The New York herald., 1922-07-19
BY DANIEL.


Edwin Leader. graduate of the Uni=
versity Of Washington and only 20 years
old, is the new rowing coach at Yale
the youngest man holding position
of that character in this country. The
surprising news that the Ellis had en-
gagged the man who brought out the
startling Washington crew, which fin-
ished second to the Navy at Poughkeep-
si+ last month, came yesterday from
ence Mendell for the Yale Athletic Board
Of Control.
Leader will take charge of rowing at
Yale in the fall and will overhaul and
rcorganize the Blue navy, its stroke rig
cling, methods and everything else con-
| Lected with it. Yale's calling so young
a man-particularly a coach from the
Pacific coast, where rowing Is practically
In its infancy--comes as a stunning bit
OF news which will bring keen disap-
pcintment In several quarters. But il
Is good news nevertheless
That Yale would not call on the Cor
aerry brothers again became definitely
known a fortnight ago. after Captain
eject Pelly had held conference with
Fred Allen. Payne Whitney and John
Goetchius of the Yale rowing commit
tee. 1t was determined at that meeting
to cut everything English from rowing
ut New Haven, even down to the quar-
ter sleeves. as one Eli put 1t.
Never Even Mentioned.
Several coaches were mentioned at
that time. but Leaders name was not
emong them. In fact. If Eastern rowing
critics had been asked to list the avail
able coaches in the order of the strength
of their chances of getting the position
Leader very likely would have been last.
1t was felt that II Yale went all the
way to the Pacific coast for its man IL
would name Ben Wallis, Yale 1910.
coach at the University of California.
Whether the position was rendered to
Wallis and refused on account Of his
business connections In San Francisco
could not be learned yesterday
Jim Rice, coach at Columbia, and
Dick Glendon, resigned mentor Of the
Navy. were most prominent among
those who stood out for the place at
Yale. Jim Wray, once coach at Har-
ward. also was mentioned, but nobody
except the powers that be at Yale
thought of Leader as the man for the
job. 1t Is conceivable that Tad Jones.
the Yale football coach, had something
to do with the Leader appointment, as
Jones held an executive position in a
shipyard at Seattle before coming to
New Haven, and without doubt had a
chance to come into contact with the
young Washington oarsman.
Leader Is self taught coach. He was
the. most effective sweep swinger in the
Washington boat, which finished third al
Poughkeepsie in 1913 and fifth there in
1915, the year of his graduation, under
the coaching of the late Hiram Conni-
bear. AS a matter of fact Leader knew
more about rowing than. his coach. for
Connibear came to Washington as q
trainer. and fell into the coaching Job
Connibear had been trainer of the Chi
cago American League Baseball Club.
Leader Succeeds Connibear.
When Connibear fell off a plum tree
and was killed Leader moved into the
coaching position and made good. His
crew was beaten by the great California
eight last year. but last April Washing
ton won the coast championship over
California. 1t wasn't much OF a race.
one of the Californians having become
paralyzed at the three-quarter mile
mark, when his crew was leading. and
when Washington announced that IL was
coming East there was lot of con-
lecture as 10 its real power and speed.
When Leader came to the Hudson his
crew was rowing with a short stroke.
1t was fast, but something vital was
lacking. The young coach s'-ed up the
ether crews and decided that his eight
was too short. So. always ready to
learn, he put pride behind him and took
page from the books of the older
coaches. Washington heightened out.
and the result Of this move was shown
in the brilliant race which Leaders s
pupils rowed in finishing second in that
great field on June 26.
Leader teaches what some call modi.
f:cation of the sculling stroke and others
cali a plain hybrid. It's rather short
and rather choppy and It isn't an i'm
pressive thing to look at. But his
Washington crew worked wonders with
that stroke. II had a lot of inboard
form, and II had lot OF physical force
to throw into that stroke.
Nickn1Is Started Trouble.
Leader assumes a task which proved
too much for the Corderry brothers and
49, f,lro tcJ, IL,