New-York tribune., 1920-09-07
Beats Vespers and Un-
dimes, of Philadelphia,
i'm Thrilling Finish
BY Jack Lawrence

By Jack Lawrence
The eight-oared she'll Of the Union
Boat Club, Of New York, rowed to o
thrilling and spectacular victory yes
terday in 8 one-mile battle against
eights from the Vesper Boat Club and
Undine Barge Club. Of Philadelphia.
The event was the feature Of the
twenty ninth annual meeting Of the
Middle States Regatta Association held
on the historic Harlem River course,
which parallels the Speedway.
At least ten thousand rowing enthu-
siasts, lined along both banks Of the
Harlem, witnessed the titanic struggle
of the senior eights, and the scenes as
the three-cornered duel approached its
climax reminded oldtimers Of the days
when the sport of rowing was at the
top notch of popularity.
The big shells swept into the last
quarter absolutely abeam and rowing
stroke for stroke. and they finished so
closely punched that those spectators
who were not directly on the line did
not know the result unit! it was an
nounced by the clerk of the course.
Unions Seize Psychological Moment
The Vespers came over from Phila-
| delphia touted to win this event and
( they went to the starting line heavy
! favorites in the betting. The money
placed on the visitors looked safe until
the last 200 yards. 1t was here that the
Unions, who had been trailing, raised
their stroke in a last heroic sprint that
across the line winner by exactly one
second.
When the three shells shot into the
! last quarter the Undlnes were the first
| to challenge for the lead. and they
moved into the van temporarily and
opened up &lead Of some six feet. Their
bid was short lived and was not capa-
Bile of staving off the answering rush
of the Vcspers, who moved into the
!cad in q desperate drive.
The challenge of the Unions was
beautifully timed and came when they
were passing their own clubhouse.
whose floats and piazzas were lined
With rooters for the Union cause. The
salvos of cheers that driftcd out to
the struggling athletes may have had
something to do with their magnificent
finish. Inch by inch the New York
. she'll crept up on the Vesper boat. The
Phila3elphians INCREASED their stroke
to meet the New York drive, but their
old rhythm had gone and the splashing
that resulted from the raised stroke
seemed to slow them up considerably.
The Unions themselves were weakening
rapidly, but had just enough stamina
to cinch the victory by scant six
! seconds.
Nonpareils Score Two Victories
Another local organization, the Non
narel Rowing Club, gathered in two
! of tic most brilliant victories of the
regatta when their boats finished first
in the special quarter r-mile dash FOR
senior single sculls and in the junior
single sculls at one mile.
The quartcr-milc event was for a
trophy offered By Fred Fuesscl, of the
, Nonrareil Club, former quarter mile
champion of the United States. In a
: into the lead and held him there until
! he crossed the finish line, Frank Shea,
! sprintng star of the Nonpareils, won
/ the Fuesscl trophy from David Andras,
of the Active Boat Club, of Edgewater,
! \. J. Walter Rigling, of the Undine
( Barge Club, finished poor third, al
! though he had been expected to give
/ the veteran Shea the race of his life.
! The junior SINGLE sculls was run IN
! heats, there hring nine entries. AL
/ though Leo Rachmiel, of the Non
/
finish second to Charles Eicholz, of the
! Activcs, in his heat, he managed to dis
pose of the latter in the final by Won
! derful gcneralship. This was one Of
the best events Of the day, the field
rowing stroke for stroke down the first
! half mile. In the last twenty strokes
Elcholz sprnted into a short lead, but
the Nonpariel man was waiting for
that move and met the challenge the
instant it was offcCed. He raised his
stroke in magnificent effort and
nosed the Edgewater man out by feet'
Louis Zoha, runner up to Jack Kelley
in the Olympic trials and carrying the
colors of the First Bohemian Boat CLUB.
of New York, rowed to great victory
/ over his old rival, Harry Heller, of the
Atalanta Boat Club, in the senior
sculls. Although Heller had trained
long and faithful for this event, he
was apparently no match for Zoha, who
opened up a lead in the first twenty
/ strokes and held the field at bay s%Sm
start to finish.
Zoha at Best Yesterday
! Zoha never rowed better race than
he did yesterday. Pulling long,
powerful stroke that seemed to almost
! lift his frail she'll out of the water, he
was master of the situation at all
| tunes. ICllcr uIlleaSIeu q uyllB SPI III y
| in the last quarter, but never succeeded
in working close enough to his rival to
force him to increase his stroke. Zoha's
time for the mile was 6:15 2-5, while
| Heller's was GILT is. w. E. Garrett
, Gilmore, of the Bachelors Barge Club,
of Philadelphia, finished an unimpres-
sive third.
One of the most stirring victories of
the day was chalked up by the Norton
Boat Club, Of Worcester, Mass, in the
junior eight. This event was bitter
duel from start to finish between the
Nortons and the junior crew of the
Union Boat Club. The Unions led until
the last hundred yards, when the final
drive of the Nortons carried them
across the line less than six feet in
the lead.
Rain Stops Bicycle Races
The bicycle races scheduled at the
Newark Velodrome yesterday were
called off on account of rain. The pro-