On the front page of this paper there is a story about a crew race. It tells how Harvard rowed a much better practice time than Yale on the Thames and it mentions the fact that the Crimson crew is heavily favored to beat the Yalles, because of its superiority in previous races.

In fact, except to drink a couple of cans of beer, you might get the impression that there is no point in going to this race, since Harvey Love's shell is such a favorite. Except for the fact that being entered in this race as a favorite is like playing the New York Yankees in the World Series. You don't always win.

There was the 1952 race, for instance. It was the fourth year that Louie McCagg had stroked a Harvard crew in the race, and never, going into the race, had he lost to Yale. As a matter of fact, before people saw Navy's crew that year they had plugged the Crimson as the shell to beat for the Olympics. The Yale crew hadn't won a race all year. And Ell coach Jim Rathschmidt had juggled his boating right up to the end.

But Yale led all the way to defeat the Crimson in the 100th anniversary of the race, the oldest intercollegiate athletic contest in the United States.

The year before it was the other way around. Yale--except for a loss to the visiting Cambridge crew--had an undefeated season, and had defeated the Crimson in the Eastern sprints. It was Jim Rathschmidt's first Ell shell, and it was the first time a Tom Bolles crew was an underdog. Right before the race they announced that Bolies--now athletic director, would retire as crew coach. But his last race was a good one.

Yale took the early lead. While the varsity stayed between 30 and 32, the Eli used power tons and took a three-quarter length lead at the halfway mark. But as the Elis passed the two mile mark they virtually lost the race. Number four oar Court Schmidt faltered--after having overexerted himself--and barely went through the motions the rest of the way. And the varsity eight beat a Yale seven by five lengths.

Almost the same thing had happened the year before when the varsity took a huge lead over the Elis, only to have George Gifford at seven weakened by cramps. But the Crimson had been able to hold off the Elis.

The 1949 Harvard crew was a great one. It had taken all opposition. Bill Leavitt, current freshman coach, was the cox, Bill Curwen stroked, Ollie Iselin, another former captain, rowed seven. The boat also included Frank Strong, Clarence Asp, Ted Reynolds, now 150 coach, Don Felt, now assistant athletic director, Mike Scully, and Ted Anderson.

It was a big crew, weiging in at an 183 average to Yale's 175. In time trials the Crimson had recorded a fast 19:42 to the Blue's 19:54. But this was the great Harvard crew, and few gave Yale much hope. Yale led all the way, holding off all Crimson spurts, including the final desperate one. When it was all over, both shells had broken the old upstream record. It was the first Yale victory since 1935 and it started a series of upsets that is still going.

They are all down at Red Top now. The race is on June 12. Harvard is the favorite.