Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1918 — RICE IS COACHING REAL CHINESE OARSMEN AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

RICE IS COACHING REAL CHINESE OARSMEN AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Wifi youxead that a Chinese eight-oared snell poked its nose across the fine at Poughkeepsie ahead of Cornell, or Syracuse, or Pennsylvania? Don't laugh. It’s a possibility. At Columbia university Jim Rice, the veteran coach of the Blue and White, Is not devoting ail his time to the Caucasians In training. Far from that he is inclined to give a little bit more of bis time to his Chinese oarsmen who are making the first Chinese crew in the history qf American aquatics. “These boys are light, compared to an American crew, tfut they have all the endurance of men bigger than.they are,” is Coach Rice’s explanation. “Then, too, that coxswain, little Lee, knows his business. I don’t always understand his shouts to his oarsmen, but they do, and they can sure hit up the pace when he gets going. “To tell the truth? I was inclined to be skeptical when they came to me and wanted to make a crew. But they were very much in earnest, and so I took them in charge. Now I am becoming enthusiastic over them. They obey all orders like true soldiers and are picking up the finer points of rowing with remarkable Speed. They’ll make good, mark me, br I never saw a crew in my life.” - , Little Lee, the coxswain, is one of Columbia’s leading wrestlers. Captain Kwong is a strong, well-built athlete and excels in the gymnasium. Every man in the bunch is a perfect specimen of Chinese manhood, and not one is a bit backward about entering into a regrftta against American crews. The Chinese crew at ColumlSia may not row at Poughkeepsie—that hasn’t been decided yet —but they will undoubtedly compete In several regattas around New York and, in New England. They want to test their mettle.