The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-02
READY FOR ROWING.
High School Athletes
Will Start on the
Machine.
CONTEST IN CHOICE OF COACH.
Grew Officials Want Kerns
and Some Directors
Want Ten Eyck.
CONTEST IN CHOICE OF COACH.

Now that the foot ball season is over
for Worcester high school students, the
next branch of athletics in which they
will be interested is rowing. The can
didates for positions on the crew will
be called out this month by Capt. w.
K. Weyer This official plans to make
the beginning Dec. Is, which is several
weeks ahead of the opening of any other
year The principal reason for the I'M
usually early start is the lack of ma
terial at the school. There is a scarcity
Of big fellows who are desirable as can
didates for the crew, as beef is one of
the most desirable requisites. There will
he sufficiency of candidates for places
but with few exceptions all are COM
paratively light lads and Capt. Weyer
thinks it a wise plan to work them as
long as possible to make up in science
and team work what the crew will lack
in weight
Before the start is made, however,
there is a strong probability of a warm
contest on the selection of coach. The
selection may be settled at the next
meeting of the directors of the Wor-
cester High School Athletic association.
The rules of the association allow the
captain and manager of the crew to
name the coach, and the contract with
him regarding the money he is to re-
ceive for the work must be approved
by the directors before the coach can
be installed into the work.
The officials of the crew are in favor
of Edward j. Kerns and have secured
terms from him. But their choice is not
pleasing to the entire board. There are
members of the board who are heartily
in favor of James A Ten Eyck for the
position of coach. In the board there are
rumors of a fight over the selection of
coach to be waged at the next meeting.
When the contention was first heard
it didn't give evidence of being serious
but in the last few days the spirit of
opposition to the selection of Mr.. Kerns
and in favor of Mr. Ten EyclI has as
sumed greater proportions. Each man
has strong friends among those who
take an especial interest in rowing. The
authorities Of the present crew are in
favor of Kerns. The officials of last
years crew were in favor of Ten Eyck
and secured him.
Whether the wishes of the manage
ment of the present crew will be re-
spected as were the wishes of last
y
after the meeting of the board.
1t does not appear as if either side
will give way before the meeting of the
board The officials of the crew are re-
solved on naming Mr.. Kerns as coach
Mr.. Ten Eyck's friends on the board
are determined to make an effort for
his selection as coach.
Although the supporters of the two
men are strenuous for their choice it
can hardly be said they are actuated by
personal reasons. Each side is gov
erned by a firm belief that its man is
the most capable man for the position.
Those in favor of Mr.. Kerns point to
the high school crew of the first two
years of its existence, and the success
that attended their races. They argue
that from an entirely green lot of ma
terial he turned out remarkably good
crews. They do not regard the crew
of last year as eligible to the same
classification. While they acknowl-
edge that Mr.. Ten Eyck did not have
as much material as Mr.. Kerns, they
think the latter could have secured bet
ter results than Mr.. Ten Eyck did last
year.
Mr. Ten Eyck has strong supporters
who regard comparison of his crews
with those Mr.. Kerns turned out, as
unfair. They claim Mr.. Ten Eyck suf-
fered from a dearth of material, having
less than a dozen eligibles to select
from. They argue that he could have
turned out an even better crew on
either of the first two years, had he
been coach instead Of Mr.. Kerns, for
the latter had all the material he could
handle.
Mr.. Kerns' belief in the rowing ma
chine as a developer of an oarsman in
preliminary practice, is urged in his
favor by the management of the crew,
who believe in his ability. Naturally,
Mr.. Kerns is a believer in the machine,
as it is his invention. The good re-
suits he has obtained from working
candidates on the machine shows that
he has grounds forsuch belief Among
those who oppose him, the question is
whether the machine work may not be
carried to excess.
The association owns the machine
having purchased it from Mr.. Kerns
few years ago.
The question of money may enter into
the selection. Mr.. Kerns has given his
figures to Capt Weyer of the boat.
His price was made known at the last
meeting of the board of directors in
the estimate that the manager turned
in. 1t is $3.50 for all the work he will
do with the crew. Mr.. Ten Eyck' S
price has not been asked by the Off
Gals, although some of his friends on
the board will doubtless be able to tell
the meeting what he will perform the
duties of coach for. Members of the
board say he received a trifle more than
$3.50 for the work he did last year They
reason from that fact that he would
want little more if he was asked to
take charge of the crew as early as
the management desires to start
Those who favor Mr. Kerns are
opposed to making a bargain with Mr.
Ten Eyck on terms similar to those of
last year. They could not bind him
to a contract to coach last season. He
wanted some freedom, so that he might
be able to accept better position if
one presented itself. The result was
the same as if he had signed a con-
tract. He remained with the crew all
season, and did not miss a day through
any other business. Yet those who ia
vor Mr.. Kerns think the agreement was
rather one-sided and that Mr.. Ten
Eyck was protected while the crew
was not. Whether Mr.. Ten Eyck
would desire the same terms this year
or whether he would sign a contract
the same as Mr.. Kerns, the directors
do not yet know.
Members of the board say the choice