The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-04
STATUS OF ROWING
COACHES IN DOUBT
All Kinds Of Reports in Air
Affecting Experts Mt the
Big Colleges.


me Hrttrmaln OF Nn' Ht'T''''s''
rowing season Just closed possesses more
than usual interest because Of the re-
port that charles r. courtney of COR
neil and Vivian Nickalls of Pennsyl-
vauia will not he coaches another year
There IL also much talk that Jim Wray
OF Harvard will be ousted because OF
the defeat Of Harvard by Yale. and h
Jim Rice OF Columbia will take up the
work at Cornell.
The mos, important matter in the
rowing news liz the talk about Court
ney. as the old nan came back in a
way this year at ~Poughkcepsie which
leaves no doubt in the minds Of many
that he IL the supreme rowing tutor In
this country IN spite Of his 6S years
and the much touted supremacy OF con-
ditions for moulding "A crew at Ithaca
over those at other institutions.
Time and time again COurtney's sue
cess has been laid at the door 81 the
ideal conditions he worked under on
Lake cayuga, but when one goes over
the records OF his crews IL will be found
that Courtney Is as much a master at
two mile racing as at four. the distance,
il is said. in which the Cornell crews are
peculiarly favored in their raining. For
example. his freshman Fights have won
twelve Of the twenty two mile races
rowed at Poughkeepsie. his junior eights
each Of the two mile races rowed at
Poughkeepste since his event was be-
gun. and his four Dared crews. he old
university fours. ten OF the ffteen two
mile races rowed.
All of which leads to the conclusion
that II was the man and his system
rather than the conditions governing
rowing at Ithaca which rave given Cor
nell such an Overwhelming success.
There IL much ground for believing
that Courtney will not be "A coach AT
Cornell or anywhere next year. His
contract. which he made three years
ago. has one more year to run. but there
Is nothing in it to prevent his resign
ing This contract was made under
great pressure.
Courtney realized he was getting too
old for coaching. but the authorities AT
Cornell thought differently. About the
time the matter came up Courtney was
loaded with The responsibility OF educat-
ing hts brothers boys. and though he
was ready 70 retire and was hxed imam
cially 20 do so. the additional burden
had much. II not all. TO do with his
making this last contract.
Courtnev'. two defeats in 1918 and
1914 IN the varsity races by Syracuse
and Columbia affected him - much h A
IL was understood he would stick by the
guns until he developed one more win
ming crew With that accomplished this
year and his health impaired. much as
A result Of his accident on the sleeper
going TO poughkecpsie. II appears rea-
sonable To suppose that the "old man
will resign when his record Is uns,ained
by defeat.
The problem OF another coach for Cor
reii Is a serious one. There is no ques-
ton that Cornell men want Rice, and II
appears that Rice would like to go.
Rowing Is not enthusiastically sup
ported at Columbia in 40 far az getting
out men H. concerned. whereas at Cornell
material Is abundant.
Rice has proved a consistent coach,
and VI is thought under different cordi-
tons would make good most Of the time.
When IL Is considered that he builds MS
crews from a most limited number OF
candidates and that his eights are the
smoothest on the course IL Is not going
ont OF the way 10 say Rice will make
god under more favorable conditions.
Cornell dickered for Rice some few
years ago. They wanted him as an as
Sistaut 20 Courtney. but Rice turned tina,
down hard Cornell wants him now,
but Jim Rice cannot go. Columbia has
so tied up is coach that Rice must STAY
at Columbia for four more years II h.
wants 10 coach a college crew. His con-
tract prevents him from Noaching az any
other college or university.
John Hoyle will probably ge' a chance
at ithaca. He has been closely ascot
ated with Courtney as boa builder and
freshman coach for many years. and
Enough Cornell meu are not placing him
on a par with Courtney they must logi-
ally look m MIN a. a temporary Sic
cessor. who = he makes good will he a
permanent coach at Ithaca There il
talk of getting Troy Of the C~a~radilla
School. but Hoy.e has the cad for the
Job.
Nlckalls. the PENNSYLVANIA oosch. who
was looked on a. the logical successor
OF Courtney, together will Rice, had A
hard season at Pennsylvania. Last year.
his first AZ the Quaker Institution,
brought him strongly into the rowing
limelight on account Of the splendid
showing OF Pennsylvania in the varsity
race. NiCkalls had muCh 20 l~ggravite
him this season and often said that he
wOuld not he On hand 9th season.
though he has a year 70 run on his con-
tract After Penr's miserable showing
he told some OF his oarsmen that he
would resign.
NICkalls is an Englishman. an oxford
mar, like his brother Guy at Yale, and
they have separately and together won
about all the rowing honors any two
men could take. This year Nickalls ls
figuring on returning home TO enlist and
II he does Pennsylvania will be on the
lookout for another coach. Who IL will
be liz a question.
Wray has had his troubles at Harvard
and will not be back there another sea
son, II Is rumored that Harvard is
casting about for an alumni coach and
is thinking OF Robert fierrick. its row
ing committee chairman. Friends OF
Wray say he has been interfered with
much and has had little 10 say this year.
A rowing banquet after Harvard's Cor
nell victory vas given without an iuv-
tatiou TO the coach 10 attend.
Stnu SInu prI.oo Team utr