THE LONG ECLIPSE OF AMERICAN ROWING of the river, and from the time of this trifling incident the shell of the Westerners was never in its proper water, but well to the right of it.”4855 Wisconsin coxswain Joseph G. Dillon: “Just as we were passing the big bridge, I noticed a large berry crate floating right ahead of us, hard on our port bow. In a few seconds we would have struck it, and in order to escape from a disastrous collision, I veered sharply toward the shore, going so far out of our course that I realized that if I were to attempt to get back again the movement would probably cost us the half length that we were then in the lead of Pennsylvania, and looking down among the small boats [outside] of the course and seeing what I thought was a chance to pass them and reach the finish line, I resolved to keep the shell as she was then headed and take the chance.”4856 The New York Times: “It was just at this point, too, that the Pennsylvania boys put themselves into a good position for the final struggle. Either because of weariness on the part of the Ithacans or by reason of a heart-breaking spurt on the part of the Quakers, the latter managed to get a lead of a good half length over the Cornell lads. From that point on, Courtney’s pets were as much out of the game as were the Columbians. All hope of the honor of victory was gone, and there remained for them only the chance of saving the money that had been bet on them to beat Columbia. There was little heart in their work, and they did not like the sound of the Pennsylvania cheers and yells that came ringing across the water in their ears. “Columbia’s yells had died away a mile further up the river. Cornell’s were silenced at this point near to the big bridge which 4855 Pennsylvania Wins in Poughkeepsie, The New York Times, June 28, 1899 4856 Qtd by Taylor, p. 38 marked the beginning of the [fourth] and last mile of the race. “For the quarter of a mile immediately before reaching the bridge and a quarter after passing it, Pennsylvania’s crew rowed as it never has rowed before. They were desperate at the way in which the despised Wisconsin boys held on and answered spurt after spurt and held their lead doggedly and persistently. Shake them off they could not. To catch them was a task apparently impossible. But the Pennsylvanias kept at it, and from that half mile they and the Wisconsin boys rowed like madmen, though each crew managed to keep its form and steadiness. “Pennsylvania was well over to the east of the course, where there was all the benefit possibly to be got from the tide, while the Wisconsins were pulling away in dead water, and their coxswain had either lost control of the boat or of his head, for he kept running the shell in toward the west shore. “The officials on the referee’s boat shouted at him and did everything possible to prevent him from making the grandest race ever rowed the fiasco that it turned out to be – fiasco not because the Wisconsin did not do their best, but because they threw away a victory they had almost won. “Everybody but the unlucky coxswain could see just what was going to happen, and just what did happen by his getting out of his course. The sympathy of the crowd was plainly with the Westerners who had come here without any bluster and had shown themselves to be oarsmen of the very best type. “Even as the shells of the first two crews reached the very last half-mile mark, the Wisconsins still had a half length to the best of it, and but for the erratic course followed by their coxswain would in all probability would have taken back with them to Wisconsin the trophy and the honors of beating a splendid lot of oarsmen, probably the very best in the East. 1355
