Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-20

yard universities are flguratfvely speaking, restingA on their oars, for today the rival eights and fours meet in the forty seventh regatta of the two New England colleges. In point Of competition these crew races hold precedence over all other forms of dual sports in which the teams of Harvard and Yale are accustomed to match skill and endurance. Stretch Ing back to the autumn of 1852 the history of the inter-varsity races shows that with but few exceptions, during the infancy of the sport, the oars men have tested stroke and stamina each year.
 In point of antiquity, tradition and prominence these regattas yield to no college contest, in American sporting annals. Anteceding the football, base ball and track meets now part of the annual athletic curriculum, the boat races are in fact only overshad- owed by the historic series between the crews of Oxford and Cambridge which began in 1S41. Added interest is also given today's regatta because of the fact that the winning crew will break the tie of victories now exist ing as a result of the forty-six races the boating history of Harvard and Yale.
 First Race in 1852.
 Since the first race was rowed on Lake Winnipiseogee on August 3, 1852 the oarsmen of Yale and Harvard have matched speed and strength forty-siX times, and the total number of wins for each university is twenty-three, showing how evenly matched the two universities have proved during this period of sixty-one years. Victories, however have not been so evenly ap- portioned in the matter of years for both Harvard and Yale have won and 7--A AG %IvA as rule.
 Harvard, opening with victory in the initial contest. appeared to enjoy the experience, for during the first twenty-three races Harvard won f1f- teen to Yale's eight. The Ellis turned the tide in 1886. and from that year until 1908 the regatta on the Thames, so far as the varsity eight cared crews were concerned, saw the blue-tipped oars finishing first in every year ex- cept in 1891, 1899 and 1906. Then the pendulum swung to the Crimson again has led the way acress the finish ine
 Change in YaIe System.
 AS a result of this string of defeats a new system was needed. It was de- termined to go back to England for stroke and coaches. and begin all over again. Consequently on the eve of the regatta I ale Is found with an Eng lish shell, an English stroke, and two advisory English coaches in the per sons of J. R. Kirby and Harcourt Gold, both well known Oxford university oarsmen. The Eli undergraduates and alumni are hoping that the change in system will develop a winner to- day for the Blue. But above the vic tory they place faith in the methods now in vogue, and believe that by go ing back to the fountain head of row be evolved in the near future, if not in 1913.
 Because of the sluggish tide, the Thames course is slow as compared with the intercollegiate course at Poughkeepsie. The time of twenty minutes. ten seconds made by Yale in 1888, still stands as the Thames record, while the record for four miles lane on the Hudson river is eighteen minutes, fifty three and one-fifth seconds, made by Cornell in 1901.
 As a marine picture the Harvard and Yale regatta on the lower reaches of the Thames probably surpasses any thing of it's kind in this country. Be- cause of the proximity of the Thames course to Long Island sound, hundreds of steam. motor and sailing yachts are able to obtain good observation an chorages near the finish line, where for a day or two they are af1utter with crimson and blue banners and with signal flags. Large excursion steamers thronged with spectators crowd in be- hind the steam yachts; and obserVa- ton trains on either bank keep other thousands abreast of the coAkest.