Three University Coaches' Records Given

With a record of over thirty years as rower and coach in England, America and the Continent, "Bill" Haines, Head Coach of the University crew, stands today as one of the greatest figures ever known to University crew annals. Coming to the University in the fall of 1915, Mr. Haines, together with Mr. R. F. Herrick '90, developed a crew which set the record time for four miles on the Thames, broke Yale's string of crew victories, and gave the University a clean sweep of three triumphs on the Thames the next spring. For two years the war interrupted Mr. Haines' work, but since the resumption of crew activities in 1919, he has won and lost one race to Yale, last year seeing his boat cross the finish line eight lengths in the lead.

Born at Old Windsor, Berks, England, on January 25, 1869, he early began his work as a crew coach, taking charge of the crew work of the Royal Indian Engineering College with marked success for several years. It was during these years and previously that he established his reputation as a crew man himself. For three years in succession he sat in the four-oared boat which won the championship of England and at the same regattas three times in succession won the pair-oar championships. The climax to his success as an oarsman came when he was twice selected to sit on the championship English four which competed successfully against the championship American boat. The most notable of these two occasions was in 1895, when the English crew invaded the United States and defeated their opponents in one of the most famous races of the day. Mr. Haines' career as a single sculler also presents a long series of victories.

Coach Nickalls "Bill" Haines' Pupil

It was during this time too, the middle '90s, that Mr. Haines coached Guy Nickalls, now Head Coach of the Yale University crew, and prepared him for the "Diamond Sculls" and "Goblets" in 1894, '95 and '96.

Leaving England a few years later, Mr. Haines accepted a position as Head Coach of the Berliner Ruder Verein, retaining his place there for four years. He next went in succession to Budapest, to the Studenters Roklub of Norway, and finally as crew coach to the immense Krupp's Munition Works. Returning to England Mr. Haines became affiliated with the London Rowing Club of Pufney, the only professional coach ever engaged by that club. Here he coached four win ners of the "Diamond Sculls".

Coach Haines' American experiences began in 1911 when he came to this country as Head Coach of the Union Boat Club of Boston. In 1914 he took an eight from the Union Boat Club to the Henley Race in England and saw it follow the second University crew across the finish line for second place, thus rivalling the feat of Mr. R. F. Herrick '90, who in the same year took the second University crew to the Henley and won the race. From this time dates the connection of Coaches Haines and Herrick which has proved so valuable to rowing at the University.

Came to the University in 1915

Mr. Haines came to the University in the fall of 1915 and the following spring gained victories over Cornell and Yale, losing to Princeton by only six inches in one of the most remarkable races ever held between the two universities. The war interrupted crew work and 1918 saw, only a partial resumption of the annual race against Yale in the form of a regatta on the Housatonic, which the University won. In 1919 Dr. Mather Abbot's crew at Yale defeated the University and in the early season of 1920 the Crimson went down in defeat before the Navy and Princeton, but Mr. Haines came back for the final race of the year and defeated Yale by eight lengths of open water