans earned the respect Of
golfers abroad, even if he did not emulate
the example of Walter j. Travis in bring
| ing the title to this country. 1t is hoped
| he will try again and with better luck.
| Edward Barrow president Of the East
ern League has shown that so long as he
holds the reins senseless "kicking' and
umpire battling" Will not be permitted. Ii
| is hoped he Will continue the good work.
HERBER1.
| YALE CREW AT GALES FERRY
! Dco o+;oo for Paca with Harvard