Dartmouth Crew of 1870 Ranked With Yale, Harvard Till Storm Ended Rowing

Few Dartmouth undergraduates of to-day realise that Dartmouth once had a crew, and that she ranked high in the class with Harvard, Yale and Cornell. Hundreds of Dartmouth men may have wondered why the Connecticut, flowing so near, has never given Dartmouth a place in the boating world, without realizing that Dartmouth made her mark in this direction and relinquished the sport only because of an untimely misfortune.

Dartmouth Boat Club, 1872

In the spring of 1872, an agitation arose over the formation of a boat club to advance Dartmouth interests. The college knew nothing of boating from a scientific standpoint, but a great deal of enthusiasm was aroused and the Dartmouth Boat Club was organized on September 19, 1872.

Contributions for the new project came willingly, and soon $3,000 had been raised for the erection of a boat-house, which was built on the shore of the river. Excellent shells were procured, and John Biglin, the old professional champion, came to train the crews.

As the sport gradually developed and interest increased, many candidates came out to compete for positions in the varsity shell. Class crews were organized and races rowed which frequently attracted the attention of the students and townspeople.

A Successful Crew

In the spring of 1873 the varsity crew made its initial appearance as a contestant for intercollegiate honors at Springfield, where nine of the leading colleges of the country competed in a race on the Connecticut. Dartmouth took fourth place. This unexpected result established the sport more firmly than ever, and excited meetings were held and delegates sent to the Springfield convention to assure a place for Dartmouth in the schedule for the next annual race. The crew went at once to Enfield, to practice on still water, and rapid progress was made in the development of the men.

When the spring of 1874 came, the crew was established at Saratoga in keen anticipation for the race. When the race was over, Dartmouth had finished fourth, 12 seconds behind Harvard, with Columbia and Wesleyan placing first and second in the order named.

Some of the daily papers carried stories after the race, remarking that was the Dartmouth crew, taken as a whole, was the strongest combination at Saratoga, and had it not been for the unfortunate quarreling among the crew and with the trainer, she would have taken a better place.

Dartmouth's most impressive showing in this field was at Saratoga the next year, in 1875. The crew spent a few weeks of the fall in strenuous training on the Connecticut and in Enfield Lake. Englehardt, of New York, assited in the coaching.

Dartmouth Heads Yale

In the spring the crew entrained for Saratoga again. The race was a magnificent one, with 13 crews competing for honors. Cornell won the race, and Columbia and Harvard finished second and third in the order named. Dartmouth finished fourth, but that meant that she had defeated Yale, who had the famous Cook at stroke that year, as well as finishing ahead of Wesleyan and the seven other crews competing.

This, unfortunately, proved to be Dartmouth's last intercollegiate contest Class regattas were, however held on the Connecticut that same spring, and the victorious crews drawn around the campus in coaches and feasted at the Junction. But the sport was doomed to a sudden and untimely end at this period when it was advancing so rapidly.

Storm Ends Crew Activities

On the night of January 20, 1877, a fierce storm arose, with a high wind that swept down the Connecticut valley and carried away the Club's boathouse and all its contents. The total loss was $2,000. This, coupled with the fact that boating had cost on the average $2,500 a year to the college, prevented the rebuilding of the house and the continuance of the sport.