New-York tribune., 1918-05-13
Test Of Styles
In Severn Meet
Next Saturday
Pennsylvania Eight Favorite
in Regatta of 6 Crews with
Varied Methods
By J. S. Mitchell

precautionary ioS AcNtNCu tHS
came amount of theory on style that
has followed the exercise since rowing
beeame a sport There is the same
rampant argument about blade work,
body swing. the control of the slide.
.ae length of the stroke and other
minor points in the modus operandi of
sweep pulling
What has caused the unnecessary
futter is the fact that the six big col
lege crews are each pursuing different
methods, but what is raising the dan
der chiefly among American coaches is
that Pennsylvania, in following the
Njckalls-is sticking to the use of the
English thole-pins instead of the
swivel rowlock. To talk about thole-
min to an American coach is like shak-
ing the proverbial red rag at a bull,
and that IS the very reason why vast
number of Yankee devotees of aquatics
would like to see the shine taken out
Of the Red and Blue.
At the time of writing Pennsylvania
has shown the upper hand in racing
siphts, as she has taken the measure
Of Columbia, Yale, Princeton and An
napols, and it looks now as if the
ouakers would pass through the season
without having to lower their colors to
any of the other institutions. All the
crews have suffered from the war drafts
and enlistment, few little more than
others, so it will not be known till
after the regatta on the Severn, next
Saturday and the meeting of Yale and
Harvard which is the top rating crew.
Ithacans Lack Unity?
Up at Ithaca the Cornell men are en-
gagged in a sort of free and easy
method of preparatory work. Their
training table has been abolished. and
they are said to be wanting in real
crew unity, the very thing that con-
tributes most to successful competi-
ton. But when the crucial test ap-
pears "Old Wizard" Courtney may be
banked upon TO back his men into the
starting line fit to put up rafting
fight.
No rowing coach in the United States
has been more of a student of water
manship than Courtney. More than
twenty years ago "The Wizard" took
Cornell crew to Henley, England, to
have lick for the Grand Challenge
Cup. At that time the Cornell rowers
used what was known as the donkey
engine stroke"-a short drive of the
sweep into the water, sharp kick with
the legs and a sort of qnick. splashy re-
covery, style of sweep-pulling worthy
OF the verlest novice. Added to these
faults Of the stroke Courtney favored
short wide blade, effective enough
on rough water, but unsuited to the
smooth surface of the English Thames.
Hardly had "The Wizard" been day
on the English River when he saw his
mistake. He saw a narrower blade, a
longer stroke and a smooth, easy re-
covery, points which he commenced to
pat into use without moments delay
Inc time, however, was too short for
the Cornell men to accustom themselves
70 the English plan of pulling, so they
failed to lift the Grand.
After his return Courtney pursued
the English style, with the result that
Tor years he has had the most mar
vellous luck at the Poughkeepsie in
tercollegiate regatta.
Pennsylvania sent a bully crew
across for the Grand Challenge Cup.
and they did better than Cornell, work
ing their way to the final, where they
mad to meet the crack Leanders. and
as was expected, the Quakers went
down before the Englishmen. Yale also
sent crew over for this same trophy
nut their efforts were in vain, although
The New Haven contingent was the
most likely looking lot that ever
crossed the Atlantic in quest of the
big prize.
Failed TO Profit
Wnat was most lamentable about the
VISITS of Yale and Pennsylvania was
'nat they failed to learn a lesson from
what they saw, and both combinations
returned to America and continued the
practice of their old tin-pot strokes
winch never won anything and never
eousd, Tor the system was all at vari-
awe with the science of sweep-puling
iaie grew worse year after year
until the crew finally was Beaten a
quarter Of mile in the annual race
against Harvard. and it was only then
m snae ,he New Haven people woke up
ana made common sense move by
engaging L. j. Giannini, for years a
successful coach of the New York
Athletic Club. There was an I'M
mediate change for the better in Yale
Wmwtng' but 1t was spoiled when Guy
M,ekalls was engaged to coach the
varsity crew. After couple of sue
sssessiul seasons Giannini quit and
.rI rrIcsails left to fill commission in the
nshsa army. SO the Ellis had to be
ssoneented with pot luck for the last
sew seasons. Columbia has had the
services OF a consistent coach in Jim
NICE NICE but he is handicapped from two
inherent angles. Unlike Cornell or the
other big colleges, he has a limited
lumber OF crew candidates to draw
from, and he is in too close proximity
80 oig city, something which is bound
more or less to distract the attentions
.a the young men from their athletic
VI the lot the Quakers appear to
nave Jared better than all their rivals
y retaining the coaching services of
s9e wright, of Toronto. an ex-cham-
r,on sculler and sweep man, and man
vno IS thoroughly acquainted with all
we, sae hher points of rowing, and espe-
saa.iy rigging his men to their liking.
nsaosher thing in his favor lies in the
Ny. Wsas, mat he made no changes from the
slsKalls regime, and as the Canadian
lug Jug English methods arc almost sim
.. as the sweep men worked on much
s H.; same lines, which in itself was a
oig advantage.
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