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The Boat Race 1877

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34th Boat Race
A depiction of the finish of the 1877 University Boat Race
Date24 March 1877 (1877-03-24)
WinnerNo winner
Margin of victoryDead heat
Winning time24 minutes 8 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		16–17
UmpireJoseph William Chitty
← 1876 1878 →

The 34th Boat Race, an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames, took place on 24 March 1877 and was a dead heat, the first and only time the event has ended in such a fashion. Despite the formal declaration of a tie, Oxford believed that they were the victors. The controversy surrounding the result led to significant changes to the way in which the race was conducted including the introduction of finishing posts and former Blues as umpires.

Background

Joseph William Chitty umpired the race.

The Boat Race is an annual rowing eight competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. First held in 1829, the competition is a 4.2-mile (6.8 km) race along The Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London. The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities and followed throughout the United Kingdom and worldwide.[1] Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having beaten Oxford "easily" in the previous year's race. However Oxford held the overall lead, with 17 victories to Oxford's 16.[2]

Cambridge had practiced at Putney a fortnight before the race and were initially the bookmaker's clear favourites.[2] Oxford's practice rows a week later impressed and brought them back into contention.[2] The umpire for the race was the former Oxford Blue Joseph William Chitty, who was assisted by "Honest" John Phelps who acted as the finishing judge.[3] Phelps, a professional waterman, was over 70 years old and reportedly blind in one eye.[4]

Crews

Charles Gurdon rowed at number six for Cambridge.

The Cambridge crew featured seven former Blues, including the cox, while Oxford saw four Blues return.[5] The Oxford rowers weighed an average of 3 pounds (1.4 kg) per man more than their opponents.[2]

Seat Oxford
Cambridge
File:University of Cambridge coat of arms official.svg
Name College Weight Name College Weight
Bow D. J. Cowles St John's 11 st 2.5 lb R. G. Hoskyns Jesus 10 st 11 lb
2 J. M. Boustead University 12 st 8 lb T. W. Lewis Gonville & Caius 11 st 9 lb
3 H. Pelham Magdalen 12 st 7 lb J. C. Fenn 1st Trinity 11 st 7 lb
4 W. H. Grenfell Balliol 12 st 10 lb W. B. Close 1st Trinity 11 st 9.5 lb
5 H. J. Stayner St John's 12 st 3.75 lb L. G. Pike Gonville & Caius 12 st 8 lb
6 Hon. A. J. Mullholland Balliol 12 st 5.75 lb C. Gurdon Jesus 12 st 13 lb
7 T. C. Edwards-Moss (P) Brasenose 12 st 1 lb T. E. Hockin Jesus 12 st 11 lb
Stroke H. P. Marriott Brasenose 11 st 13 lb C. D. Shafto Jesus 12 st 0 lb
Cox F. M. Beaumont New College 6 st 6.5 lb G. L. Davis Clare 7 st 2 lb
Source:[5][6]

Race

The race commenced on Saturday 24 March 1877 at 8.27am. Oxford had won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station.[5] They were ahead at the Mile Post, but by the Crab Tree pub, the crews were level.[6] Cambridge pulled ahead and held a quarter-of-a-length lead by Hammersmith Bridge which they extended until the crews arrived at Chiswick Reach where Oxford re-took the lead.[7] At Chiswick Steps the Dark Blues were leading by half-a-length, and by Barnes Bridge they were clear.[7] Experiencing strong head winds and rough water, Cowles, the Oxford bow man, suffered serious damage to his oar, nullifying his contribution to the race. Described by an Oxford undergraduate watching the race: "suddenly Oxford staggered and stood still in a mass of foam: the bow-oar, Cowles, had struck the top of a big wave in feathering and broken his blade clean off."[8] Almost immediately, Cambridge took the advantage, but were held off by a determined Oxford crew who "spurted magnificently and drew up steadily inch by inch, so that it was a near thing as they passed the post".[7]

Reaction

The finishing posts, "U.B.R." representing "University Boat Race"

In the Official Centenary History it was noted that "it is too perhaps too much to expect, even from the stoical discipline of old Blues, a unanimous acquiescence in a verdict of "dead-heat," for no conclusion could be more unsatisfactory to the competitors themselves."[7] Oxford firmly believed that they had won the race by feet, but following a subsequent meeting in a law court with representatives of both universities and Umpire Chitty, the official result was declared as "Dead Heat".[9]

Punch declared "Oxford won, Cambridge too."[10]

Legacy

This was the last year that the result was judged by a professional waterman and the controversy resulted in the introduction of the finishing posts.[11] They remain, as of 2014, 113 metres (371 ft) downstream of Chiswick Bridge and are engraved with "UBR" for University Boat Race.[12] The controversy also led to the selection of a former Blue as the umpire, selected by one university from a shortlist drawn up from the other, and alternating each year.[13]

Phelps himself was replaced as finishing judge by E. H. Fairre.[14] Phelps died on 5 December 1890.[15] His great-great-great-great-nephew Richard Phelps umpired the 2014 race which also ended controversially: Cambridge lost five strokes after a clash of oars, Oxford won by 11 lengths (the biggest margin for more than 40 years) and Phelps declined an appeal from the Light Blues for a re-row.[11][16]

References

Notes

  1. ^ "Former Winnipegger in winning Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race crew". CBC News. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sport in England – The University Boat-Race". The Sydney Mail. 9 June 1877. p. 13.
  3. ^ Dodd, p.140.
  4. ^ "Perfection from Torvill and Dean". ESPN. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Dodd, p. 302.
  6. ^ a b Drinkwater, p. 71
  7. ^ a b c d Drinkwater, p. 72
  8. ^ Drinkwater, pp. 71–72
  9. ^ "Classic moments – the 1877 dead heat". The Boat Race Company. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  10. ^ Dodd, p. 141.
  11. ^ a b "Honest John and the Boat Race legacy". The Daily Telegraph. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  12. ^ Winn, Christopher (4 November 2010). I Never Knew That About the River Thames. Ebury Press. p. 168. ISBN 978-0091933579.
  13. ^ Edworthy, Sarah (25 March 2001). "The Boat Race: Umpire strikes back after controversial restart decision". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  14. ^ Dodd, p. 147
  15. ^ "The New York Clipper 1893 annual". New York Clipper. The Frank Queen Publishing Company (Limited). 1893. p. 23.
  16. ^ "Boat Race – Oxford ease to comfortable victory". ITV. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.

Bibliography

  • Dodd, Christopher (1983). The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. Stanley Paul. ISBN 0091513405.
  • Drinkwater, G. C.; Sanders, T. R. B. (1929). The University Boat Race – Official Centenary History. Cassell & Company, Ltd.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Boat_Race_1877&oldid=633228616"