Foster Brothers Solve Squash Team Worries

It's rare when a brother act pays off in sports, but since the end of the war the brothers Foster Adam, Henry, and Hugh--have been the color cards in varsity squash coach Jack Barnaby's hand. The situation may well continue for another year or two.

When Adam Foster, eldest of the trio, graduated last June, Coach Barnaby lost the man who had led the team since its postwar reformation. Replacing Adam this year are Henry and Hugh, whose records as number one and number two men have considerably lessened the effects of Adam's departure.

Henry Foster's climb to the top position in November was little short of spectacular. Moving up from last year's freshman team, Henry proceeded to beat out every veteran on the varsity and took over the number one spot vacated by Adam.

"Brains Player"

While Adam was a "brains" player, Henry relies more on skill and natural ability, and for that reason Coach Barnaby thinks he is the most talented of the three. Combining a strong shot with beautiful control and ability to anticipate, Henry plays the kind of sound, rounded squash game that Barnaby calls "absolutely up-to-hoyle."

Besides playing in regular intercollegiate competition, the 22-year-old sophomore is now meeting some of the state's top squash players in the Metropolitan League. Henry's record here puts him among the first ten "A" players.

Against such seasoned competitors you can't make any mistakes, and Henry's game is not yet perfect. "But give him a little more time and he'll be able to beat any player in Massachusetts," says Barnaby.

Freshman Champion

Henry has already gleaned a few honors, among them the state class "C" championship which he won last year as a freshman.

Tall, rangy Hugh Foster is runner-up to his brother on this year's squad, and is a junior, although younger than Henry. Number five man last winter, Hugh is a hard smasher and quick rusher.

While at College, Adam was the team's mainstay. Although he lacked natural athletic ability, he made up for that by really using his head all the time. "Every shot had a purpose," Barnaby recalls.

Adam played the best squash of his career last February when he provided a story-book climax for the varsity's Princeton match with a tremendous last-minute drive that tripped the Tigers best, Babe Pearson, and gave the Crimson a 5 to 4 victory.