New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-29
ROWING PROSPECTS
BRIGHTER AT YALE
Picked First Crew Shows
Well in Using the New
Combination Stroke.

After six weeks OF hard work the row
ing situation at Yale has developed SO
that the crews prospects can be clearly
judged. In the first place the presents
varsity eight is the heaviest in years,
the men averaging ia pounds. This is
four pounds more than the average
weight of this years big Harvard crew.
One contrast last year is shown in the
fact that Croker, the l53-pound stroke OF
the 1913 crew. is now rowing in the third
boat. Gilhlan. captain of last years
freshman crew. is stroking the varsity at
present
The experimental period has passed.
and the varsity men are all rowing what
the coaches have chosen as the best com
bination Of the English and American
strokes. When Bob Armstrong and Guy
Nlckalls took up the work last month
they had to begin with the rudiments'
changing from the English stroke Of re-
cent years and teaching a modification of
the stroke that won for Yale in the COS.
In the new stroke the men take a much
shorter sweep. do not go far back and re-
cover quickly.
The stroke combines great driving
power with much less strain on the men
than before. The work this year gives the
men a much harder tryout than they
have had for years. They are sent over
a fifteen-mile course daily. This lons
daily drill is to give the crew endurance
/ for the gruelling race on June l9.
The first and second boats will race IN
/ April S to decide the tentative makeup
of the first boat. but there are likely to be
many changes after that because OF the
large number of big, powerful oarsmen
who have had little experience, but whose
weight and strength will make them
dangerous competitors If they continue To-
/ improve
/ The squad has been divided into class
! crews, fifty-two sophomores. forty-four
juniors and fifteen seniors, varsity
squad of Eighteen men. e., two eights
/ and two substitutes-and the freshman
1 squad The varsity will be kept at
eighteen men, which means that whenever
class crew man is promising enough TO
graduate to the varsity squad his place
/ in the class squad will be taken by the
man he displaces.
/ Having such a small varsity squad
gives Nickalls fine opportunity for work
with the men individually. and, in addi-
ton to the work at the boathouse every
/ afternoon, he spends the morning at the
gym" giving individual coaching.
The illness of Fitzpatrick, who left col
/ lege last week on account Of nervous
breakdown, and the injury to Gilhllans
hand have handicapped the first eight, but
/ both are expected to be back in the boa,
soon. Fitzpatrick is regarded as the best
/ car on the squad, while Gilhllan is the
/ most promising man who has been tried
at stroke
The rest Of the makeup of the first
boat Isl Bow, Cushman; No. 2, Meyer;
No. 3. Jenkinson; No 4. Ropp; No. .,
/ Sturtevant; No. 6. Rogers; No. T. Captain
/ Denegre; coxswain, Moore.
The captains OF the class crews are:
Senior, H. l.. Rogers, IA; junior, K. b.
Harrison, 10; sophomore, A. NJ. Munson,
'l6.
The freshman crew. which has been in
charge of Coach Giannini is showing un-
usual promise The men have improved
/ rapidly though in losing Bartlett one of
the best men on the squad, who is now
on probation for taking part in the fresh
man riot two weeks ago, the II eight
/ suffered a setback.
The freshman crew may enter the Hen
lev at Philadelphia, May l6 and ii is in
preparation for that meet that Giannlni
has tried u push the work along. The
coaches have agreed to send a crew to
the Philadelphia regatta, but 1t has not
been decided whether the freshmen or
the varsity Will go.
The present freshman boat is made up
as follows: Bow, Atkins; No. p Walker
No. 3. Hartman; No. 4, Whittlesey; No
& Fox; No. g. Coe; No. !, Gould; Meyer
stroke. Hartman, who is rowing at No.
Is brother OF Averill Hartman. last
years coach.
Most OF the active work OF coaching has
fallen to Guy Nckalls. Armstrong has
come to New Haven for frequent consul
tations. but has not had time to direct
much OF the work in person.
The squad has the fullest confidence IN
Nickalls. who probably knows as much
about racing as any man living. He is a
member OF the Leander Rowing Club, has
taken part in over sixty races. Fights
four cared and single skulls.
Gianninls work has been mainly con-
fined TO the freshmen, but when the crew
goes 10 Gales Ferry. in addition 10 the
/ freshman coaching, he will look after the
condition of the men In both varsity boats
and the freshman boat