Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-06-20

les of the Thames probably surpasses
anything of It's kind IN this country.
Because OF the proximity OF the
Thames course 10 Long Island Sound
hundreds OF steam motor sailing
yachts are able to obtain good OBJ
seryation anchorages near the finish
line, where for a day OF two they
are aflutter with crimson and blue
banners and with signal flags. Large
excursion steamers thronged with
spectators crowd In behind the steam
yachts; and observation trains on
either bank keep other thousands
abreast OF the contest.
In anticipation OF the u:g regatta
New London todlys Is wearing it's
holiday garb which II dons but once
a year. The advance guard OF yisi-
tors has already put in an appear
ance But the main army of the en-
thusasts will not arrive until to
morrow morning. when they will
pour into town by train. by boat
aud by automobile. from Boston,
New York, New Haven and many
other points.
II is one Of the traditions OF Yale
Harvard rowing that the crew which
shows the better form two weeks
before the race will win Basing
their judgment largely on this ira
dition, the majority of the critics
predict q victory for the Blues IN the
big race tomorrow. The Yale crew
has made distinctly better show
ing Ia It's practice work. This Is
ihe first season since Harvard be-
gan her winning streak In 1906 that
Yale has been the iayorite. But
the fact that the Crimson crew has
come to the Thames this year with
a record of defeat by both Prince
ton and Cornell earlier in the sea
son has served To almost entirely
reverse the conditions that have
prevailed on the eve of the Yale
Harvard races of late years.
II Yale does win tomorrow IL
will be one OF the most remarkable
achievements In rowing history. AZ.
Ter season of defeats and a thor.
oughly demoralized condition In
Yale's rowing system, 20 adopt a
new and radically different stroke
and produce a winning crew the
very first year would seem To be an
absolute impossibility. The differ.
ence between the English stroke
which Yale Is rowing this year. and
the Americanized English stroke
such as has been taught by nearly
all of the professional coaches is
very marked. But IL Is believed that
any disadvantages resulting from
the change of stroke viii be more
than offset by the facts that m,
Yale crew is largely composred OF
veterans and that their opponents
seemingly are the weakest crew that
Harvard has sent To New London In
years
Some additional interest Is given
the race this year by the fact that
II Is in the nature of rubber '
Since the annual classics had It's In.
ccption on Lake Winnipiseogee
siXty-one years ago. Yale AID Har.
ward have each been credited with
twenty-three victories. the duels be-.
ing fought out on the original
course. then AT Worcester. New
Haven. Springfield and finally on
the Thames al New London. There
have been many Interruptions since
the first struggle In 1852. so that
the regatta this year is the forty
seventh meeting of the two oldest
American universities IN what many
graduates regard "a the American
sporting classics.
The fastest time ever made on
the Thames was by the Yale crew
In 1883. which covered the four
miles IN 20 minutes and 10 sec.
onds The fastest Harvard crew
was that OF 1873. which rowed the
four miles In 20 minutes and -.
"a seconds The slowost time by
a winning crew was that OF liar.
ward In 1888. which padded over
the course against head wind in
20 minutes and Is - seconds
The slowest time by losing
crew was when the Vale stroke
collapsed five years ago. but re-
covered In time 10 help the shell
over the line IN % minutes and 81
seconds As Harvard won this race
by 3 minutes and 80 seconds. it was
estimated that the difference be.
tween the two was seyenty-two
boat lengths, the longest lead ever
attained by n winning crew.
The initial race In 1882 was
rowed over two mile course. which
was increased 10 three miles In tn
next race In 1855. Again the distanc,
four miles. which has been the
length Of the varsity races ever
since.