New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-27
How Columbia Won the
Varsity Shell Race

Tedious delays at the start Of the
freshman race, when q restart was
twice necessary, made it late when
The varsity boats pulled out from
the shelter Of the Columbia boathouse
for the race. 90,
patiently the crowd waited while
The eizhts backed and filed and at
last headed straight and true down
the course. There was a moment OF
tense silence. then the fash Of gun
and the race was or. But, no. The
Cornell eight stopped and the
eorswsin waved frGnt. cally. The
referee in the stewards boat az last
succeeded in getting the attention OF
the other crews and back they rowed
FOR another start. This time every
thing was smooth and the race was on.
The first heave at the oars sent
Pennsylvania into the lead. The mob
on the observation train shattered the
silence and awakened long silent
echoes in a wild yell Of encourage
ment. Cornell whipping the water
with mighty strokes was on second,
while Syracuse, with its orange blades
dipping frantically 70 catch the water
was third.
Columbia mems hearts sank as they
saw their crew get the water a. low
stroke and settle back into fifth place,
behind Wisconsin and just ahead Oh
Washington by the stem Of their
she'll. With the spray flying in clouds
as the oars whirled through the water
~ forty strokes 10 the minute the SIX
long cleaning shells gathered speed
and in less time than it takes 20 tell
were flying southwark in the first
stages Of their four-mile struggle.
Quakers Force the Pace.
With the starting boats fast disap-
Bearing in the distance the crews sped
onward, lowering their strokes as their
boats gathered momentum, and at last
they settled down into the long
rhythmic swing that was TO mark their
progress in that titanic conflict.
There was bitter disappointment for
Columbia and Syracuse, while there
was citation fixed with establishment
for Pennsylvania and confidence SUI
preme for Cornell.
At that time there was no promise Of
the thrilling struggle that was 10 come,
when for three miles feet-nay, even
inches-were the margin of difference
between Columbia, Cornell and Penn
Sylvania.
succeeding stroke, the eight lads in the
Pennsylvania shell went at their task
nanfully. Gradually they dropped
their stroke, but they were careful TO
relinquish none Of that quickly won
lead which in a quarter Of q mile
amounted to as much as q quarter Of a
length
On and on swept the six crews, with
Cornell fighting of Syracuse and Co.
lumbia beginning to show some of the
stud that was 10 spell victory later.
Down around thirty was the stroke of
the Columbia eight as they neared tho
half-nile mark, but their shell had the
speed Of a train and they were grad
uaily pulling up. The Washington
eight, far famed as champions of the
Paeihc Coast. were finding the pace too
hot, while Wisconsin, practically last
on at the start, was hanging on des-
perately TO q ffteen-foot lead over the
coast eight. Syracuse was making a
bid 70 keep up with the leaders, but
there was no holding Columbia, Cor
nell and Pennsylvania.
Three Crews in Close Order.
After the first mad sprint it was
these three crews that emerged from
the shuttle and set of to make the race
that will 60 down in the annals of the
Poughkeepsie course as one Of the
Rrestest ever rowed. Almost every year
Poughkeepsie sees its greatest race,
but no one who has watched the races
for the last half dozen years can refuse
70 acknowledge the fact that each year
sees greater and more spectacular
struggle.
The Cornell stroke oar, realizing that
he would soon have to begin getting
q lead that in the words of the wizard
Courtney would carry them TO victory,
raised the stroke a trifie, and at the
Columbia boathouse forced the prov
Of the Cornell shell TO the front. But
the Ithaeans could not get the jump
which has proved so fatal to their OPP
ponents in the many races OF the past.
Columbia was not yet in the fight for
the lead, but rowing strongly, while
Pennsylvania, having tasted its speed, /
WAS loath 20 admit that II could not
match It's Drawn with the muscle IN
the Cornell beat.
Marcy thought it could, and up went
the Pennsylvania stroke notch, and !
forward shot the Pennsylvania shell (
into first place again. Then, indeed, /
began the fearful battle. That Btoeky /
little Irishman in the Columbia she'll, /
who would not admit before the race |
thht the vocabulary contained buch
word as defeat, called for one little |
sprint, and that one little sprint put I
Columbia right up at the mile and a |
hair mark. A blanket would have COW 1
cred the bows Of all three shells as 1
they passed the white posts, and the 1
Pennsylvania, Cornell and Columbia I
crowds on the observation train went /
wild
Stroke for stroke battled those three /
crews. Pennsylvania rowing with a !
wealth Of power, but not with the I
smoothness and precision Of the Co 4
lumbia and Cornell Fights.
spransy. the big Cornell stroke, Kept 1
the beat down TO the same steady 81 /
soy and then inserting q ''ten, whleh
d sse stem of the Cornell boat again /
wTos.stN out into the lead
e.sf., Snt as the crews raced Aiohk'