Brooks School - Bishop Yearbook (North Andover, MA)

Page 27 text:

CREW FSPITE the fact that from last year's two crews only two men were left, very promising material returned for early spring practice on the machines. The weather seemed to be in our favor too, for the lake was completely clear on our return from Easter vacation and we were able to get into shells immediately. The first race was a triangle meet at Southboro with Noblels and St. lVlark's in which the St. Mark's seconds nosed out our boat by a narrow margin and lost to us in the first crew races by M of a length. ln both races Noble's was third. On the following week, May 9, Groton brought their crews to Brooks and rowing in bad water lost both races. For the next race we went down to Newport and split honors with St. George's, losing the first crew race and winning the second. Exeter brought down three crews on the 23rd, for the last race of the season, and carried off the honors in a clean sweep. As ever, both crews are grateful for and appreciate the sound coaching and continual interest of lVlr. Holcombe. And the lower crew coaches deserve great recognition for their work in laying the foundations of future crews. I wish good luck to Merle-Smith as next year's captain. JACK rllHAYER, '42, Captain 25

Page 26 text:

BASEBALL REATLY encouraged by the coming of Mr. Mclnnis, the team started practice on the diamond on April sixth. After two weeks of practice the team faced Johnson High, and playing their best game of the season, won 3 to 2 in eleven innings. The following Saturday Brooks defeated Andover jayvees 10 to 6 and then on May second won over Browne and Nichols 6 to 4. The following Wednesday Brooks lost to Belmont Hill, and on Saturday to Noble and Greenough, the latter due to lack of power at the bat on the part of Brooks. The team then defeated Methuen High 6 to 3. The following Satur- day it faced Grotong and after a weak game at bat and in the field lost 11 to 2. With three regulars missing, Brooks suffered a defeat of 16 to 2 at the hands of Johnson High in the return game. With hopes high for the last two games with St. lVIark's and Belmont Hill, the former was rained out and Brooks lost the latter in a wild game 17 to 11. Lapses in the fielding proved fatal to Brooks. All thanks for what success the team had, go to Mr. Mclnnis for his tireless efforts on our behalf. We wish Peter Van Slyck and his team for next year the best of luck. RICHARD T. FR1ck,jR., '42, Caplfzin 24

Page 28 text:

CREW HEN last year's graduation left only Hobbs and Thayer from the first two school crews, the prospects for this year's season seemed none too bright. Nevertheless, plenty of good, eager material turned up before the Easter vacation to work on the machines. The early spring gave the crews an open lake to row on when they returned from vacation, and they immediately went into shells without the preliminary barge work. For the first few weeks it was a case of shuffling crews around to get the fastest possible combinations in a boat, and after many difficult decisions the final boatings were chosen. In the second boat, Dave Grant, who had proved his worth the year before, was at stroke, Rover MacNichol, whose brawn and willingness made him desirable on any crew, was at three, Sid Scott, brought up from the Medes, was at two, and Danny Danforth took the traditional family seat at bow. In the first crew, Thayer and Hobbs, two fast-aging veterans, were at stroke and three respectively, while Dick Lee pulling a strong bow car, and Mike Merle-Smith at two, furnished the young blood in the boat. Our first race was on May 2, when the Brooks crews took on St. Mark's and Noble's at Southboro. In a very tight race over a M mile course, the St. Mark's seconds managed to defeat ours by a few feet, while in the first crew race our boat beat a powerful St. Mark's crew by three quarters of a length. Although they came in last in each race, the Noble's crews raced at a distinct disadvantage for, unlike us, they had been unable to bring their own shells and rowed in a strange boat which had to be re-rigged before each race. The following week, we crossed oars-so to speak-with Groton in a three- quarter mile classic on Lake Cochichewick. Because of a brisk wind and rough water at the start, the course was moved up to begin at the half and end in the cove. Being more accustomed to that kind of water, the Brooks crews won both races by a considerable margin. The following Friday we strapped our oars on a ski rack, and, with eyes glued to the gas gauge, drove down to St. George's in time to get some practice in their boats, which were both excellent. Saturday morning the race came off. The Brooks seconds, sprinting over the half mile, beat St. George's by about two lengths, our first boat, however, lost a most exciting race by several feet. The two crews were almost even all the way with St. George's putting in a Hnal sprint at the end. Even losing the race, however, could not spoil the good time given our crews by the school. Sickness made the week before the Exeter race rather interesting and when Exeter came down on the 23rd with three crews, MacNichol was still in the iniirmary with grippe. After a regrettable delay on the part of the Brooks seconds which kept the Exeter crew waiting in their boat, the race finally got under way. With Finley at bow and Danforth shifted to three our boat rowed well but was beaten by more than a length. In the first crew race, the Brooks boat, rowing a high stroke, picked up a length or so of open water. 26