Columbia-Cornell Freshman Race.

Today the racing season on the Thames at New London will open with the race between the Cornell and Columbia freshmen. This race is interesting for several reasons.

In the first place it will give the Harvard and Yale freshmen a good opportunity to size up the Columbia boys as they go into the triangular race a week later and there is no danger but that the Columbia men will row their best and try to win, as they are plucky and have eight days in which to recuperate. In the second place Columbia has no 'varsity eight and all the rowing talent in the college has been at work on these men. On the other hand, the Cornell men have probably the fastest freshman eight at New London this year, and from inside sources the story comes that they have beaten the two mile freshman record in a time row since they came to New London. They also stand in contrast to all the other crews this year, from the fact that they are to row by a professional oarsmen, Charles Courtnay. A great many college oarsmen look down on professionals as teachers of crew rowing, but Courtnay has from a comparatively small college sent out at least one crew in the last four years that could make Harvard or Yale work as they never did before to win. He is a noted specialist in the art at rigging a shell, a point in which most amateur coaches are deficient. If Columbia wins this race her chances with Harvard and Yale will be materially increased, for the the experience of a race and the spur of victory are very great aids.

The Cornell freshman average 5 ft. 10 in. in height and 156 lbs. in weight; the Columbia freshman average 5 ft. 10 1-2 in. in height and 151 lbs. in weight.