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About Yale Alumni Magazine | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1896)
[ Continued from seventh page.] A STRIKING FEATURE, (London Field, July 11.) - There has been one peculiar character- istic of the Yale oarsmen which has struck all who have observed them, or have conversed with them; this feature has been their modesty, tempered with laudable ambition. Instead of arriving with the notion that they were going to teach the Old World how to row, they seem to have started with the hypothesis that they had come to see what rowing was on this side of the Atlantic, and that they had made up their minds to make this venture a sort of “preliminary ex- amination,’ from which they intended to take and compare notes, and, after doing their best for the occasion, to digest their experiences for some future, and doubt- less more effective attempt. We have seldom seen a club more observant of discrepancies in styles, as compared with their own, or more free from blindness as to their own peculiarities. Our ex- perience is that all rowing clubs have much ‘to learn from each other, and that contact of club with club opens the eyes of each, and facilitates mutual] improve- ments in style. OPINIONS OF CRITICS. Sif Charles Dilke, who is recog- nized in England as an authority on rowing is quoted recently in the Uni- versity Magazine as expressing the following opinion of Yale’s perform- ance ;—- Yale have already shown and said that they intend to imitate our longer style, and there can be no doubt that they will do so, and that the next time they come to Henley it will take the best crew that England can produce, with the most per- fect ‘training to beat them. That it is not impossible for a perfect crew to pad- dle short, and to row long is shown by New. Mr. Whitworth, their stroke; nev- er rowed out the finish at a paddle, but rowed the stroke fully through when the paddle was extended into a strong row. Yale were similarly able to convert their shorter stroke at times into a long. power- ful row; but they could not do ithis, and yet manage a quick stroke; and it was at this point that they failed, and in or- der to row a quick enough stroke for the Henley course they were forced to row the shorter American style. They will, undoubtedly, work at the combina- tion of the quick stroke with length and will attend to their recovery from the long swing back; and our crews will have in future to train better than they do in the present day if great crews of old oarsmen, or what are sometimes called crews of names, are to stand a “Chance with them the next time they come to Henley. Mr. R. C. Lehman, who has won a reputation as Leander’s famous coach, wrote to Harper’s Weekly two weeks ago in answer to comments made in their columns on the Henley race. The following is extracted :— THE STROKE, The more I have rowed and the more I have coached the stronger has my con- viction become that it is only by the long sweeping stroke, firmly marked at the beginning, and held through with- out wavering till the hands reach the chest, that you can create and maintain pace in a racing craft. This kind of stroke you cannot get unless you swing the body well down, at the same time reaching far out with the arms, so as to strike your beginning fair and square, and immediately at the full extent of body-swing and arm-reach behind the riggle. The arms being kept straight, the body swings back as though released from a spring, all the weight telling di- rectly on the blade in the water. As the body swings, the legs drive, until with a final shove that flattens down the knees- the last ounce of leg-power is ap- plied to blades, and simultaneously the shoulders go back, the elbows pass the sides, and the outside hand forces the oar handle right home to the chest. If this last part is done firm and hard, and with all limbs and muscles working to- gether, the boat seems to get an extra impulse to carry her along between strokes, and the hands leave the chest smartly, almost of their own accord, bringing the body on to the recovery with an elastic spring. The essentials, the pace-creating essentials, are always the beginning and finish as I have described them. * * * The fact is, Leander, to put it in a different way, had the longer stride, and having it, were able to hold Yale to half-way with an economy of labor which proved so much to their ad- vantage that thereafter they were able to shoot away from Yale almost as if the latter were standing still, and to win in a end, without being rowed all out, in “In size, weight, and obvious muscular power Yale were superior to Leander, and to every other crew in Henley; their condition was admittedly good; why, hen, should they have been beaten, ex- cept by a crew rowing a better stroke? CONCERNING THE OARS. In regard to the oars used by Yale, Mr. Lehmann says:— I do not believe any man, however mus- cular and powerful he may be, can do himself justice or propel the boat prop- erly with a blade broader than. 6 inches, though the disadvantage would be less TATE Ads Meet V¥ Ta a THE FINISH AT HENLEY: Leander wins by a length and a half. felt by a crew which purposely rows a very short stroke, as Yale did. But if Yale want to try rowing in our style, and with our-tength of swing and react >. they must give up their excessive breadth ‘ Mr. Trevor-Jiones’s opinion that © Yale would have beaten Leander had of blade. the crew used the 6-inch blades does niot impress me as valuable; for, before ‘the race, Mr. Trevor-Jones predicted a Le-- ander defeat, without reference to blades, THE OUTLOOK FOR NEXT SEASON. ‘Regarding the performance of the University eight as encouraging and successful miany now hold the opinion that Yale should visit Henley again, next spring, when with the help of the experience and rowing instruction, gained last July they would have a fine chance to win. body who feels an interest in Amer- ican rowing and especially in Yale rowing, cherishes the hope that ak some future time a Yale crew may win the grand challenge cup, and sf: this is ever to be, when would cir- cumstances be more favorable than next summer? And why is such a plan not all the more opportune at a time when a race with Harvard seems out of the question? But here it must he Said that prospects of a race wilh Harvard are not altogether dead in some minds, and the expense of an- other Henley trip and the possibility of not having such a strong crew next season are the considerations which might oppose a repetition of last sum- mer’s expedition. : A third alternative is a race with Cornell, which could undoubtedly be arranged and would give a Yale eight more cause for excitement than she has experienced in this country for many years. Cornell was champion of four mile racing crews, which were on the water last summer, and had a fast crew. The adoption of a new ri- val instead of a renewal of the fight with Harvard might find favor with some critics but in reality the lean- ing of most Yale men iis towards an- nual struggles with Harvard in all branches of athletics, : [Any discussion at this date of the rowing situation can be only very vague and unreliable. No forecast can be made as to the ultimate plan of the management and no decision may be made till later on in the year. Almost every- . THE WRESTLING MATCHES “Academic Freshmen and Scientific Juniors Win their Contests. The annual wrestling matches be- tween representatives of the Fresh- man and Sophomore classes, the rem- nant of the rush of former years, took place on Wednesday evening, Septem- ber 28, at the Hopkins Grammar School lot. In response to announce- ments issued by F. TIT. Murphy, ’97, as captain of the Football team, the un- dergraduates met by classes in front of Osborn Hall at 7:30 p. m. The pro- cession was then formed. The Sieniiors coming first carrying lighted ‘torches, and headed by a brass band marched in a roundabout way to the scene of action. Cheers for the incoming class of 1900 were given at several points on the route. A large ring was made on ithe Grammar School lot and then rep- resentatives of the two classes were called out for the three matches, light weight, middle weight and heavy wieigihit. | The Freshmen won the contest de- feating their opponents by excellent work in all three matches. 'The light- weight was won by Bartlett, 1900, who defeated Parkes, ’99, the first and last rounds resulting in draws and tthe sec- ond being won by Bartlett in 1 min- ute 15 seconds. Simonds, 1900, won the middle weight match by defeat- ing Atkins, 99, in two straight bouts in 2:25 and 1:50 respectively. In the heavy weight class Beck, ’99, won the second round in 30 seconds, but was defeated in the other two by Jack, 1900, in the short times of 25 and 40 seconds. F. R. Lehibach, 97, acted as referee of the wrestling and S. K. Gerard, ’97, as timekeeper. The procession was formed again and returned to Osborn Hall where the crowd quickly dispersed. ‘T'wo groups, ‘however, of Freshmen and Sophomores, respectively, cherished desire for a “scrap” and formed on op- posite sides of Chapel street. Then they moved up towards York street and began a rush which lasted only afew minutes and resulted in no real trouble. The combatants were per- suaded to desist by some upper-class- men, who had followed the crowd. THE ‘‘SHEFF.” RUSH... The annual Scientific School rush took place on Saturday evening, Sept: 26, on a lot at the corner of Whitney avenue and Canner street. It ‘was rumored that on this occasion the “townies’” had intended to mob the students on account of the insulting manner in which the latter had treated Mr. W. J. Bryan a few days previous. ‘The students heard the rumor and both parties approached the scene of action ready for trouble if not actually desiring it. The police force had, however, anticipated trouble and sent a squad of policement to. preserve or- . der and no friction resulted. At half-past seven the Second Regi- ment band arrived at Sheffield Halli and the procession began, being led iby a large numiber of Seniors in fancy costumes. The line of march was down Grove to Temple street and out Temple and Whitney avenue to the vacant lot where the wrestling took place. When a circle had been tormed iby the seniors the wrestling began. ‘The featherweight match was won iby Gregory, 98 S., from Anderson, ’99 S., in two rounds. The middleweight match between Hamiin, ’98 S., and ‘Belle, ’°99 S., after three rounds re sulted in a tie. In the heavyweight match Slocovitch, ’98 S., defeated Fow- ler, 99 S., in two rounds. ‘The pro- cession then reformed and returned by Whitney avenue to Chapel street, thence by College street to Stheffield Hall. —————>o____—- All-America Amateur Baseball Nine. The following selection for an All- American amateur baseball nine for 1896 was made by Caspar Whitney in Harper's Weekly: Pitcher, Wilson, Princeton; catcher, Murphy, Yale: firstbase, Letton, Yale; secondbase, Rodman, Brown; thirdbase, Houghton, Harvard; shortstop, Ward, Princeton: left field, Greenway, Yale; center field, Bradley, Princeton; right field, Robin- son, Brown. Substitutes: Catcher, Dunne, Brown; pitcher, Paine, Har- vard; in-fielders, Fultz, Brown; out- fielders, Burgess, Harvard. It will be seen that Yale has three members of the team—Murphy as catcher, Letton at first, and Greenway in left field. Princeton also has three positions; Brown two, and two substitutes while Harvard one, and two substitutes.
