The New York herald., 1922-04-09
TRYING OUT THE
STARBOARD STROKE
]. Hoyle, Cornell Coach,
Thinks 1t More Natural
Than Port Stroke.

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD
ITHACA, N. Y. April s.-There is no
compelling reason for port stroking in
college shells. in the opinion of Coach
John Hoyle OF Cornell, except custom.
Starboard stroking. which he says is not
new at all. but has been considered by
some coaches for years. is In fact truer
to nature than port strohing, in Hoyle's
opinion, and the Cornell coach says that
he himself Is going TO try the experiment
of developing starboard stroke.
In the earlier days of English rowing.
said Hoyle, starboard pacemakers were
the usual type. AS rowing progressed II
happened that an oarsman was devel-
oped with unusual ability for setting and
holding pace-and he happened to be a
port man. Because he was so superior
to his fellows as a pacemalser a shell
was rerigged and seven other oarsmen
selected to follow him, with the result
that a very fast eight was developed
that won all of its races.
without stopping to consider the why
of this crews performances other than
to credit 1t to port stroking Coach Hoyle
said that many crews adopted the port
pacing method and II became the ac-
cepted style both abroad and in this
country. though few coaches at various
times used the offside beat. notably
Pennsylvania some years ago. Prince
ton under DR.. Spaeth until this year used
the starboard pacemaker.
Let Well Enough Alone.
At Cornell the stroke oar has invaria-
bly, been port man. Coach Hoyle says.
however. that he and the late Charles
y. Courtney had many discussions on
the subject. and that he occasionally
recommended change. The "Old
Man." however, was satisfied with con-
ditions as they were and with reason. for
his crews we're winning with great reg
ularity. He didn't think "the boys
would care about starboard pacing. and
as long as things were going along nicely
he saw no reason for running chances
by experimentation.
Hoyle's view Is that starboard strok-
Ing is more natural than port side pac-
Ing. lie says that seven out of eight
men are right handed. and this gives
starboard men the advantage of the
greatest leverage on their strongest
arms. This gives an undue advantage
10 the starboard side OF the shell. par
ticularly inasmuch as the bow man is
on that side, and because the port men
do not have an equal leverage, besides
having to use their strongest arms and
wrists constantly, in featherin~ their
oars.
According to Hoyle, several OF Cor
nell's best stroke oarsmen have been
left handed men,. giving them the lever
are enjoyed by the oarsmen on the
other side of the boat. II is his GUS
tom to ask every freshman seeking a
place in a shell whether he throws a
ball or writes left handed or right
handed. III he Is a southpaw he Is im-
mediately started as port man and
told to stay there In the hope that he
will develop into a stroke or a good
port oarsman and aid in overcoming
the natural starboard advantage.
lIoyle Is an old boat builder. has con
structed starboard shells for Pcnnsyi.
vana. and he probably will soon build
one for Cornell. III he does he will
develop two evenly matched crews and
let them 20 TO II TO see which type is
faster.