THE SPORT OF ROWING Times Wide World Photo University of Washington Varsity Crew Poughkeepsie 1936 1936 Poughkeepsie Regatta The New York Times: On race day, “from shore to shore, the Hudson lay like a huge snake asleep. There was hardly a breath of breeze, and in spots the river shone like a mirror. “Drawn by the ideal conditions, one of the biggest crowds in recent years watched from the shore, from lumbering excursion steamers, from launches, yachts, motor boats and even a canoe or two. “The observation train, with six cars added to it by the late demand for tickets, rolled along the shore, and there must have been seventy thousand persons watching from every point of vantage that gave any view of any part of the course. “And they were well rewarded, all through the afternoon of racing. “On the porch of the Cal boathouse a small, scholarly appearing man wearing big, dark glasses looked over the rail and smiled. He was Ky Ebright, the coach who had sent some great California crews to the start. “Next door, underneath the newly- painted Washington sign over the boathouse door, a tall, broad-shouldered young man, wearing a white cloth cap, spat in the water and chewed on a piece of grass. Al Ulbrickson stroked four excellent Washington crews here before he came back as a coach. 2071 Ibid. “‘Going to be fast if she flattens out a little,’ he said.”2071 The low-stroking Washington Freshman and Jayvee boats trailed early, but came through to win their races by one and three lengths respectively. The varsity race was scheduled for early evening to avoid tidal currents which would make the wide course unfair for one side or the other. The New York Times: “Just below Krum Elbow, the seven stake boats, carefully lined up by surveyors, were set. Behind them, the referee’s boat idled, waiting for the men who were to play in this drama. “The late hour (it was almost 8 o’clock) brought the early shadow of night to the west bank on which the observation train lay. “The train reached the start and bumped to a stop there. Over on the east bank, a passenger train, bound importantly for the West, flashed by the dead sunlight, leaving a long trail of smoke behind. “The crews all went through the stake boats, turned around and drifted back to the starting point. Suddenly they were all stretched out across the river that had turned a deep-sea blue in the fading light. 570
