The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-27
ELLIS WARD.

Active training has already begun, though
none Of tho crews has yet been definitely
chosen.
The University of Pennsylvania has en-
gagged Ellis Ward as trainer and coach,
and he has begun the work OF preparing
the crew for tho contest, with the hope OF
making the blue and the red the winning
colors In the regatta Tho rowing com
mittee was over four months in selecting
a man to coach the crew and at last set.
tied upon Mr. Ward.
This indecision OF the committee was
brought about in great measure by tho
controversy that existed between tho ath.
letio association and college boat club,
which, briefly stated was 20 this effect:
For tho last few years tho athletic associa-
tion has practically been In charge of row.
ing matters at Pennsylvania, and the
members of the boat club were inclined TO
think that che association authorities were
not advancing the cause Of the Quaker in
stitution on the water to such an advan-
tage as when Pennsylvania aquatics were
under the direction Of that club. In view
of this they made fight for representation
on the rowing committee, and, succeeding
In their efforts, have ever since been adyo-
eating the engagement OF Ward.
There was also strong opposition to
Ward because of his desertion of Pennsyl-
vania In 1891, when he went TO the Man
haitian Athletic club, taking with him the
entire Quaker crew. This antipathy seems,
however, To have been overcome. Ward
was engaged, and everything is apparently
peaceful among the athletes and oarsmen
at the university in the city of Brotherly
Love.
1t was tho purpose of the rowing COM
mittee Of Pennsylvania to select Yale
man as coach had one been available, as
they were desirous of securing an expo
nent OF the Cook stroke.
Ward claims to have q stroke very simi-
lar to the one taught by Cook His stroke
Is somewhat faster than the one PeEnsyl-
vania crews have been rowing for the past
two years, but Is not essentially different,
and 1t is believed that the old men who are
candidates for the varsity will fall right
into his method.
ELLIS Ward is one Of the best known oars
men In the world today His record is an
excellent one. He was stroke of the once
famous Ward brotheyS' crew, of which five
were brothers, the sixth mcmber being
man Of the name Of Graham. This crew
uttdlllcu lnttEildtlODdl repulhllOu, Qolcul-
ing almost every crew with which it
rowed. His work with Pennsylvania crews
has been very successful He coached the
red and blue crews from 1879 TO 1891, with
one exception-1SS7. During the time
Pennsylvania crews were under his In
struction they won 46 races, being second
In IA, and six times broke all previous
records. or the IA times that Pennsyl-
vania rowed second she forced the victors
to lower the record each time. OF his later
successes last years record of the Bohemi-
an Rowing club Is considered remarkable.
This crew won eight straight victories, tho
browning one being at Saratoga in tho ma
tional regatta.
Cornell has re-engaged its old and tried
coach and trainer, Charles Courtney, and
the work of preparation for the four COR
nered aquatic contest has begun in real
earnest.
Columbia, which has the material for n
splendid crew, is also in active training
for the event, in which the oarsmen of tho
New York university feel confident OF win
ming the trophy.
The Harvard crew, under Trainer Wat
sons tutelage, has got TO work in tho tank,
and the men show up finely. The person
mel of the team will probably be as fol-
lows: Stroke, Hollister; :, Jennings; @,
Sprague; b, Perkins; 4, Stevenson; 8,