THE SPORT OF ROWING All that now stood between the Bears and the Gold Medal was Great Britain, their opponent in the final. The Final Associated Press: “A crowd of perhaps 10,000 lining the picturesque Sloten Banks anticipated the biggest thrill in the eight- oared final, pitting the youthful Yankee crew from the Golden West against the sea- soned British array, and they weren’t disap- pointed.”1885 T. Gary Rogers Rowing Center: “England, as represented by the Thames Rowing Club, met California in the final on August 10; a seasoned, veteran British crew1886 against a rather youthful group of American collegians.”1887 The New York Times: “Those few who saw the race from the press autobus that kept even with the shells from the start, got a succession of thrills that left them trembling with excitement at the finish, for few such races ever have been seen, such merciless driving when every man gave his last ounce of strength. “Prior to the race the Americans were inclined to underrate their opponents, de- spite the fact that the Britons were the favor- ite in the betting. “Coach Ebright, whose first name is Carroll, but who refuses to answer to it, kept dinning in their ears ever since they won from the Canadians that the Britishers would be hard to beat. “He certainly had reasons for his belief, for this same British Eight had won the Grand Challenge Cup twice in the Henley 1885 California Lauds Coach, Associated Press, August 10, 1928 1886 For the British view of the racing, see Chap- ters 24 and 25. 1887 Framed history of Cal Rowing, T. Gary Rog- ers Rowing Center regatta, and among its oarsmen had such individual stars as Jack Beresford,1888 four times winner of the Diamond Sculls, and Guy Nickalls, [Jr.]1889 who has rowed seven times for the Grand Challenge Cup. The same crew had rowed within five seconds of the Henley record. “However, as Ebright is known as a confirmed pessimist, the California youths did not take him too seriously until after the starting gun of the race. “The shells were so even over the entire course of 2,000 meters that the bow of one was never more than a few yards ahead of the other. The radio announcer in the first car was so gripped by the spectacle that he forgot to send the news to the crowd at the finish of how the race progressed.”1890 Associated Press: “Except for the first 100 meters, when the British got a slight jump, the Californians led all the way, but at no stage was their margin quite a full length, nor at any time, except in the last furlong, was the result an apparent certainty. “At 250 meters, the prows were level, with both eights hitting a high beat. At 500, the Californians were a quarter of a length ahead, and the margin was slightly more than this at 1,000 meters, the halfway point. “At 1,500 the Golden Bears led by one length.”1891 The New York Times: “During the last 500 meters, when England gained momen- tarily, everyone’s nerves were so on edge that it seemed something must break. Every second we looked for one crew or the other to collapse, but both swept on with the same magnificent precision that made them wor- 1888 See Chapter 25. 1889 Gully. See Chapter 24. 1890 Wythe Williams, California’s Eight Wins Olympic Title in a Stirring Race, The New York Times, August 11, 1928 1891 California Lauds Coach, Associated Press, August 10, 1928 506
