Evening star., 1951-06-17

year, IN days gone by, that We
would begin discussing what four
cared or eight-oared crew would
win the local championship at the
ensuing summer or autumn re-
gatta on the Potomac River.
For years the Analostans, the
Potomacs and the Columbias were
the principal competitors for this
coveted honor. and each in turr
was rewarded. Each club had its
admirers and each its enthusias-
tic rooters and occasionally, when
things were quiet around Wash
ington, the crews would go to
other cities to try their skill and
Drawn with other boat crews, al
ways being accompanied by a
local delegation which went along
to encourage the boys. It was
very rare occasion when a Dis
trict crew was badly or ignomin-
iouSly defeated.
OF the three boat clubs the
Analostan was the oldest, then
came the Potomac and the latter
furnished a majority of the mem
bers for the Columbia. which had
its beginning back in 1880, as
evidenced by the following ar
ticle in The Star of Monday, April
IL, Of that year:
"A meeting for the purpose of
organizing new boat club was
held Saturday night at the Riggs
House and was well attended by
gentlemen of Georgetown and
Washington, and an organization
to be known as the Columbia Boat
Club was formed, with an active
list Of about 40 members, COM
prising many of the best known
among our amateur boating men.
A tasteful house will be erected
Immediately at some point on the
river front at Georgetown. and the
flag of the new aspirants thrown
to the breeze. AS the Potomac is
broad enough and the material
plentiful for another boating as
sociation in our midst, it is to be
hoped that the existence of new
club will add an impetus to boat
ing during the coming summer
never before known in our waters" ;"
The CoIumbios
The Columbias had two particu-
larry good racing teams in their
four-oared and eight-oared crews,
and almost from the very begin
ming were to be reckoned with as
formidable antagonists in any con-
test on the river. Even outside
Of Washington, among the best
crews of the country. they not
only held their own, but frequently
came home with the highest
honors and the best prizes.
Just a little over two years
after they were formed into al
boat club the Columbias acquitted
themselves gloriously at Philadel-
phia in the regatta of October
26-27, 1880, winning the four
cared and the eight-oared races.
The Star covered this event as
follows:
"At the first quarter the Cres-
cents led by half a length. Colum-
bias second and FairmountS third |
The three crews were soon TO-
gether, and a foul was imminent,
but the Columbias pulled out,
and at the end of the mile the
Fairmounts had gone to second
place. A pretty contest followed
between the Columbias and Fair
mounts, but the Washington boys
got warmed to their work and
crossed the line winners by four
lengths in 1924, Fairmounts
second and the Crescents far be- |
hind. The crowd of Washington
people present greeted this vic
tory with cheer after cheer.
''The last race of the day was
the one for eight-oared shells, in
which the Cohmbias had for their
antagonists the famous crew of
the Metropolitans of New York.
The crews were made up as. fol-
lows: Columbias-Lake !, Wood
ward 2, Wade 8. Wallack 4, Mes
mith 5. Davis 6. Kinter 7. Mute 8,
Gibson. coxswain: Metropolitans
/. Schile 2, Schulka 8.
Thompson 4, Nagle S. Wilson 6.
Wade Z, Pilkinson 8, Mcintyre
coxswain.
'"The race was very hotly con-
tested and excited the greatest in
terest among the spectators. The
two crews got an even start and
at the first quarter they were still
pulling side by side."
On the Potomac River one of
Columbia's most notable victories
took place October 10. 1888. It
was indeed a thrilling race and |,