Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30
CREWS GET CHANCE
Open Weather Allows Them
Practice on Water.
SQUADS LOOK VERY STRONG
Nearly Every Institution Will Turn
Out More Powerful Eight
Than in 1912.
SQUADS LOOK VERY STRONG
BY EDWARD r. BUSHNELL.

The unusually early and open spring
weather has enabled the crews of all the
big eastern universities to get more work
done to date than in any previous year
in rowing history. All of the colleges
which row at Poughkeepsie and at New
London have been OH the water from two
to four weeks. and reports from the train
ing camps are that prospects were never
better for high-claSs crews than this year.
Columbia men are congratulating them
selves upon the fact that only one man
of the 1912 crew has been lost. 1t was
a good crew which Columbia put on the
river last year, and with the excellent
coaching it will get this spring together
with its added experience the New York.
ers think that at last they have more
than an even chance to nose out Cornell.
The only man Columbia loses is Moore,
who rowed at No. &. Coach Rice is very
enthusiastic over Downing, who is row
ing at stroke. The Columbia coach APP
pears TO think that Downing is one of
the best stroke oarsmen the college world
has ever seen.
If CornelFs chances at Poughkeepsie
were to be measured by the number of
last years veterans retained the SITUATION
would be gloomy because graduation has
taken five members from the 1912 boat.
But any one who is acquainted with the
rowing history at Cornell knows that this
is not likely to make any serious differ
ence because Coach Courtney has fire.
qucntly developed u crew from absolutely
green men and swept everything before
him at Poughkeepsie On more than one
occasion the Cornell instructor has taken
to Poughkeepsie an entirely new crew,
not n member of which had ever rowed
at Poughkeepsie before, and still main
tanned Cornelrs wonderful winning streak.
Cornell now has six crews at work on
Lake Cayuga. Mr. Courtney seems TO
be unusually well pleased with the way
his first crew is rowing, for in comment
ing on it last week he remarked that it
was SO good that il it were Another crew
which he had to meet at Poughkeepsie he
would be very much worried.
Syracuse is in better shape than usual.
for the Salt City collcgians have lost only
two men from their 1912 eight. They are
Rabbit at No. and Topping at No. ,.
The other six men are now rowing In the
first eight and the two vacancies have
been filled by substitutes from last year.
That Ten F,yck is thoroughly satisfied
with the makeup of his crew is shown by
the fact that he has not weakened his
last years four Dared crew by taking any
member of it for the varsity eight
Wisconsin. like Syracuse, misses only
two men from the 1912 boat The two
vacancies have already been flied by
members OF last years freshman boat
and Coach Vail seems to be thoroughly
satisfied with the outlook. He must be
pretty well content with his varsity eight
for he has already announced that Wis
constr will be represented BY fogr-oared
crew this spring.
Graduation removed three members of
Pennsylvania 1872 eight. Coach Ward
has been making numbe. OF expari-
rnents this year and seems t. have found
a good combination h5 using Shoemaker
at stroke. In advance OF actual per-
a -
to make any predictions about Pennsyl-
vania's strength, but there VIII be much
surprise if TIE Quakers DO not do better
than they did year ago
In the matter Of veterans retained Yale
has a distinct advantage over Harvard
for the Ellis have lost but a single man
from the 1912 boat. this being ex-Capt
Romeyn. Interest in rowing at Yale has
been greatly stimulated BY the adoption
of English rowing methods and what
ever the result, Yale will not be able to
blam nae II upon q lack of candidates
Harvard has lost five members of the
1912 eight, but interest at rowing in Cam
bridge is at fever height and there have
been more candidates for the vacant posi-
tons than the history of Harvard has
known in many years Coach Wray now
has six varsity crews on the river and
expects to fill the five vacancies in the
varsity eight without difficulty
There arc tn be fewer dual boat races
this year than Yer before. So far but
three such races have been arranged
Harvard is to row Cornell, as usual,
Pennsylvania is to meet the Navy, and
Princeton also has a race with the Mid
dies. At least two of the big college
crews will not have any preliminary
races before their big contests. For the
first time in ten years Syracuse has de-
clined the invitation of the Navy to row
at Annapolis so that the New Workers.
will go to Poughkeepsie totally UMPIRE
pared in actual racing eNpt rieIice. fG'u-
lumbia is trying hard to plan 10 compete
either in the triansular race arranged be-
tween Harvard. Pennsylvania and Prince
ton or the dual race between Princeton
and Annapolis,
No surprise has been occasiorled by the
failure of Yale to arrange any race pre-
limiuary to it's annual meeting with Har-
ward. Not for two years has the Yale