Adams Topples Cabot, History To Win Straus

Adams House—once more known for its artists than for its athletics—ended a 67-year-long drought Wednesday by winning the Straus Cup, the intramural (IM) athletics championship award, for the first time in the Cup’s history.

Though Adams had retained a lead in standings throughout the winter and spring seasons, a strong performance on the final day of events Wednesday clinched the victory.

Adams won the championship with 1,418 points, while Cabot—Straus Cup record champions for the last seven years running—placed second with 1,315.5 points.

Kirkland House came in third with 1,309 points.

Last year, Adams finished 10th in the standings, and had never before ended the year above ninth place.

Joshua D. Blanchfield ’02, the House IM co-coordinator, credited increased turnout and solid success across a variety of sports for the House’s surprising turnaround.

“Over 160 people played in IMs for Adams...more than 40 percent of the House,” Blanchfield said. “The masters, the tutors, they helped foster this environment,” he said.

“We didn’t have a bad season in any sport,” co-coordinator Stephen N. Smith ’02 said.

“When it comes down to it, the scores that Cabot and Kirkland put up would have been very competitive most years,” Smith said. “This year the competition really caught the imagination of the House.”

Smith and others praised Blanchfield for his efforts to rally House spirit.

“I have two words to say about who deserves credit for this,” Master John G. Palfrey said. “Josh Blanchfield.”

Blanchfield, Palfrey said, sent countless e-mails, organized rallies and encouraged spectators to attend IM games and events.

Palfrey played his part as well as captain of the squash and tennis teams.

Adams’ victory comes six years after House assignments were randomized, bringing an end to each House’s unique character.

“Old Adams” with its reputation as off-beat and artistic, finished last among the Houses for years at time, and in some years failed to field teams altogether.

Even after randomization, Adams languished near the bottom of the standings.

“There was a time for a couple of years that people who were randomized into the House didn’t identify with the House because they didn’t identify with the stereotypical identity of Adams House,” resident tutor Jamie Ciocco ’94 explained.

“As the reputation has faded, we’ve gotten to the point where people will participate,” he said.

Adams closed out the final day of competition Wednesday with wins by two out of four boats in crew, and a win in the tennis tournament finals.

Smith said that despite the 7 a.m. start time, a number of spectators turned out for the first crew race.

The Cup will be awarded to Adams tomorrow at 3:45 p.m. on the steps of the Malkin Athletic Center (MAC), when Cabot’s IM chairs will bring the trophy down from the Quad where it has resided for the last seven years.

—Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.