New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-20
HARVARD GRAD
HITS AT WRAY
Francis Peabody Tells
Why His Usefulness as
Rowing Coach Ended.

There seems TO be the same senti-
ment growing in Harvard rowing as
that which shook Yale football just a
month or two ago. The latest critic
Of Jim Wray, Francis Peabody, of the
class of 80, charges in the Harvard
Graduates Magazine" that the varsity
Fights should have won all the races
with Yale and most of those with Cor
nell in the last eleven years.
The article is the first official state
ment since Wray was replaced as head
of the coaching system by Robert F.
Herrick and Bill Haines, of the Union
Boat Club.
In writing Of the last Harvard de-
feat on the water, Mr.. Peabody says:
"Up to the season of 1914 Wray ap-
parently took his victories modestly
and his defeats in a good sportsman
like spirit, but after the Cornell race
of that year, when Harvard was de-
feated by less than two lengths, and
again after the Yale race, he made an
undeserved attack in the press on his
own crew, and especially on that eN-
cellent stroke, Lund. lie should not,
therefore, complain if | indicate where
some of us think the responsibility for
losing-though it be by hair-the
Yale race of 1914 belongs.
"Wray began the season with the
best material coach ever had" Pea
body continues. "Foui of last years
crew, six of the Henley crew and prac-
tically all of the frst-class freshman
crew of 1914 were ready to his hand. -.
"Nickslls. on the other hand, had
but three Of the Yale crew Of 1914, and
had to dig out the rest Of his crew
from the Yale second varsity and
freshman crews of 1914, both of which
had been badly beaten by Harvard.
THAT the latter should have been
able TO win-somewhat easily-seems
to me not only one Of the greatest
coaching triumphs of recent years, but
also of itself to go far 10 prove the
superiority Of the English standard
stroke over the Wray stroke.
Surely no one who saw this years
race can doubt that the eight fine men
who sat in the Harvard crew, if coached
by Nickalls, would lave easily beaten
the lighter Yale crew, if coached by
Wray.
Some Of US who have followed uni
versity rowing for the last eleven
years firmly believ- that Wray has
had unusually good material ever since
he has been coaching Newhall,
Richardson, the Cutters, the Bacons,
the Wltlingtons, Waid, Chanler, Tai
colt and other stars too numerous to
mention, and we equally firmly believe
that during these years Wray S hould
have won all the Yale and majority
Of the Cornell races, and should GER
tainly have beaten Columbia and
Princeton. Is it not literally true that
not one Of Wray'J crews has ever beat
en- a crew physically its equal?
an view Of the Yale races of 1914
and 1915, is it not quite certain that
his possibility of usefulness at Cam
bridge was absolutely at an end? The
plan TO intrust the full responsibility
for and control Of Harvard coaching
10 Mr.. Herrick has everything TO rec
ommend it, No one has followed uni
versity rowing so closely as he, no one
has done so much for the Harvard
crews, and | may add that Harvard is
most fortunate in securing his brains
his experience and his public spirit
Haines, too, has seen plenty OF good
rowing, and has excellent judgment
and the right spirit, for he is not only
willing to teach but anxious to learn