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About Yale Alumni Magazine | View Entire Issue (June 25, 1898)
Y AILE ALUMNI WH EEKLY Wednesday noon exceeded in size any seen at the races for many years. Cor- nell supporters were strongly in evi- dence early Wednesday morning and showed their confidence by taking any bets that could be had, even with the odds slightly against them. There was, as compared with former years, very little betting, the most of it by outside sports. so The unfortunate condition weather on Wednesday and consequent postponement of the race caused uni- versal disappointment, except to the residents of New London, who were nothing loath to entertain the crowd of visitors in the city. Until two o’clock that day the weather was fine, and the Observation train of 41. full cars, decked with many flags, pulled out from the station with every prospect of a perfect day for the race. The Cornell launch came out early, bringing her Crew and towing the shell. Soon the weather became threatening and a stiff breeze blew up the course. Cornell landed at the Harvard quarters and her shell was taken into Harvard’s boat- house while the men accepted Captain Perkins’s hospitality in the quarters. It was decided at half past two, on ac- count of the squalling outlook, to row the race at 3.15, but at 3 o clock the thunder storm which had been threaten- ing broke with great fury, and rain continued to fall in torrents for the rest of the day. The Observation train ticket-holders soon presented a sorry spectacle. The rough cars offered no protection except a loose canvas roof, and when the rain began to come down the high wind car- ried it underneath the coverings. The train remained at the starting point for some time, but was finally forced to carry back to shelter its load of soaked and disappointed occupants. A SECOND POSTPONEMENT. It was announced at 3.30 that the race would be rowed up stream at 7 o'clock. At half past six the crowds began to re- turn to the Observation train, present- ing a marked contrast to their appear- ance earlier in the day, but still en- thusiastic. All the available umbrellas and rubber garments had been bought up early, and now there appeared yel- low oilskins, tarpaulins, gaudy checked oilcloths and every other covering which could be found for keeping out the water. The rain had not ceased to fall, and when the hour for starting arrived it was found that the severe wind had blown several flag buoys out of position. A thick mist up stream would have made steering difficult, so the race was again postponed till 10 o'clock on Thursday morning. It de- veloped later that this hour was not a congenial one for the Crews, and 12.30 was set for the starting time, the race to be rowed down stream with the current barely turned. New London was taxed to the utmost to handle the crowd that wished to stay over night and several hundred were obliged to seek lodging in nearby towns. Thursday morning came _ in bright and warm with conditions ideal at 10 o'clock, but before noon the wind had swung into the southwest and was increasing in force rapidly. At 12 o'clock the Observation train got under headway, but there was a thinning of the ranks noticed, probably 400 seats being vacant, left by people who could not stay over for one reason or another. The approach of Cornell and Har- vard, within a few minutes of each other, was the signal for a great wel- come. Yale came in sight five minutes later and all got on the-line without delay. twelve the start was made. Yale got a beautiful three-stroke and jumped to the lead with Cornell close on her, Har- vard in the rear. For the first half no better fight for the front place was ever seen, but it was Cornell’s at the half by 10 feet and Yale’s leading was done. From here to the Navy Yard Yale was encouraged by her supporters on the train with deafening roars of encourage- ment, but she steadily dropped behind, though rowing a powerful and appar- ently easy stroke. The machine-like precision of Cornell was not to be over- come and she continued to increase her lead without much effort. Everyone looked to see Yale come up fast on the last mile, but it was not in her and the triumphant Ithacans crossed the finish about four leneths ahead of Yale and twelve lengths ahead of the Crimson. They finished fresh, and turning, took of the: At thirty-eight minutes past: their course to their quarters at a fast clip. Both Yale and Harvard finished comparatively strong. DETAILED STORY OF THE RACE. The drawings for positions on Wed- nesday resulted in the West course, the one next to the Observation train, falling to Cornell, while Harvard took the East side, with Yale in the middle. On Thursday, at the hour set for the start, 12.30 P. M., the conditions were not as favorable as in the morning, the wind having hauled around, from a gentle breeze down stream to an eight or ten-mile blow from the Southwest, almost across the river. This gave Cor- nell a slight advantage, as she was somewhat sheltered from the gusts. Cornell was first on the line at 12.25, followed by Harvard .a few minutes later. At 12.35 Yale was ready and the pistol shot came at 12.37.50. Yale got the best start of the three boats and at once took the lead, settling down to a stroke of 34 to the minute. Cornell was pulling 35 and Harvard 35. Fifteen strokes from the stake-boat, Harvard, in some unaccountable manner, had fallen a length to the rear of the leader, and continued to drop back from here steadily, though proportionately very much slower. Between the other two an exciting struggle was going on for first place. For two-thirds of the dis- tance to the first flags Cornell’s prow hung even with No. 3 in the Yale boat, the efforts to push it further along be- ing unavailing. It soon became evidertt, however, that Yale could not hold her lead, for foot by foot it was reduced by the Ithacans, rowing a slightly quicker stroke, till at the half the conditions between them had been reversed, Cor- nell crossing one second ahead, which is equivalent to about 15 feet. The order and times were: Cornell, “223; Yale, 2.44; Harvard, 2,48. From the half to the mile flag Cor- nell, keeping the stroke at 35, opened a space of a hali-length between her shell and Yale’s, while Harvard with a 33 swing brought up the rear two lengths from Yale’s stern. At this point Yale was rowing well within herself at 32 to the minute and the boat was traveling fast and smoothly. As an exhibition of clean blade and body work it was superb, but the re- sistless dash and spirit of the leaders was lacking. Harvard had given signs of going to pieces in the second half, but steadied down and began to row the English stroke as Englishmen might row it. The mile flags were passed in the following order and times: Cornell, 5.39; Yale, 5.45; Harvard, 5.54. AT THE MILE. When the mile was passed Coxswain Walton called on his men for a spurt and the quick response was a 34 stroke for the space of a minute and a half, which cut the Cornell lead of two lengths to less than a length, and the nose of the Blue’s boat lapped the Cornellian’s. It was too hard a strain for Captain Whitney’s Crew and the pace fell off to 32 again, Cornell at once creeping away with a stroke two points or so higher. Harvard was struggling valiantly five lengths behind. The times at the mile and a half show the gain Yale made in her spurt: Cor- nell, 8.41; Yale, 8.45;° Harvard,” 0.01. The brisk breeze began to make itself felt in the disturbed condition of the surface and when the boats neared . the Navy Yard, where the flag is stationed which marks the two miles, Yale’s strong Crew was looked to for better speed than her rivals. The only difference noticed, however, was a great falling off in Harvard’s watermanship. Bow and No. 6 were the only men on the port side of that boat who came anywhere near catching with No. 8, and the starboard oars were in one, two, three order for 45 seconds. The times at the two miles were: Cornell, 11.37; Yale, 11.45; Harvard, 12.02. For the next half mile the three crews spread apart still further, Yale hanging on doggedly and reserving herself for the final mile. The two and one half flag was passed in the following times: Cornell, 14.43; Yale, 14.55; Harvard, 15.15. At the three miles flag, Yale had increased her lead over the Crim- son to almost seven lengths and she herself was three lengths from the leaders, who preserved their stroke of 34 to the minute. The times were: Goel, 17.44; Yale,17.59; Harvard, 18.28. Right at this point Yale put the stroke to 34 and made a gallant effort to be in at the finish. But Cornell was watching and Mr. Briggs made it two points higher. Even at this Yale crept slowly up till only two lengths separated the flying boats. The race was in great danger, but not yet lost and Yale men looked for the last half. At the three and one half mark the times caught were: Cornell, 20.32; Yale, 20.42; Har- vard, 21.12. Harvard’s stroke went to 36 after the flag dropped astern, but Cornell and Yale maintained their pace steadily and continued to draw away from her. Cornell crossed the finish line a win- ner, rowing a long, swinging stroke of 34; Yale followed at 32 and Harvard raced over the line in good form, at 35. The official times at the finish were: Cornell, 23.48; Yale, 24.02; Harvard, 24.35. In lengths,. figured acording to time and wind, Cornell led Yale by about four lengths, and Harvard by about thirteen lengths. —_—_++e—___ Fhe Freshman Victory. The Freshman race was one of the closest in the history of college boat racing. A strong wind was blowing directly against the crews, making fast time impossible. The race was scheduled for three o'clock and shortly before that time the Observation train took its above Harrison’s Landing. *At three o’clock the water was very rough and the announcement was made from the referee’s boat that the race had been postponed until four o’clock. At that hour it was again necessary to postpone it for a half hour on account of the wind, and when the crews were ready for the start, the race was again delayed, as several excursion boats had drifted into the course. At 5.03 the race started with Harvard on the West or outside course, Cornell in the middle, and Yale on the East course. Harvard caught the water first, and shot ahead, but Cornell gained the lead before the boats had gone a hun- dred yards, with Yale almost even with her. Harvard’s starboard was splash- ing somewhat, but the men were rowing a powerful stroke. Yale was using the same stroke as that rowed by the Uni- versity Crew, but it was more snappy though ragged on the catch. © The Cornell men showed fine form, their stroke being almost as smooth and graceful as the University, yet showing much power. Cornell passed the half mile mark in the lead,-with Harvard a quarter of a length behind and Yale third:: Time “2:46, 2.47 ‘arid 2.50." Yale and Cornell were rowing 36 strokes to the minute while Harvard held on with 32. At the mile all three crews were about even, Cornell being possibly a few feet in the lead. Time not taken - exactly, but about 5.42. | During the next half mile Cornell position . spurted and drew away a little from Harvard, but the Yale boat could not be shaken off, and the mile and a hali mark was passed with the crews in the above order, all rowing 32 strokes to the minute. Yale was gaining on Cornell, whose men seemed to be weakening and took the lead just after the mile and a half mark was passed. The time was fast here, being 8.08; 8.10 and 8.11_respec- tively, 33 seconds faster than Cornell's University Eight for the same distance. Harvard at this point made a fre- markable spurt, and slowly lessened the distance between the Cornell boat and her own. At an eighth of a mile from the finish Yale was leading, with Har- vard second and slowly gaining. Here all three crews began their final spurt, and the Yale shell jumped forward, coming over the line one-third of 4 length in front of Harvard, who in turn was lapping Cornell to No. 7. The official time was: Yale 11 minutes 22% seconds; Harvard, 11 minutes 23% seconds, and Cornell 11 minutes 26% seconds. The Freshman victory was a glorious one, and was won by their greater dash and pluck rather than by watermanship or clean work. The course steered by Neal could not be improved upon, and every man in the boat rowed in ex- cellent form. Cameron drove his crew beautifully and rowed his position ex- ceptionally well, and Atkinson, who has been in the boat only a few days, rowed as if he was thoroughly accustomed to the place. The Crew has been under the entire supervision of J. O. Rodgers, ’98. The officials of the races were: Referee—Meikleham, Columbia. Judges on referee's boat—R. C. Leh- mann, Harvard; Walter Camp of Yale; B. I Wheeler, Cornell. Timekeepers—J. J. Storrow, Harvard; _GwH. Adee, Yale; C.S. Francis, Cornell. Judges at finish—Perkins, Harvard; R. Schweppe, Yale; Howland, Cornell. y™ MR. D. STUART DODGR'S WORK. Vote Adopted by the Graduate Advi- sory Commiittce of the Y. Wf. C. A. In view of the withdrawal of Mr. D. Stuart Dodge, ’57, from the Graduate Advisory Committee of the Yale Young Men’s Christian Association, the follow- ing minute was unanimously adopted by the Committee at its regular meeting held in Dwight Hall, New Haven, Conn., on June 14th, 1808: “Mr. D. Stuart Dodge became con- nécted with the Committee soon after its appointment and was at once elected its first Treasurer. In discharging the duties of this office, he has been most faithfuland most generous. His practi- cal brotherly sympathy and counsel have been one of the most essential factors in promoting both the efficiency of the Committee and the development of the work of the Yale Young Men’s [Continued on rth page.] YALE FRESHMAN; TIME 11:22 8-5. Gillett. Atkinson. Brown (Capt.) Keppelman. Wheeler. Ireland. Oleutt. Waterman. Stillman. Neal (Cox. | Auchincloss. Patterson. Newport. Cameron.
