New Britain herald., 1915-06-25
BOAT RACES OF
 FIFTY YEARS AGO
Yale Beat Harvard in Famous
 Race of '65
Written for the Herald by Billy S.
 Carve of Hartford


 Carve of Hartford.)
 With the, annual race between Yale and Harvard at New London, a short review of some of the early boat races may interest the present generation. It was back in 1852, that Yale and Harvard first. met on the water, at Lake Winnipissiogee, and the Harvard crew won a two mile race. They met again in 1855. at Springfield. and Har- yard won again.
 Lake Quinsigamond was the next place chosen for the races, and dur ing the 60's it was the scene of many hard fought contest. Yale won her first race in 1864, and the race of 1865 created great excitement fifty years ago and drew large crowd The college regatta was held on July 2s,v and the .citizens regatta on July 29. Here are the college boys that made rowing history for Yale and Harvard fifty years ago in a three mile race, with turn. Six men in a boat, as was the custom at that time.
 Yale Beats Harvard in 1865.
 The university race between Yale and Harvard was rowed son Lake Quinsigamond, Worcester, Mass. July 2s, 1865. before 10000 people. The Harvard crew included Fred Crowin- shield (stroke), 138 lbs; Ed. S. Wilkinson, 146 lbs; Wm.@ Blaikie, 142 lbs.;7 Ed.s N, Tenno. 145 lbs; Ed. H. Ciark.'ss -h24- lbs:;s Chas. H. Burney 9boW) ses131 lbs. Total weight 836 poundsss They used a new split cedar she'll built by Lawler, forty-five feet long, twenty-six inches wide. Uni- form-Blue pants. white shirts and |, J1, t,tr %I.~ sophomore crew of 1864, which beat Yale, with the exception of No. 4, which was filled by G. A. B. Abbott.
 The Yale crew was an extraordinary strong crew and was heavier than Harvard it was made up with Wm w. Scranton (bow), 148 lbs; E. Cof- fin, 147 lbs; Isaac Pierson, 150 lbs: Louis Stoskoff .165 1bs.; E. B. Ben nett, 160 lbs; w. R. Bacon Cstroke}, 15O lbs. Total weight 920 pounds The Yale crew used a new split cedar boat, bIii1t expressly for this race by Stexea Roberts. forty eight feet eight inches long. twenty-two and one-half inches wide, eleven inches deep, weight TIC pounds. They wore white pants, flesh colored shirts, and blue handkerchiefs. Josh Ward, the first single scull champion of America, was referee. The distance was three miles, with turn. :.
 The crews took short practice spin and the Yale crew looked muscular and pulled a steady stroke. The race started at 5:30 p. m. Both boats got good start and kept side by side, like one boat. Yale pulled away by strong, sweeping strokes, and rounded the stake boat nine minutes from the start. leading by one boat length. Both pulling, their best with quick strokes, but Yale kept in the lead and being superior in strength and muscle, they passed the judges boat two lengths in the lead. The time given was Yale 17:42 1-2 Harvard .1S:0s, breaking the record made, in 1850 by the famous "Gersh Bankers ' crew of 18:37 The time was so fast that many claimed that the timers made an error of one minute, making Yale 1S:42 1-2 and Harvard 19:09. Will bur Bacon, stroke for Yale claimed that Yale was fast enough to do 171I2 I42n JoshscWard said: "Yale was an fast rrewnttat tday." "-1r,-, v History shawaJ that Yale and Har- vards racede for money at the citizens regatta ,on July 29, when the same crews were the only starters in the six oar three mile race. First prize $200, second prize s75. The Yale crew had no trouble in beating Harvard, time 19:05 1-2, and winning s200. I Harvard's time was 19:201-2. Yale had a, great crew, and maintained her position asa champion of '65 by win ming two fairly contested races that year. The first race at New London was held in 1878, and has been the scene of many good contest between the Blue and Crimson down to the present day.