Brown Takes Over Crew Helm--Haines Is Back With Freshmen

GEOFFREY PLATT WILL LEAD UNIVERSITY CREW THIS YEAR

At a meeting of all the men who rowed against Yale in the University shell last June, held at Red Top, Geoffrey Platt '27 of New York, was elected captain of the crew for 1926-27.

Platt prepared for the University at St. Mark's and has been since his matriculation at Harvard one of the most dependable oarsmen. He captained his Freshman crew three years ago, and has rowed for the past two seasons on the University boat. Last year he rowed at number 5.

The appointment recently of Edward J. Brown '14 as head coach of the University crews gave the lie to the rumors that last spring and this summer predicted a violent upheaval on the banks of the Charles and envisaged the next Harvard coach as a "new" man, and probably one from some distant state. In cleaning up the crew situation, Director of Athletics William J. Bingham '18 did not find it necessary to leave the old system; and the naming of Brown as head coach is more in the nature of a promotion than of an appointment.

Brown Veteran of 20 Years

The head coachship has come to Brown after 20 years' association on his part with Harvard rowing. He joined the coaching staff in 1907 and has had some part in the tutoring of Crimson oarsmen ever since. At first he had the dormitory and college club crews in the fall and the club and two class crews in the spring. In 1913 he took over all class rowing, which has been his field until now, except for brie assignments, as in 1924 and last spring, to help whip the second University into shape for the Yale regatta. The victory of the Brown-coached second University crew over Yale on the Thames last June was one of the features of the regatta. The Blue was strongly favored to carry off the laurels, but after an early lead found itself overhauled, and trailing at the finish.

Brown's first statement as to what he intends to do when he takes over the driver's seat is bound to attract considerable attention. He will not name a University or second University until along in April. Until then the oarsmen will be grouped together and trained as class crews.

He believes that if men are able to grasp fundamentals in thorough fashion, it is an easy matter then to shake them together into definite line-ups. In other words, he intends to develop his material first and name his line-ups when he knows what that material amounts to. This is not a radical departure in coaching, but a twist new enough to cause the focussing of a certain amount of attention on his efforts next spring.

The withdrawal of H. H. Haines for many years coach of the Freshman crews last spring temporarily appointed head coach following the withdrawal of E. A. Stevens, from the head coach berth, comes as no surprise. Last May Haines' acceptance of the position was made contingent upon his being released at the end of the season to resume his position as mentor of the first year men.

Haines this fall will again be in charge of the Freshmen, his appointment being purely automatic. Whether or not he will attempt any such change in methods as are expected from Brown is not known, but it is to be presumed that he will stick to his old methods that in the past have produced a fair share of winners, and that last year were climaxed by an undefeated eight, several times conqueror over the University shell in practice brushes