New-York tribune., 1918-05-05
Penn Oars Win
Qilds Cup and
Freshman Race
Columbia Varsity Beats
Tigers for Second Place
on Lake Carnegie
By Louis Lee Arms

PRINCETON. N. j.. May 4.-The
jaunty English rigged boats of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania freshman and
varsity cights twice flashed first over
the finish line to-day in one of the most
decisive victories ever scored by any
collegiate crew in Eastern waters.
In the Childs Cup race the Pennsyl-
vania eight swept into the lead with
the starting gun, and had the race won
virtually at the half-mile mark, with
Princeton and Columbia splashing in
effectively two lengths in the rear
The Pennsylvania crew continued its
smooth stroke to the finish, winning by
five lengths: Colum' ia. after a des-
perate, uphill battle, caught the rapidly
tIrlng Princeton crew one-eighth of a
mile from the finish, and in battle
royal to the finishing flag won out by
margin that was variously estimated at
from one-clghth of a length to COM
plete length.
In the freshman race likewise the
Penn eight slipped into the lead at the
start, and the irst-year men, rowing
we'll within themselves, gradually
pulled away from the Tiger young
sters and won by length of open
water. This race was rowed over the
11eHley course OF mile and tive-SlX-
teenths, while the varsity race was at
one mile and seven-eighths.
Varsity Not Timed
The freshman time was announced
as minutes and 81 seconds, but. owing
to the fact that the races were not
rowed at regular distance, there was
no time kept in the varsity. 1t was
believed by close observers of the race
irhf Il. -
record of 8 minutes 91z seconds had
proper competition been furnished
them.
1t was beautiful day for the race.
The sun peeked out intermittently
from its last scurrying clouds and a
brilliant sheen shot athwart the blue
black waters of Lake Carnegie.
The banks of the lake, which is mar
row, were lined with hundreds of row.
ing votaries, who cheered their IA
vorites as the crews flashed down
stream, their oars tossing little foun-
talns of silver into the air. A wealth
OF floral color along the banks was
mixed with collegiate pennants and
the gay dress of young and less you.g
women in colossal color scheme that
ran the entire chromatic scale.
Automobiles, carrying the privileged
few who were allowed to drive along
the oldfashioned towpaths and ma
chlnes on the far eastern banks, fol-
lowed the races from beginning to end
and contributed to the carnival of mo-
tion and color.
Not the least inconspicuous of the
spectators were the lads from st. Jo-
seph's College, on the eastern bank of
Lake Carnegie, lads who are the sworn
and most proximate enemy of Prince
ton. Their cheers were lifted sky-
ward in each race as the Orange and
Black oars struggled along in the rear
OF the race
Race Is Historic
The Childs cup race is an historic
event, the cup being donated by the
famous Philadelphia journalist in 1879.
There have been many stirring races
for the handsome trophy, and most of
them were closer than that to-day.
Since the trophy has been raced for
with varsity eights Princeton and
Columbia have each won two races. and
by the law of average and justice it
was Penn's turn to-day. The Red and
Blue crew coached to the English rig
glng and tholepins, made their initial
victory glorious one.
An eventide breeze, gentle as the
strains of harp, sent miniature
ripples dancing over the course as the
three varsity crews padded down to
the starting line.
Starter Fort Meyer. of the New York
Athletic Club, had some difficulty in
getting the crews away to an EQUITABLE
start, and when he finally let them 20
it looked from the eastern bank as