The New York herald., 1921-06-23


years. the last previous one here having
been held In 1916, when Syracuse won
the big event, II brought back all the old
glorles OF the classic. Perhaps 50.0e0
persons saw the races from the observa-
tion train Of thirty-two cars. from points
of vantage along the shores. from steam
ers and other craft PoughNeepSie, over
1oyed at regaining an event which. u
had counted as lost. was decked out in
its best bib and tucker to greet the
Iestive throngs. The weather might
have been a bit more comfortable for the
onlool6ers but conditions for the oars
men never were better.
1t was an afternoon OF oppressive heat
and humidity. with thunder squalls
lowering on all sides, but somehow pass
ing up the scene OF the regatta. IL
thundered and streaks of lightning
flashed in all quarters of the heavens.
1t grew dark only to grow brighter ana
grow dark again. When the varsity
event came along after Z o'clock the
skies were beclouded. Rain threatened,
but II never came. For that, many
thanks But if the black hole OF CAL
cutta was any worse than one OF the
observation cars the storied soldier boys
Of India had hotter time than generally
Is imagined.
While squall after .sauall was blown
20 the south and the northeast, the course
remained as calm as mill pond. Old
sinners could not remember the day that
the old river had behaved so well Tor
~egatta. There was no wind 10 speak
~ ell afternoon and there was hardy
t.npla on the surface of the Hudson.
The current was sluggish too, otherwise
the fast time of the Navy would have
been faster yet. truly phenomenal.
-I..sc
That great squirt of the California crew
In the last quarter mile Will be remem-
bere even more vividly than the sem
sational dash of the Stanford Ttans OF
1918. While Stanford failed to improve
its position California succeeded IN
way that marked it's sweep swingers as
men Of remarkable grit, tremendous
power and an unquenchable spirit In
the first mile California was a negligible
factor. as 1t rowed along with the traii-
ers, while the Navy and Corneii. out In
front. were having it out in a great
struggle for mastery.
It was at the half way mark that
California finally showed in third place
after a great squirt in which 1t had beaten
off Columbia But California chances
4 OF getting second place Were' at that
stage, not very bright
California cared not that It was many
lengths from the two who were fighting
< for the crown The Pacific coast cham
pions kept fighting hard. everlastingiy
at their task of trying TO eaten the
Cornell eight. 1t mattered not that this
task seemed hopeless. 1t was fight, fight
fight. every foot of the tirins way
Only half mile from the finish line
Cornell .lad an advantage o. two ana
half lengths over California, while the
I r.e IF
alorg two lengths in front of Cornell
n looked TO be Cornell's second place
hex,nd All doubt. But California still
wsg fighting hard. Foot by foot 1t was
eatching up and foot by foot a very
I'D Cornell crew which had tried 70
row a very superior Navy eight. was
O. Aang back. The spirit Of the Cornell
,sas was wiling but the flesh wrs
siIins Of the anguish Of the 'ons
straining pull down the river.
Into that last half-miie they went
and the Navy let loose with every ounce
OF that reserve which 1t had held back
COR possible surprise. That surprise
never came for Cornell was done. Stu
the Navy pulled away for all Il was
worth. striving to make its victory as
clean cut as possible and TO set mark
which might defy the power OF great
crews TO overcome. Navy craft which
ssevious encouragement TO their stand
eta bearers while the midshipmen hit
~ a stroke of 40 and swept toward
y.rsory with form impeccable.
Hrttye sons Never STOP Trying.
But what Of California And waTt Of
cornell? The sialwarts from the Sum-
,.st Side of tire continent were rowing as
X hay Just had set out oa their jour
nss. They began TO go ~ ard then
ses led down 10 AZ. which they main
tai1ed right 10 the finish. IT mattersd
rot that their technique was open 20
,yiicism. II matte-ed not that their
at board form was not up TO the best
slandards displayed in the classic All
that mattered was second place, and
Cornell was falling back, tired, but not
discouraged.
anne the last quarter mile, with the
Eavy still sprinting as il IL were be-
inr chased by a real contender. There
was no contest out there in front. But
grim battle was being fought right
behind the midsh pu,en. California
a. Irted II was a as Larsen called
cr his men 10 give old California sec
ond place. men. We cans so home
without it,"
n the Cornell boat it was the raging
stage OF the race. Lagsins muscles
we're being urged TO greater efforts,
sasping sweep swingcrs were being ad-
monshed by freshsr mates to forget
Themselves and remember Cornell. its
rowing tradition, the spirit of Charley
Courtney. For a spell. the briefest
spell, Cornell rallied and the shell be-
gan to pull away from the onrushing
California boat.
But this California eight was not to
he denied. II closed in on Cornell
closed that gap of open water, then re-
duced the Cornell advantage 10 only
three-quarters OF a length. Now the
goal was only little more than q fur
long away Could Cornell hold its
slight lead and save second place?
Cc-nei, MI thought that their crew
could but they counted without this
irresistible eight from rhe other side
of America. Cornell had used itself up
In chasing the Navy and this new
menace was something it had not looked
for. Its fight in the face OF 10 was
valiant, but all the while CorTHjrs lead
diminished and California kept creep
ing up.
All the while the air was thick with
yeils. shrieks. fowis. not from Cali
fornia men alone. but from all those
who owed no allegiance to Cornell. It
was a great. piucky fight and every
true sportsman end sportswoman likes
grit
"Come on. you California :" the thou
sands yelled as the fighting crews came
smashing down the narrow lane toward
the finish line. II was like a dash of
fornisns. They seemed to grow even
.H