HOLWORTHY.
COLOR, - DARK BLUE.
F. R. Appleton, '75, str. H. H. Brown, '76.
E. C. Hall, '76. F. S. Gould, '75.
R. H. Dana, Law S. H. Denton, L. S. S., bow.
Paul Butler, '75, coxswain.
Time, 13.57.
Weld drew the inside position, Holworthy next, Holyoke third, and Matthews outside. Holworthy got the best start, but evidently no crew cared for a lead at first, and the four went up the course, each seeming to pull well within itself and so nearly even that from the shore it appeared that a straight line would have joined the rudders of all. A little farther on, and Weld and Holyoke had drawn slightly ahead, while Matthews and Holworthy remained each about half a length behind. The steady rowing was kept up till near the stake, when Matthews and Holyoke began to spurt desperately to gain the stake first. Holyoke, having the inside position of the two, succeeded in holding her position, and reached the stake first. Matthews cut in on Holyoke's course at the turn, and succeeded in avoiding a foul, but failed to obtain a lead. Weld and Holworthy reached their stake very nearly together, and Holworthy, in attempting to turn inside of Weld, was carried by the tide into the stake-boat, and a port oar and outrigger were caught under the anchor-line so firmly as to drag the stake-boat some distance and to cause a delay to Holworthy of twenty or thirty seconds. By this time Holyoke and Matthews had a long lead, and Weld was five or six lengths ahead of Holworthy. The race from this point was practically between Matthews and Holyoke. It was a splendid struggle, and during the last quarter a succession of tremendous spurts. Matthews was unable once to gain a lead, and seemed less together than her opponent, but still the race was very close, and a matter of doubt to the excited lookers-on, up to the very finish. But there was more left in one boat than in the other, and one more dashing spurt from Otis, every man in the crew well with him, left Matthews behind; and the friends on shore were hoarse with crying, "Holyoke wins!" Weld crossed the line fifteen seconds later with half a length of clear water between herself and Holworthy.
The time made by the winners was remarkable for barges and rather rough water. There was good rowing in all the boats, and very excellent steering, all which went to make the races decidedly successful and far superior to any class-crew racing we have ever had, though the unfortunate occurrence of a foul in the four-oared race must teach the coxswains greater care in future. That race should fairly have been rowed over again, between Holworthy and Holyoke; but the referee was unable to fix on a time, and so gave the decision he did.
Mr. Hooper of the Union Boat Club acted as referee; Mr. Weld and Mr. Silsbee as judges at the finish; Mr. Hastings, '75, as judge at the inner stake-boat; Mr. Parsons, '78, and Mr. Iasigi, '78, as judges at the outer stake-boat.