Evening star., 1930-06-25
CREWS MOST EVEN
IN RACES HISTORY
U. of Washington Appears to
Hold Edge if Any Is to
Be Conceded.
BY TED VoSBURGH,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

DOUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y, June
- 25.-Nine of the most even
ly matched varsity crews in
the 35-year history of the
intercollegiate Rowing ASSocia-
ton regatta were primed today
for the biggest sporting spectacle
of the college year.
On the broad eXpanSeS of the
Hudson tomorrow, the picked
young heavyweight manhood of
two far Western universities, one
from Middle West and six from
the East will fight it out in the
4-mile feature battle of a regatta
that brings into action a record
breaking total Of % eight-oared
crews.
With. the big event just one day
away, the assembled experts and even
the coaches whose business it is to
know, were certain Of nothing except
that the struggle would not end up in
a foul When asked to pick the prob
able winner most of them started of
by naming Washington, made a couple
of false starts and then mentioned Co.
lun1bia, Navy and California, winding
up with the emphatic statement that
Syracuse, Cornell, NJ, I. T. Wisconsin
and Pennsylvania cannot be figured out
of the running. which makes 1t Just
about unanimous.
HuSkies Are Powerful.
If there is a favorite it is undoubt-
edly not the defending champions, Co.
lumbia, but the lowering eight from
the University of Washington, which
has come up to this climatic event with
two victories and no defeats on its
record.
In fact there is some disposition
among loyal Washington alumni to de-
clare that the boys from Seattle may
carry not only the varsity event but
the junior varsity and freshman races
as well thereby performing the un-
precedented feat of sweeping the river
in three eight-oared events. None of
the hySkyN eightS has yet been beaten
and as a result all three are among
the favorites.
But history records that such hard
rowing crews as the Navy, Columbia
and California have been able on oc-
casion to take the measure of the tall
redwoods from Seattle and they will be
out to do 1t again. These four are
the colleges that have monoplized var
Sity honorS on the Hudson ever since
the war. and If any Of the other hve
contenders comes through the result
will be an upset Of the most sensational
kind.
The odds appear heavily as against
such an eventuality, but Syracuse has
. bunch of Spunky Sophomores who
think they can clean up as they did
In the freshman event last year. Cor
nell packs all the weight ana power
in the world. Wisconsin is big and
strong and has gotten IN plenty Of use
ful mileage in the last few days, row.
ing time trials over the full four miles
at most every day. Massachusetts,
Tech has amazed the river rail birds
by its clean bladework and long spae-
ing at q low beat and Pennsylvania mas
q veteran array which hopes at least
to hit its stride.
OF the big four" none sis better
equipped physically than Washington
whose average altitude is IS feet 8
inches and whose weight is I79 The
huSkies constitute the tallest crew on
the river and probably the loftiest that
ever was seen here.
California Crew Young.
California bristles with raw power,
but Is the youngest aggregation Of them
all with an average age Of only 20
years. There are four sophomoreS in
the Golden Bear boat and three vet
erans Of the 1928 crew that won the
ana olympic titles.
The Navy has as fine a looking as
semblage of 6-footers plus that can be
seen in days journey along the Hud-
son and much depends upon the ability
of its 1s0-pound stroke, H. E. Shelton
of Paducah, KY, to keep his head and
gauge his pace. A sophomore, or
''youngster'' IL Navy parlance, Shelton
is rowing in his first 4-mile race
Columbia, rowing with the long easy
stroke and exaggerated with the lay
back that is taught only by the Glendons,
father and son, has lost four of last
years champions, but has filled the
gaps with junior varsity stars and will
be out to make it two in a row.
The wide-open character of the race
has caused students and alumni of all
nine institutions to head this way in
larger numbers than usual and indica-
tions point to q record crowd along the
banks