Year: 1869

To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD


Some few years ago rowing was at low eoo IN
this country It entirely IN the hands OF profess
sionals, and than suspected OF being tainted
with all kinds OF trickery. Angry cards appeared in
the papers after each match, '.foulsr were almost
the rule, and none but the ring knew which crew
meant to wn This thing is not dead yet but 1t has
been In great measure irowned down by the gen.
tlemen who OF late years have interested themselves
I'm boating. As an instance of the evil we complain
let the reader Tyler Brown controversy
Of last year and the dispute between Raymond and
one of the Wards, where Ward Claimed the stakes
because. although Raymond won, he had promised
before the race 10 let himself be beaten.


The amateur cluOs in this city have done good
more but the university crews OF Harvard and Yale
have undoubtedly had more to do in giving high
tone to the sport than any other organlzatio in
lege boys have always done their best, there has
never been the slightest suspicion OF foul play, ana
the betting men who flock TO Worcester every sum-
mer lay their money on their favortes with inn
plicit confidence that each crew will try TO wn aud
that II their money is lost they only blame them
selves for their want OF Judgment. As the Harvard
crew going to England in a few weeks ell their
comes important to those wlohave backed either side.
When the George Roahr came In anead OF them the
other day their enemies, or rather those that had
backed the kngllshmen, were very Juhiant, ana
of the papers growled at them because they
took the prize 10y claiming foul. They, however,
crowed too soon; the IIaryards rowed with a cox
swain who weighed 10 pounds and with boat fifty-
two feet long which was never intended for any thing
but practice, and which, above all, meant for
straight course and not for turning staseboa,.
They proved this Few days afterwards when tney
met the same crew at ChaiIestown and beat them
nearly minute i'll four mile race, this time, how
ever, in q shorter boat and without coxswain.
our men. however are not now what they will be
two months hence. BY that time they Will
row together like cOckwork, and no one who has
ever seen tneIp doubts their ability to keep
up almost any stroke, that simmons viii
one Every one who has seen him wonders az
his great strength and those who saw the pluck
with which he backed up Loring last year, when
they rowed the Wards at Worcester know that If the
crew can 1--we up 10 him for four miles the Engs
men will find them ugly customers. Forty strokes =
minute is considered wonderfully fast IN England,
and so is as any one who has tried u VIII tel YOU
but our boys averaged forty three at Worcester ast
year, and will this summer show them fortyhve on
the Thames. Yes, you go very last. pull very pret.
tily but there Is no strength In 1t, say the English
at the boats on the Charles and see how they jump
at every stroke; why, the bow and stern actually
20 under water at each pull. Every man
rises from his seat at the beginning OF the
stroke and rests his whole weight on his feet and
hands; every ounce tells on the oar; II Is no arm
pull, but effort OF the whole body, legs and all.
You can only DO this with quick, nervous stroke.
A slow stroke confines the work TO the arms ana
back. The Harvard stroke makes every muscle id
the body tell our style Is well nigh perfect. This
OXFORD style, 80 their own papers tell us Is poor, ana
Cambridge ia worse.


Judging from the English boats that are now in
this country. we can certainly beat them In that
respect, aud although we don't mean 10 say that ouR
crew Is the best, We certainly think that OXFORD wiz
find u no easy job 10 lead the Harvards, and we are
sure that, after the race, no one will say that our
boys were foolhardy in going across and meeting
them on their own waters. Let US hope that our
zach tmen and our oarsinen may all have good luck.
present opponents TO come here and get back tnd
PRIZE. We have carried on In friendly contest.