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John Harvard's Journal

Harry Parker

September-October 2013

Harry Parker

Harry Parker

Photograph by Brett Moore/Harvard Athletic Department

The word “legend”gets applied almost indiscriminately to sports figures these days, but Harry Parker, head coach of heavyweight mens’ crew at Harvard for 51 years, was the genuine article. He may be the most successful coach in the history of American college sports: across the decades, his crews’ overall winning percentage was in excess of .800; they won 16 official and unofficial national championships, and never had a losing year. Even at age 77, Parker was still at the peak of his powers: his last three crews went undefeated in the regular season.

He did this while coping with a rare form of blood cancer that took his life on June 25. Many oarsmen regarded him as their most important teacher at Harvard. (For more on Parker, see this issues's Letters section, and the online report, “Harry Parker, Legendary Crew Coach, Dies.”)

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Four score: With Yale's Melvin Rouse II in vain pursuit, Harvard's Aidan Borguet heads for the goal line. The Crimson freshman back rushed for a series single-game record 269 yards and amassed four touchdowns on only 11 carries.
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Football 2019: Yale 50, Harvard 43

Penn's kicker, Jake Haggard, punts the football.

Doink! Harassed by Harvard’s Adam Shepherd (86), Penn’s Jake Haggard punts the ball into the back of teammate Ben Padon. The kick traveled only seven yards and the Crimson turned the miscue into a field goal.
Photograph by Tim O’Meara/The Harvard Crimson

Football 2019: Penn 24, Harvard 20

Batch Catch: Having beaten Columbia's Fara'ad McCombs, Crimson junior wide receiver James Batch prepares to reel in a first-quarter touchdown pass.

Photograph by Tim O'Meara/The Harvard Crimson

Football 2019: Columbia 17, Harvard 10