ROWING CLASSIC

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 77, 1 April 1933, Page 11

ROWING CLASSIC

HISTORY OF BOAT RACE

TODAY'S GREAT EVENT

No one has yet given a satisfactory reason for the deep-rooted popularity in the hearts of the British people of the Oxford-Cambridge, boat race. In all branches of sport it stands second only to the Derby. In all branches of amateur sport it stands easily first. The first race between these worldfamous Universities : . was held over a century ago. On February 20,1829, the committee of the one-or-two-year-old Cambridge University Boat Club met and resolved "that. Mr. Snow, of St. Johnfs, be requested to write immediately to Mr. Staniforth, Christ Church, Oxford, proposing to make up a University match." More formalities followed, and at length the date and place were fixed for the first of the world's greatest sporting events of today. Over 20,000 people flocked to Henley on the glorious afternoon of ■ June 10, 1829, to witness the contest. The crews were in uniform —Oxford in black straw hats, dark blue stripejl jerseys, and canvas trousers; Cambridge in white shirts \vith pink sashes and no specified leg apparel. They, rowed in enormous arks, and age and youth cheered ecstatically as they went down to Hambleden Lock for tho start.. They fouled each other soon after the race began, were restarted, and, with Oxford loading handsomely, passed the finishing post at Henley Bridge in 14min 30see. The whole valley rang with, terrific cheers. OCCASIONAL MATCHES. It is doubtful whether tho promoters of the first great contest at all contemplated long series of annual races, and for the next six years there were only occasional matches between the two college crews. In 1836, however, a race was arranged and actually rowed, although the two parties were still hagglingovbr its conditions within a week of the appointed day. It took place over what was then the championship course, from Westminster Bridge to Putney (about fivo and throe-quarter miles), and Cambridge won by one minute in thirty-six. Thby wero then wearing light blue for the first time. It was in 1843 that the never-to-be-forgotten race bctweon seven Oxford men and the Cambridge Subscription Boonifl' eight was rowed in tho final, of the Grand Challenge Cup at Honlcy regatta. Ono of the Oxford men fainted as ho stepped into the boat, and the rules prevented tho calling in of a substitute. Oxford won by nearly two longths, and the world "went mad." WON BY A rOUL. The Putney-Mortlake course was first used in 1845; in 1846 outriggers made their belated bow; in 1849, for tho first and only time, the raeo was rowed twice in one year, and for the first and only time was won (by Oxford) on a foul. In 1856 tho race was at last established as an annual event. By this timo tho contest had won something of tho extraordinary popularity with the general public that it has today, and it was tho habit of tho steamers to crowd ; past tho two boats as they waited for the start —with no little disturbance to tho oarsmen. In 1859, in fact, the steamers snrged round the Cambridge boat during and race and sank it with tlioir wash. -The race of 18G5 was considered remarkable because itvwas won by the crow that was "down" at Hammersmith Bridge—a thing that had happened only once before, iij a dim past; but since 1873, when sliding scats were used for the first time, victory has often gone to tho boat that was in arrears at Barnes, In 1877, Oxford's bow damaged his ofir when his crew whs loading just after Bnrne's Bridge and Cambridge crept up to make tho only (lend hent thnt there has ever boon in a race. Heroic spurts by F. I. Pitman for Cambridge in 1886, by Hnreourt Gold for Oxford just ten years Inter; by K. !">. Jlorsfnll for Oxford in 1013, nnd by P. 11. G. JT. S. Hartley for Cambridge in 1921, turned expected "defeats into victories. In 1914 Mr, S. M. Bruce, former Prime Minister of-Australia, and now Resident Minister in London for tho Commonwealth, coached Cambridge throughout, nnd brought them victory, nnd tlinn the war enmo, and oarsmen forgot their sport nnd gave it up in the sterner fight for their country. Out of a little over five hundred blues of all ages living on August 4, 1914, forty-two paid the great sacrifice, twenty-ono from each ¥niversity. Of the eighty-four races already rowed Cambridge havo won forty-three and Oxford forty. Perhaps today the scales of Fortune will weigh moro in Oxford's favour. It doesn't matter in the least. Hundreds of thousands of people will throng the river banks and enjoy a fleeting glance of eighteen yq,ung men passing by.

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