The Topeka state journal., 1916-07-07
BOAT RACE YOWL
Menke Belittles Charges Made
Against Syracuse Crew.
Duluth Oarsmen No Cloud on
Regatta Triumph.
BY FRANK G. MENKE.

New York, July Tine yOWI idisou
by other colleges because Syracuse
boated some Duluth oarsmen in its
varsity shell in June savors Of sour
grapes
Just why Cornell, Columbia and
Pennsylvania, the crews SO easily beat
en- by. the Orange squad at Pougn-
keepsie, should complain against Du-
1uth oarsmen is something of mys-
terry. The four youths against whom
the kick is made are not professionals
so why should the rowing authori-
ties make any fuss over it?
In some of the organs that pea
forth only with plaudits for the college
in their home town, stories have ap-
peared to the effect that the rowing
authorities next year may bar Duluth
oarsmen from Poughkeepsie competi-
ton. Such yarns are absurd in an ex-
treme. Just SO long as Duluth youth
is bona fide student and is not taint-
ed with professionalism, he will be
permitted to engage in regattas. He
has as much right in such a contest as
any other amateur.
Natural Oarsmen.
A Duluth oarsman, it may be ex-
planned, probably is the greatest nat
uraI blade wielder in the country. Up
in the Minnesota town rowing is the
real summer sport. The boys there
begin sculling as soon as they don
knickerbockers. BY the time they are
pert in Craftsmanship. But that doesn't
make them professionals.
A number of Duluth boys entered
Syracuse university. Some of the
Orange rivals now claim that they
were influenced to make the choice.
Whether they were or not, we cannot
say. But what If they were? Doesn't
every other college in the country that
strives for athletic supremacy try to
enroll the likeliest looking talent?
Are Cornell, Pennsylvania or Columbia
entirely free of the suspicion that they
always are on the lookout for the best
oarsmen. the best football players, the
| best baseballers, the best track and
| field stars?
Syracuse annexed a few Duluth
| easy time of it winning the big varsity
race. And now the other colleges,
very much peeved over the beating
they got, are trying to alibi themselves
at claiming that Syracuse was un-
sportsmanlike in boating the Duluth
men" Reasoning along the same
lines, it was awfully unclubby of Cor
nell to play Charlie Barrett on its
football team, for Pennsylvania to
permit Ted Meredith to compete in
track events, for Columbia to let Cap
| tain Watt play baseball on the Blue
and White nine.
Ten Eyck Wizard Coach.
Syracuse, 1t seems to u.s. triumphed
at Pcughkeepsie in June, largely be-
cause OF the superior coaching of Jim
Ten Eyck. No one can deny that the
Orange boss Is one of the greatest
rowing authorities in the world Year
after year he has taken raw material
and worked it into finished product
Every Syracuse crew that has been
tutored by Ten Eyck has been a factor
In race. The chances of the big
Orange crew this season probably were
enhanced by the presence of the Du-
luth quartet. But even if they hadn't
been in the boat it is more than likely
| that Syracuse would have been there
or thereabouts when the starting line
was crossed.
A Syracuse crew, coached by Ten
Eyck, raced in ahead of six crew
field in 1914. No Duluth oarsmen
were in that boat
Those who are trying to cloud the
brilliance of Ten Eyck this summer
seem to overlook what happened in
the junior varsity race. That, too, was
| won by Syracuse and just as easily as
| the big Orange crew won the stellar
event. Not one Duluth oarsman was
, in that junior boat. 1t was made up
of youngsters who had no greater nat
the other shells. They were bows who
| probably learned all they know about
| rowing from Ten Eyck. The race was
test of coaching. And Ten Eyck's
system triumphed.
Those who charge Syracuse with
having been unsportsmanlike in boat
ing Duluth men are themselves un-
sportsmanlike in saying so