The New York herald., 1921-04-17
nv WALTER TRUMRULL.

BY WALTER TIL M hOLbs
speciai Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
NEW HAVEN, April 16.-Through the
twilight OF April mist that hung above
the breezes which swept the surface
Of the Housatonic River this evening
came the sturdy eight of Pennsyl-
vania to sweep across the finish line
with open water showing between the
stern OF their boat and the bow of the
shell which bore the beaten oarsmen
OF Eli Yale. 1t was the first race of
the season.
Tho Red and Blue won by length
and a quarter in the rather slow time
of minutes and 5 seconds. Yale's
time was given as minutes and 3
seconds. This does not compare very
favorably with the record, held by a
Pennsylvania crew. of minutes and
20 seconds. but that is partly due to
the varying conditions under which
the races were rowed.
The reword was made with a fol-
lowing wind ana at a time when the
water was high and the current swift
There was plenty of water to-day, but
a south breeze blew directly up the
river and against the perspiring backs
Of the boys in the gliding shells.
Yale's defeat In the varsity race was
somewhat atoned for by the gallant
showing made by the Junior eight,
which won by about the same margin
that the senior oarsmen lost The Blues
time in this race was minutes IL Sec
onds. Pennsylvania's time was Z min
utes q seconds.
April Refuses to Laugh.
In spite of the inducement offered
by the occasion April refused to laugh
any OF her grish laughter. She was
as glum and gray faced as II she had
lost a race or two herself. But even
the lack of sunshine could not detract
from the beauty of the surroundings
amid which the contest was held. Be
tween Derby and Shelton, where the
course was marked off, the Housatonic
winds its way from north to south
through the foothills of the Berkshires.
On this sloping background OF green,
with It's outcropping of rocks and brown
ribbons Of roads unrolled across IL were
scattered eight or nine thousand spec
tators who had come In motors or in
horse drawn farm vehicles or on foot to
witness the first rowing event OF the
season. In the observation train that
crept its way along the west bank of the
river to keep pace with crews, were
thousand more. These were mostly the
sons and adopted daughters Of Eli. and
PENNSYLVANIA rooters, so few in number
that only flash OF red showed in a field
of blue.
Here were massed the fathers and
mothers and sweethearts and friends of
those fine looking youngsters yonder on
the water and no gloomy skies had been
able to deter the feminine portion OF
that audience from wearing the latest
things in gowns and hats. The beauty
Of this portion Of the scene. however,
was not due TO any matter OF dress. The
loveliness lay under the hats and there
was plenty Of sunshine after all IL you
only looked in the right direction for II.
The parents especially gazed through the
misty atmosphere with eager eyes.
There, for instance. were Charles Dana
Gibson and Mrs. Gibson, who looked
proudly at their son, who sat at No.
in the Yale varsity and rowed very
gcod race. And there were the rowing
ian clothes gazed little wistfully at
the boys who had their places In the
shell that they once had fought for and
made their own.
McLane Leads Cheering.
Allen McI.ane. coxswain OF the famous
crew OF 1915 which broke records an
inept waiter breaks dishes led a num-
her OF cheers for the Yale crews. not
forgetting to add q cheer or two for the
opposition. McLane Is said by many TO
have been the greatest coSswnin ever
developed by the Blue.
II was shortly before 6 o'clock when
the varsity crews padded up the river
to the starting point. For some reason
which Il was not possible to fathom.
Albert Herrick. the Harvard coach. who
had the job OF starting III eoarsmen on
their way decided to get them Off to
what was announced as a flying start.
This meant that the stern of the shell
was not held as ls usual by the men in
the anchored rowboats. After q little
manpuvring the crews got into the po-
stion from which they were sent away.
1t looked az Il the Yale shell was under
little headway. but the boats left the
mark practically together.
The Blue forged ahead almost nme-
diately, but this did not bring .ch joy
TO veteran oarsmen OF Ell Who were
innxing on. for the reason that II APP
pesred that the coxswsin was unable TO
hold his crew down and that the men
were inclined 70 rash things little too
much Nevertheless Yale was half
length to the good a; the quarter.
by the time tho half was reached the
power In the Pennsylvania boat had be
s1In to tell and the shells we're cutting
the water nose and nose. Vale hung or
gamely, but II was evident that the rslue