ED. WATCHER TO COACH REVIVED MINOR SPORT

Edward Watcher Jr. of Troy, N. Y., one of the best known figures in the basketball world, and this year coach of basketball at Williams, has been engaged to coach the University quintet next year. His appointment comes as the natural result of the recent recognition of basketball as a minor sport at the University.

During the 22 years he has been playing basketball he has taken part in 1650 contests, and has won the reputation of being the greatest scoring center the game has ever known. He has been a member of more champion fives than any other player in the game, and in addition has coached with success the New York State College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Williams College basketball teams. Since taking up coaching he has received offers from many leading colleges, including West Point.

Organized New York League

Mr. Wachter began his career in basketball in 1898 as a member of the Troy Y. M. C. A. team. In 1900 and 1901 he was a member of the famous All-Star team, a semi-professional five of Troy, and the following year played with the Ware, Mass., team of the Western Massachusetts League. He played with the latter team two seasons, going to Gloversville in 1904 to play with the Company G. team of that place. He also played with the Company E team of Schenectady in 1904 and 1905 and played with the latter team when it won the World's Championship in 1905 by defeating the Buffalo Germans and Blue Diamonds of Kansas City on their own courts. Until 1910 Mr. Wachter was connected with similar league teams in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

Mr. Wachter, with his brother, Lew Wachter, organized the New York State Basketball League in 1910 and played with the Troy team of the latter league and the Hudson River League, as it was afterwards called, for five seasons. During this time the Troy team was the league champion. Following the close of the 1914 season, the Troy five made one of the most successful fours ever made by a professional team. The Trojans went as far west as Montana, meeting all comers, and won 37 consecutive games.

Since the fall of 1916 Mr. Wachter has coached the Purple quintet at Williams and turned out teams that were victorious over their great rival, Amherst, in six games out of eight.