The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-29
DESPITE PAINFUL INJURY MAILING GIVES WEST WIN
Washington DethroneS Navy As Ruler Of The Racing
 World

smashed the two-year regulation of
 the Navys crews and swept to
 dramatic triumph today in the pre-
 mier test of American college row
 ing, the three-mile race concluding
 the twenty-siXth annual regatta of
 the Intercollegiate Rowing; associa-
 tion.
 -. Through driving downpour,
 Washington and the Navy fought it
 out for supremacy over the last mile
 of the varsity struggle, after dis - tancing their four other rivals, and
 the Pacific coast men won because
 they possessed the greater stamina
 and finishing power. They crossed
 the finish line fully a length ahead
 of a deeisively whipped Annapolis
 eight that failed to demonstrate the
 qualities that carried it's predecessors
 to spectacular victories in 1921 and
 1922
 Trailing two lengths behind the
 Navy came Columbia. which weak
 ened after setting the pace for more
 than d mile Syracu.x. fast over.
 hauiiu.s the New York srs, finished
 fourth. another three-q 1arters of q
 length back. Cornell, but ghost of
 the rowing power that oncc ruled
 supreme ia college seas, finished
 firth, half length behind Syracuse and Penns sYtVa@fa was nearly another 1enSth in the rear.
 Only inches separated Washington from a double triumph for its rangy only other Purple and Cold entry lost to great Cornell yearling' crew by that margin i'll the closest win ninS finisi. i'll intercollo giate. \ spee:ae,,iar i3sttie.
 | Brilliant as was the far western rers varsity Victury-the firss time that the west has triumphed in the quarter of century that it's oars men have sou sht this blue ribbon crown of ruN1ng-the struggle for frcshman hoi.ors Was the most spec tacular feature of the day. The fin ~-ish, which To, l.ed from the shore to \ be la dead heat. vas SD close that it the judges Ut u, finish that Cornell was awarded .he decision over Washington.
 Syracuse finish4 q third. Pennsyl- vania fourth and Columbia fifth in I4 the freshman race.
 The orange sweeps of Syracuse flashed across the line first in the ' opening event of she regatta, the 4 ished second by d narrow margin over Columbia and Pennsylvania, which had drab day'of it, brought up the rear.
 eWallins Is Hero.
 The hero of Washington's victory Tonight was Don Walline, of Belling- ham, Wash, 20year-old stroke oar. tForced out of his seat last Saturday by an infected knee that for q time Threatened to develop into blood pois- oning, Walling rejodned the eight only last evening and proved his re- smarkable grit by acing the far westerners brilliantly and smoothly from start to finish today. His knee was bandaged and his face showed the signs of the physi- cal strain he had undergone, but there was no evidence of handicap in ', ;l,J. 1, h crew. His own words, after the race, were that he just forgot all about his knee"
 For the first mile of the varsity race, which started in driZZling rain after delay due to mishaps in
 the Navy and Cornell shells. Column bia seemed on it's way to fulfill the predictions of it's most ardent sup porters. The blue and white shell
 was the first to catch tfe water and
 Immediately shot out into the lead, holding an open water advantage over all the crews but Washington, at the hilf-mile mark.
 Navy start. Poorly.
 The Navy. departing from it's strat- egy of former years, started slowly, holding third place by scant mar | gin over the other eights and appar- ently content to let Columbia set the pace.
 Washington. a half length behind. lifted its stroke q beat or two and slowly drew up on the New Workers, taking the lead shortly after the mile anG half stake. never to be headed. That spurt of the westerners soon | carried them length ahead of the Columbans. who in turn faced new challenge from the Navy and Cor nell.
 Rowing under the bridge that marked the two-mile point, Wash ington showed a length and half in front with Columbia fighting gall lantly to hold a third of a length ad- vantage over the middies. Here the Navy. realizing that it must row as it had not been called on to roNv this season, started its final drive. Deep ening their catch and lifting their stroke to 36. the middes forged ahead of Columbia. which was weakening rapidly from the effects of it's early pace. and set out after the flying westernerS.
 Washington Holds Out. Down toward the finish they raced. through a peltins rain. Making its supreme bid, the Navy for a time seemed to gain slowly but steadily on the westerners. But Washin gton, putting renewed drive into its stroke, flung back this challenge with closing spurt that carried the crew across the finish line full length ahead.
 fcient to dispose Of four of its rivals but it had not counted upon the
 st lying powers of that stalwart eight
 from the Pacific coast. The middles
 had started their challenge too late
 to overcome the lead that Washing
 ton had gained and proved able to
 maintain.
 The officials times of the varsity
 events were: Washington, 14:03 3-o :; Navy. 14:O7 2-5: Columbia, 14:15 4-5 ;
 Syracuse, 14:1S 4-5: Cornell, 14;l9 40 :;
 Pennsylvania 14:21 35.
 Cornell Freshmen Win.
 The freshman race came up to ex-
 pectations by developing into a
 struggle between Cornell and Wash
 ington that made regatta history
 pennsylvania started out at furious
 pace and led for nearly a mile but
 Cornelrs yearlings went out into the
 lead.
 Washingtons Cubs-the tallest
 eight in the regatta, averaging more
 than six feet inches in height
 pulled up rapidly after a slow start
 but did not move into second place
 until a half mile from the finish,
 wehere Penna, after hanging on
 gamely, weakened and fell behind
 Syracuse, with Columbia bringing
 up the rear. The westerners drew up
 on close to even terms with the
 Ithacians and both hit up terrific
 pace as they heard the finish. First
 one boat and then the other seemed
 to gain an edge but in the final
 sweeping strokes, Cornell put just
 enough drive to nose it's shell across
 the van.
 The official times showed fifth
 of second difference between the m shells Cornell being clocked in 9