New-York tribune., 1920-02-29
Local Oars1nen
Bid for Place
In Big Regatta
Union Boat Club Crew to
Make Determined Fight
for the Trip to Olympics

The Union Boat Club of New York,
runner up in the national amateur re-
gatta last summer at Worcester, is
expected to be one of the most formid-
able contenders for the honor of repre-
senting America in the Olympic games
next summer. Elaborate plans have
been made by the club for the coming
season, these including the recruiting
Of many of the best oarsmcn in New
York and vicinity.
Through an arrangement with Co.
lumbia athletic authorities, the uni
versity's rowing machines will be used
in the evening by the club, beginning
tomorrow night, when forty candidates
will report in the gymnasium on Morn
pgside Heights.
In previous seasons the indoor work
OF the boat club has been limited to
practice drills on the four machines
in the club house on the Harlem River,
but these were considered inadequate
tor the busy season that lies ahead.
The Columbia equipment, which in
cludes about twenty-five machines and
specially rigged contrivance in the
swimming pool, will be sufficient to
give the Union oarsmen a good start
when the outdoor season begins q few
weeks hence.
Practice in College Gym
Practice will be held in the Columbia
gym for month or six weeks. When
the Harlem River is cleared of ice and
the weather becomes warmer, outdoor
work will start at the clubhouse on
Dyckman Street, which will also be
used by the Columbia oarsmen through
+ reciprocal arrangement between the
club and the university.
The New York club is we'll fortified
for strong. competition with it's rivals
tor Olympic honors. Every member of
last years senior eight will again be
Franklin Brodil, W. jackson, G. B.
Ritchie, George M. Harth, j. w. Falb,
Joseph Harth, w. Mcdonald and Frank
Hekker. A host of other candidates
will try out for the eight and for the
other crews that will be entered in the
national regatta.
Eight crews in all will be boated; a
senior eight, junior eight, senior four
Junior four, junior centipede, inter
mediate centipede, junior double sculls
and intermediate double sculls. The
four-oared crew last year, composed of
brodil, Hekker, Jackson and Ritchie
Worcester.
Columbians to Help
Former oarsmen from Columbia may
play a prominent part in the clubs ac-
tivities this season. If possible, they
will be formed into a senior four.
Other Blue and White rowers, includ-
ing some Of the present varsity, are
expected to try for places in the eight
cared crews. Brodil, captain and stroke
Of the clubs senior crew, is at Colum-
bla this year and may row in the in
tcrcollegiate regattas, either in the
varsity or freshman boat.
The most serious competition is an
ticipated from the Union Boat Club, of
Boston; the Vespers, of Philadelphia,
and the Duluth Boat Club, which won
the race for the national title last year.
All three Of these organizations wifi
make strong bid for championship
honors in this seasons regatta, which
will determine the club that is to rep
resent the United States in the rowing
events at the Olympics. A college
crew will also be selected from the
winners Of the Poughkeepsie regatta
and the American Henley at Philadel-
phia.
James Pilkington, the veteran coach
of the Union Boat Club, will again be
in charge this season, and it is posi-
BILE that Jim Rice, the Columbia coach,
will assist in an advisory capacity.
Pllkington has developed most of the
boat clubs winning crews in the last
decade. He is also president Of the
National Association of Amateur Oars
men.