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0August, 1926
A Memorable Freshman Race
                      By L. W. BRIDGMAN, 'o6
JACING crews of the present meet
     many difficulties in conditioning
for the crucial day on the Hudson.
There is evidence annually that Wiscon-
sin must overcome serious obstacles in
training for the supreme test of the year.
The history of rowing at Wisconsin is a
story of grinding work, for nine long
months, to meet the challenge of the
nation's most powerful oarsmen    at
Poughkeepsie.
  In former years, as now, there were
Cardinal crews which faced and upheld
the highest traditions of rowing at Wis-
consin. It is about one of these that we
write. "Andy" O'Dea, "Pat's" brother,
was the veteran crew coach in that
period. He is reputed never to have got
less than a second or a third at Pough-
keepsie.
  The recent class reunions on the
campus centered attention on. the i9o6
class crew which, on June 26, 1903, in
competition with one of "Old Man"
Courtney's most powerful eights and
with Syracuse, about equally strong,
raced the fastest two miles down stream
that has ever been timed on the Hudson.
Never before nor since was ,its record for
this distance equalled.
  These freshman oarsmen were as fol-
lows: George S. Cortelyou, bow; Wil-
liam M. Conway, 2; Hugo A. Kuehm-
sted, 3; Guy M. Johnson, 4;ý Ralph D.
Hetzel, 5; T. E.jVan Meter, 6; B. B.
Burling, 7; F. Ellis Johnson, stroke;
Walter Harry NcNaily, coxwain; Max
Bodenbach and Frank A. Kennedy,
subs.
  In this famous race Cornell finished
first, Syracuse second, and Wisconsin
third, with only a length separating
Wisconsin from the leaders. The other
crews, Columbia and    Pennsylvania,
trailed far in the rear.
  How was it done? It might better be
asked: How could Wisconsin have done
it as they did-with a borrowed shell to
take the place of a boat disabled just
before the race?
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