MIT's freshman crew hasn't given up Twice defeated in close races by the Crimson, it will try again at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon on the Charles. Navy, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania are also in the regatta.
Competitions will be stiff from at least three of the entries. Tech has already shown that it can make the Crimson row hard for its shirts. Last week the Engineers finished a slim half length behind the Harvard boat.
Penn, which habitually produces good crews, beat Yale in its season opener on the Schuylkill River on a Henley (one and five-sixteenths miles) course. Eight days ago at Columbia they also won a mile and a half race by a small margin on the Harlem River.
Scanty information about Navy indicates that the Middles will have a worthy eight in action. Columbia appears the least dangerous threat of the four opponents. Both the Lions and Pennsylvanians recorded fast times in their last race but they had the tide with them.
The shells will start as usual at the Charles Street (subway) Bridge and stroke a mile and three quarters to the MIT boat house near the Cottage Farm Bridge. The additional distance on the Charles River course may prove an advantage to both Tech and the Crimson.
Slow Stroke, Fast Run
Harvard rowed a competent and relaxed race against MIT and BU last week. Its stroke never went above a 36 and was an easy 31 for the bulk of the race. Still, the freshmen's time was 9.4, which compares favorably with the varsity's 8:59.6. Hence the novice oarsmen's performance could be even better if they are pressured into quickening their boat.
To improve its time, however, the crew must have a repetition of last week's perfect rowing weather.
Freshman crew coach Harvey Love, obviously pleased with results, will stick by the lineup used again MIT and BU.
Louis McCagg will be at stroke, George Gifford at number seven oar, Jim Slocum at six, Steven Hedberg at five, Clem Despard at four, Bill Bliss at three, Doug Fletcher at two, and Bob Webb in the bow. The coxswain is Warren Clark.
Competitive sailing, as far as Harvard is concerned, reaches its grand climax this weekend in New London. The two Crimson boats, which came in second last Saturday in the eliminations, sail in the New England Championship regatta.
Mike Post and "Commodore" Pete Putnam will be the skippers in the event which is a preliminary to the National Championship Races to be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, early in the summer
