The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-28
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Charles Courtney has passed into
 the Great Beyond But his memory ever will be fresh in the collegiate and the athletic world.
 For in all history there never was produced greater oarsman nor a coach of crews within hundred miles of Courtneys ability.
 For thirty-thr years Courtney was boss of Cornelrs aquatic activity and for thirty three yreas Courtney either was the champion in the row. ing world or the runner-up. The crews of Courtney won so many cups and trophies that it almost required a special building to house them; the crews of Courtney hold practically every collegiate record from one mile to four
 But Courtney was famous as a scul- Ter long before he became a coach.
 At the age of seven. Courtney, in herently fond of the water, began to row a boat. Five years later he built himself a shell and in two years was regarded as wizard on the water among the youths of his own particu- lar neighborhood, which was Union Springs, Cayuga Lake, New York;
 BECOMES CARPENTER
 Courtney became carpenter AS boy and his leisure time was devoted in building his own boats or in scul- ling them. When he was nineteen, he put together a skiff, clumsy look ing and very heavy-and much scoffed at by all boatmen. few weeks later learning that there was sculllng race to be held in Lake Cayuga, he entered the contest-and brought succession of laughs from his rivals.
 The boat of Courtney weighed eighty pounds and looked more like fisherman's rowboat than anything else It was a grotesque looking sight compared with the trim racing shells of his rivals But when Courtney put the boat into the water. climbing into it and the starting. gun was fired, the laughing died in the threats of his rivals and spectators. For Courtney shot his boat to the front, never was headed and won thet race by fifty length
 Courtney rowed ninety eight times as an amateur and never was beater No man in all the history of oars manship even remotely approached his mark. The remarkable thing |about it is that Courtney at all times i raced in boats of his own construc- ton.
 In 1878 Courtney turned professional so that he could get chahce against Edward Hanlon, the Canadian. Hanlon was the sensation of the row ing world. The race that followed between the two has gone down on the records as the most remarkable of all time. During the entire contest, never more than half length separated the two. They alternated in the lead twenty times or more and at the finish none by the judges were able to reach a decision as to who had won.
 The race was given to Hanlon-by one inch.
 Naturally there was a demand for another race between the two. Tons of money were to be wagered on the outcome of the contest. The Cana dians backed Hanlon to man and the Americans put their roll on Court nsy.
 On the morning of the race day, Courtneys shell was found sawed in two. The charge was made that he had done it himself as to get out of the race But this lie was pounded down. and it has always been believed since that a group of men who had bet on Hanlon lost their courage ul timately and decided that the only way to save their bets was to make the race impossible.
 FIRST JOB AS COACH
 CourtneyS first job as coach was secured in 1875. He tutored girls school at Union Springs. Eight years later. in 1883. Cornell secured his serv ices. and from then on he became an Institution at the Ithaca University. Cornell and Courtney became synony- nous with the great things in oars Ranship.
 The Courtney-coached Cornell crews from 1895 to 1915 won thirty-nine in fifty-nine starts-including varsity | and freshmen outfits. His varsity crews raced home in front fourteen | times. His outfit of 1901 established i . worlds record when 1t travelled the four miles in eighteen minutes fifty three and one fifth secondi.
 Back in 1915. Courtney. on his way | to the Poughkeepsie regatta suffered [ . fractured skull in a train jolt. From then on, through a period of four