The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-18
COLUMBIA BIG IN
rowing HISTORY
Ancient College Was One of
Earliest Supporters of
Sport.

To-
NEW YORK, July 1s.-The prob.
able abandoning Of rowing as an inter
collegiate sport at Columbia Univers-
fly win remoye from this field OF In
t~ervarsity competition, for a time at
least, one Of the veteran supporters Of
crew racing. The history of rowing
at Columbia is part and parcel OF the
development Of the sport In this coun-
try and while the local university has
not been as successful as some OF her
competitors she has held a fixed and
honorable position In rowing for many
years.
As far back as 1873 Columbia was
prominent in aquatics and was an en-.
trant In the Springfield regetta OF that
year. when crews from Yale, Harvard,
Williams, Cornell, Dartmouth. Trinity.
Princeton and Columbia all competed
for the intercollegiate title. The uni
form OF the Columbia oarsmen con
.sistedSo light blue shirts. white trous-
.ers and a blue and white handkerchief
neckpiece, in marked contrast to the
abbreviated outfits worn by the crew
men Of the present.
Five years later Columbia estab-
lished an international rowing repu-
tation by entering a four.oared crew
FOR the Visitors Cup at the English
Henley regatta, and much to the sur
prise OF the English watermen, win
ming trophy. This was the first entry
ever made by an American college
crew at Henley and the only one to
win q cup there until the Harvard Ju-
nior Varsity eight captured the Grano
Challenge Cup, July 4, 1914. Other
university combinations which have
tried for one or more Of the famous
English rowing prizes without sue
cess since Columbia showed the way
include Cornell t1ss1).; Cornell (1Ss5)
Yale t(1sss); Pennsylvania (1901.)
Columbia was also a charter mem
Der Of the intercollegiate Rowing AS.
ISOLATION formed in 1895, with Penn
syiyania and Cornell, and has entered
crews In the annual regatta since that
date without a break. The record OF
the Blue and White In the twenty.
two races for varsity eights since the
formation Of the /. r. A. shows that
Columbia won two firsts; six seconds;
four thirds; seven fourths; two fifths,
and one sixth place. Whether the de-
ciaion to give up rowing Is to be
temporary or permanent only time
can tell! In the past few years both
Georgetown and Wisconsin have re-
tired from the vPoughkeepsie regatta.
Interclass rowing still continues at
Wisconsin but there is little, II any
rowing activity at Georgetown.
The accident to Edward F. (Pop)
Geers which occurred at Cleveland re.
Gently will prevent the veteran har.
ness driver from handling the reins
during the initial weeks OF the Grano
Circuit meets, although there appears
TO be no duobt regarding his ultimate
recovery from the injuries received
when he was thrown from a sulky dur.
Ing o practice warm-up. The accident
completed a cycle Of events which
will mark the week as n Of peculiar
Significance in harness racing circles.
On Tuesday June II, Dan Patch, the
speed king Of all harness horse crea.
ton. died and his owner NJ. W. Savage
also died within t~wenty.four hours.
The following day Geers met with the
accident which will confirm him to the
hospital for several weeks.
. Grand Circuit racing without Geers
would be very much like Hamlet with
the leading character missing. AL
though he has reached the age OF
sixtysfye he still is an important fac.
tor In the annual competitions. His
nhmesis interviewer with trotting and
the winning OF hundreds of Grand Cir
cult events and thousands Of dollars
In prize money. His record for 1915,
Is rs an example. At the age of sixty
four he won .twenty.six firsts: twenty
three seconds; eleven thirds, and eight
fourths out Of a total OF 1903 starts and
slthird in the list of money winning
stables with s37,ss4.