The Columbia Crew

The members of the Columbia crew have at last been selected. Early last November the candidates for the honor of a seat in the 'varsity eight, about twenty in number, were taken in hand and put at work in the gymnasium attached to the Columbia Grammar School. They were kept busy working at the rowing machines, chest and back weights and dumbbells. Five men soon dropped out, and the remaining fifteen men were put in boats under the coaching of R. C. Cornell, '74, of the crews of '73 and '74, and who coached the crew that went to England; Latham G. Reed, who was in Columbia in the class of '76, and afterward was graduated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, when he acted as coach to the Cambridge crew; and A. B. Simonds, '73, an old oarsman and one of the university crew of that year.

The following table gives the age, height and weight of the men:

Name. Age. H't. Wt.

Simonds, bow, 18 5 8 145

Richards, No. 2, 19 5 7 155

Hart, No. 3. 20 5 7 1-4 153

Birkens, No. 21 5 10 1-2 160

Donnelly, No. 5, 20 5 10 1-2 172

Lawrence, No. 6, 19 5 9 1-2 170

Beckwith, No. 7, 21 5 8 1-2 166

Meikleham, stroke, 19 5 9 1-2 164

Average, 19 5-8 5 8 3 4 164 3-8

All who have been chosen have before represented Columbia on the water. Simonds, Richards and Donnelly rowed in last year's freshman crew, while Hart, Birkens, Lawrence and Meikleham were on the 'varsity crew.

Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting a suitable stroke for the crew. W. B. Peet, last year's stroke was at first tried, but since last season some of the men have grown considerably and have a much longer reach than then, and it was decided that while Peet had all the other qualifications of a first-class stroke, the interests of the college would be best served by putting a man in who could set a longer stroke. B. Lockwood, Jr., one of the most useful members of 1 st year's crew, was next tried in that position, but last week he decided, on the advice of his physician, that it would be impossible for him to get himself in proper condition, so he concluded not to row this year, and the crew looses one of its strongest men. Last week it was decided to put Meikleham in as stroke, and since that time he has held that position with great satisfactin.

The crew is a little rough as yet, and has not yet acquired the staying power necessary for a four mile race. Birkins only joined the crew a week ago, and Richards has been in training for the Mott Haven sport.

After the race on Saturday the probabilities are that the men will be taken at once to New london, where, under the guidance of Jasper Goodwin, they will be got into proper shape for the race. The work then will be hard, the four-mile course having to be covered at least twice a day, besides the running, walking and indoor work. There will be no system of diet, the men being given as much as they want of plain, substantial food. The stroke rowed by the Columbias is long and steady, with a sharp, wuick recovery, which will send their boat through the water at a high rate of speed. The average weight is fully eight pounds heavier last year's crew.