Evening star., 1938-06-28
NAVY CREW WINS
FOR HURT COACH
Sets Record to Beat Bears
as Walsh Listens Over
Radio in Hospital. y
BY GAYLE TALBOT.
Associated Press Sports Writer

POUGHKEEPSIE. N. Y. June 28.-
A fighting Navy crew that rose to
amazing emotional heights when its
coach was hurt, has brought national
rowing supremacy back to the East
after lapse Of six long years.
The Middies, no better than third
choice when the starting gun sounded,
swept down the Hudson in record
shattering time to win yesterdays in
tercollegiate regatta by a length
over California. while five shells pad
died far in their wake
Knowing their injured coach. Charles
S. tBuck) Walsh, was following their
progress by radio from a nearby hos
pital cot, the emotional Tars bent
their oars down the four miles in 18
minutes and 19 seconds, seldom re-
linquishing the lead as they eclipsed
the course record of 18:33ss set last
year by the Washington Huskies.
Huskies Never Really Figure.
The vaunted Washington crew,
meeting its first defeat in 13 starts
since Don Hume became it's stroke oar
in 1895. never really figured in the
race and finished more than length
back of second-place California.
California made bruising fight of
it over the final mile and was timed
in 18:20ls. Washington, third in
18:252s. and Columbia, fourth in
1927, also were we'll under the pre-
vious record. The race was rowed on
the crest of the mighty Hudson's tide
while the customary rain lashed the
water and drenched one of the
slimmest crowds ever to see the race.
Wisconsin, after setting a burning
pace for the first mile, wound up fifth
in 1884. Cornell was sixth in 18:3s+s
and Syracuse a lonesome last at
18:401s.
Promise Walsh They'll Win.
Walsh, who has been the Navy
coach since 1882, the year after the
Middies gave the East its last victory
prior to yesterday. was hurt Saturday
night when he fell at meeting of
the coaches. His boys called on him
Sunday and vowed they would win
for him. Furthermore, they made
good.
You Just can't beat that Navy
spirit" chortled Buck last night. as
he set propped up in bed. Maybe I
ought to get myself hurt more often"
Where they showed their true spirit
was in the last half mile. At the
Smile point they were a little better
than a length ahead of California.
but then the Golden Bears applied the
pressure. They stepped up the stroke
and within half mile they pulled
even. The Bears we're whizzing along,
and a neighbor on the observation
train said: TOO bad. The Navy can't
beat off that kind of q challenge"
Final Spurt Decides.
But the Navy did The middies held
on grimly. and about 800 yards from
home they tore into q sprint them
selves The Californians weren't pre-
pared for it. and they couldn't answer.
At the finish the future admirals were
going away.
The spectators on the banks didn't
need to wait long to know the victor.
A naval destroyer, riding at anchor
just past the finish, turned lose its
voice, and it was deafening as it
bounced of the Palisades.
On its decks the clustered midship-
men could be heard singing that IA
nous Navy song which goes: "There1l
be high elation to the Far China sta
ton. from Crabtown to ships at Tim
bucktoo."
| Minor Victories to Coast.
Washington won the junior varsity
race, and California won the freshman
event.
Navy's winning crew
Bow. I. Peters: 2. G. Bullard: 3. r. Kitt-
Ier 4. G. Whiteside: s. A. Yeates: g. II.
Lee; z, N. Almgren; stroke, P. Schultz;
| coxswain. E. Knapp.
How they finished in the three races
vers:ty .1,;srr. race. mnilss-l miles Navy 1919;
1S:252s: 4. Columbia. 1927: s. Wisconsin,
| 1894, 6. Cornell. 1s:3Ss: Z. Syracuse.
rass .,,iorn'I milesn io,ws washington
14:OO3s: 4. Syracuse 14:O3*s: 5. Cornell
14:144s: 6. Columbia. 1928
| 9:3Oas; Washington. 9:313s: g. Syracuse,
9:3S%; 4. Columbia. 9:39as: 3. Cornell