Evening star., 1914-02-11
DECLARES YALE MEN
FIT FOR ATHLETICS
Coach Richard Armstrong Repudi-
ates Notion That Undergraduates
Have Deteriorated.

Declaring that the Yale undergraduates
OF today are even better material for
the crews and foot ball teams than were
those Of other days, Richard Armstrong.
captain of the victorious Yale crew of
1895. and at present the graduate head
coach Of the Yale navy, told the Wash
ington Yale Alumni Association at its
smoker IN the University Club last night
that every effort was to be made to pro-
duce crew in New Haven this year
that would make creditable showing.
He spoke in detail OF the plans which
have been adopted by the Yale rowing
authorities.
1.-The criticism that the Yale under
graduates of today are not quite the men
who were at Yale ten, fifteen or twenty
years ago, and for that reason Yale has
been defeated on the water and on the
foot ball field in recent years. is not
justified" declared Mr.. Armstrong, who
said that he had heard that reason ad-
vanced for Yale failures. The under
graduates OF today are older, stronger
and much more numerous than In years
gone by when Yale was winning every
thing in sight. Records kept by the
head of the Yale gymnasium, DR.. Ander-
son, prove this conclusively, and. in addi-
ton to this, / have seen the crew and
foot ball squads, and I know this to be
the fact
Plans for Training Crews.
The Yale crews this year are to be in
charge Of Mr.. Nichols, an English
coach and an authority on rowing, and
a professional oarsman from the New
York Athletic Club. There is to be no
attempt, however, to have the Yale crew
row the English stroke, for it is believed
that conditions In America do not war
rant the adoption of the English stroke
in its entirety. Mr.. Nichols, said Mr..
Armstrong. is convinced of the fnadvisa-
bility of attempting to teach American
crews the stroke as it Is rowed in Eng
land. The Englishman is coming to New
Haven to help perfect the Yale oarsmen
in the rudiments of rowing, and MT.
Armstrong declared that no man was bet
ter qualified than Mr.. Nichols to do this.
Spencer Eddy of the class of 1891 s was
another guest of honor at the smoker
last night. He is the international sec
retary of the Y NJ c. A. for Asia, and
and the conditions which prevail there
today.
Yale Men in China.
China looks to America today. not only
as her best friend. but almost as her only
friend, since America is the only big for
eign nation which does not hold any ter
ritory taken from China by conquest
said Mr.. Eddy. He described the work
which has been done by Yale men in help
ing China to find herself.
James H. Hayden, president of the
Washington Yale Alumni Association.
presided. Among the Yale men in at
tendance was Kang Jen Chang Of the
Chinese legation. member Of the class
of 1883 Some Of the others who attend
ed the smoker were Alvey a. Adee, c.
L. Black, T. w: Bowers. Senator +. B.
Brandegee, C. l. carhart, X. Church.
D. Head. Gould Lincoln, John Lorance
D. N. McNeale, DR.. Arthur Mathewson,
W. c. Miller. f. A. Mitchell, Eugene f.
Osborn. clifford Pinchot, Ord Preston.
w. H. Rand, J. D. Woleott, John Dalzel
DR.. Joseph Dunn, William P. Eno Isaac
Ford, D. NJ. Greene. Asaph Hall. G. l..
Harrison, Edwin A. Hill, Ten Eyck
Wendell. p. p Wetmore. f. +. Riggs
w e. Safrord, Edward Shaw. Senator
Morris Shepard, Harry K. Willard, AL
pheus H. Snow, Caldwell Tyler and An
drew Wilson.