HARVARD VARSITY CLUB NEWS & VIEWS of Harvard Athletics www.harvardvarsityclub.org Volume 56, Issue No. 2 October 10, 2013 Go West, young men, go West... by Molly Stansik ’13 | Special Assistant, Harvard Varsity Club As I watched Coach Murphy and dozens of crimson and horizon, 69 players nervously joked that we were all now white clad football players board the chartered Jet Blue three hours off “Murphy Time.” aircraft, I couldn’t help but think how much things have While kickoff wasn’t until 12:00 PST on Saturday, the changed. Harvard football’s first journey to California, by alumni games began well in advance. Susan and Cory Thabit rail—not air, produced a 7-6 Rose Bowl victory over Oregon ’90 hosted an informal gathering of fifty Harvard alumni and in 1920; its second trip “was a great experience, but the game guests at their beautiful home in Irvine on Thursday evening, was terrible; we couldn’t get anything going,” recalled Jack where Nichols Family Director of Athletics Bob Scalise, was a Coan ’50 of his team’s 44-0 setback at Stanford in 1949. None featured guest and speaker. of the passengers on board, including Ernie ’51 and Betty The Friends of Harvard Football, Harvard Alumni Association, Monrad, Constance Martin ’81, Dan Mee ’81, and myself, Harvard Club of San Diego, Harvard Department of Athletics, were willing to predict an outcome and the Harvard Varsity in San Diego, but we were all Club combined efforts happy to be on “Murphy Time” in planning two formal and looking forward for takeoff events: a welcome reception and whatever else lay ahead. Friday night and a tailgate Players and coaches alike were on Saturday before the excited to be traveling in such game. Considering Harvard a manner, as most Ivy League Football’s 64-year west coast competition is only a bus ride away. drought, we were pleasantly Even the pilots and flight attendants relieved when Californians embraced the uniqueness of it all, 1949 Harvard Football team boarding the plane to Stanford, CA. (and others) RSVP’d for announcing “inflight movies both events in droves. I was are complimentary, but shouldn’t particularly thrilled, as the you all be studying… your incredible response (250+ playbooks?!” Even though we Friday and 500+ Saturday) bypassed formal airport security, was the genesis for my the trip still entailed two bus invitation to be a part of the rides and over 6 hours of flight official team travel party; time. Tiring, yes, but a dramatic there was lots to do behind improvement from what must the scenes assisting with have been an exhausting 4-day multiple events. train ride for the 1920 Crimson Highlights from Friday’s squad who made the first trip ever event included emcee George trip to California. As we deplaned, Newhouse ’76,a football with palm trees greeting us on the alumnus and Rhodes Scholar, 2013 Harvard Football team on the plane to San Diego, CA. continued on page 2... University Launches $6.5 Billion Campaign “...one month ago, nearly 300 men and women... from across the country and around the world, descended on Harvard, took to the Charles, and rowed. They rowed to honor the late and legendary Harry Parker,...They rowed because each of them knew vividly and personally what Harry Parker meant when he said, “I think of myself first as a teacher.” But they came for another reason, too. They came because Harvard draws you back. Harvard is a place, an experience, you never really get over.” — Drew Faust, President of Harvard University and Lincoln Professor of History On Saturday, September 21, Harvard announced the launch of a $6.5 billion campaign. An unprecedented target in higher education, reaching this goal by 2018 will allow the University to “advance the power of integrated knowledge; new approaches to learning and teaching; global Harvard; meaning, values and creativity; innovation and discovery; around $2.8 billion in a “quiet phase.” Over 90,000 alumni attracting and supporting talent; and creating the campus and others contributed to this number in pledges and gifts. of the twenty-first century.” In a more focused overview All gifts to Athletics Friends Groups receive class credit the funds will be used towards teaching and research as well as campaign credit. For more information on the (45%), financial aid and “the student experience” (25%), campaign visit the official website, http://campaign.harvard. capital improvements (20%) and flexible funding “to foster edu. collaborations and initiatives”(10%). At the time of the launch, the University had already succeeded in raising Go West continued... introducing Friends of Harvard Football Chair, Brian Hehir ’75, The Thomas Stephenson Family Head Coach for Harvard Football, Tim Murphy, Nichols Family Director of Athletics, Bob Scalise, and even a long-distance good luck wish from President Drew Faust! Former players, representing each decade from the 1950s all the way to the 2010’s, were on hand, eating and drinking merrily, and rekindling old memories. It was obvious that some individuals, like Dan Mee, had gone beyond the call of duty in rallying their classmates as the Class of ’81 had perhaps the strongest showing. Their only rival was the Class of ’88, fresh off its 25th Reunion, who took claim in the creativity department, donning custom ’88 football jerseys. The spirit of all at both events—and the main event— Saturday’s game, was felt on the field by coaches and team members, especially the 14 players on the roster who hail from California. Harvard fans purchased over 2,000 tickets allowing USD to boast their largest crowd ever. On the flight back to the east coast, Coach Murphy reflected, “thanks to a united group effort, the San Diego events and game were tremendously significant and enjoyable, creating the best road game atmosphere ever…a HOME game 3,000 miles away from Harvard!” As I fastened my seat belt for the flight home, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would still be working at the Varsity Club in 2019 when the Crimson return to USD; more importantly, I just hope we’ll all still be on For more on the game visit; http://gocrimson.com/sports/fball/2013-14/releas- “Murphy Time”. es/20130921_San_Diego_Recap Photo Credit: Paul Gaffney ’88, Thomas Kovtran, Josh Boyd ’14 Crimson Scoreboard Fall sports stats and highlights as we go to press. Click on sport for more information or visit gocrimson.com Overall Percent Conference Percent Streak Home Away Neutral Field Hockey 2-5 .286 1-2 .333 Lost 3 0-3 2-2 0-0 Football 3-0 1.000 1-0 1.000 Won 3 1-0 2-0 0-0 Soccer-M 1-6-2 .222 0-1 .000 Lost 2 1-3-2 0-3 0-0 Soccer-W 6-3-2 .636 2-0 1.000 Tied 1 3-1-1 3-1-1 0-1 Rugby-W 2-2 .500 0-0 .000 Won 1 1-1 1-1 0-0 Water Polo-M 8-8 .500 6-1 .857 Won 5 3-0 3-2 2-6 Volleyball-W 6-6 .500 1-2 .333 Lost 2 4-1 1-4 1-1 Cross Country-M/W Harvard defeated Yale for the first time in nine years at the annual meet on Sept. 14. Men, 15-42; Women, 20-39. Golf-M Men’s Golf placed 2nd out of 14 at The Doc Gimmler hosted by St. John’s at Bethpage CC Red Course. Golf-W Women’s Golf placed 1st out of 8 at the Princeton Invitational on Sept. 14. at Princeton’s Springdale Golf Club. Sailing-M/W Men’s and Women’s Sailing placed 1st at both the Harvard Invitational (9/15) and Charles River Invitational (10/6). 2 FROM THE DIRECTORS CHAIR Bob Scalise, Nichols Family Director of Athletics One of the most important functions the Harvard Varsity chapter on the many changes in intercollegiate athletics, on Club helps the Athletics Department achieve is to preserve a national level, and at Harvard. This is an important work our history and traditions. We have a legacy that we are of history—which very few institutions and programs have proud of, and I am grateful to those in previous leadership been willing to undertake. We hope as positions who had the foresight to create The H Book of Harvard many followers of Harvard Athletics Athletics and The Second H Book of Harvard Athletics in 1920 as possible will support our efforts and 1963 respectively. I am also grateful for the work that by both purchasing copies of the Bob Glatz, Bill Markus, and the dedicated book committee book and by considering a donation have accomplished. They are about to complete The Third H to the Third H Book. Our rich and Book of Harvard Athletics. Needless to say, covering Harvard accomplished history and role in Athletics from 1963-2013 in over 1,000 pages is a monumental creating the right model of college task. The Third H Book will include individual sport stories athletics is special and deserving of covering each varsity sport, the first ever comprehensive your support. history of the Harvard Varsity Club, and an introductory The Third Book of Harvard Athletics 1963-2013H Co-authored by John Powers ’71 & John Venezino Edited by John Bethell ’54 HVC History recounted by Craig Lambert ’69 Special Introductory Chapter by John Powers ’71 THE FIRST SQUAD was organized in the autumn of 1977. It was a club team, an informal assemblage of a few players “who’d suited up for Concord Academy, a few more who’d played pond hockey with their brothers, and a field hockey player, a figure skater, a sailor, and a prep-school sister or two.