Courtney, Charles E.
Rowing
b. 1849, Union Springs, NY
d. July 17, 1920
Undefeated in 88 races as an amateur, Courtney won the national association single sculls championship in 1875 and the amateur championship at the 1876 Columbian Exposition in Philadelphia. He turned professional in 1878 to meet the great Canadian champion, Ned Hanlan, before 20,000 spectators at Lachine, Quebec. Hanlan won the 5-mile race and a $10,000 prize.
A rematch was scheduled at Lake Chautauqua, NY, for a $6,000 prize in 1879, but it never took place. Hanlan's boat was sawed in half the night before the race and he declined offers of other boats. Some thought that Hanlan's supporters had destroyed the boat, but others suspected Courtney had done it himself to avoid another loss.
The two finally met again on the Potomac River in 1880, resulting in another controversy. Hanlan took an enormous lead and Courtney dropped out, turning his boat around to return to the start/finish line before Hanlan reached the turning post. Many spectators thought Courtney was winning, but Hanlan passed him once more and crossed the finish line ahead of him.
In 1884, Cornell University hired Courtney as rowing coach, drawing criticism from the New York Times, which editorialized, "If college boys cannot learn to row without associating with persons like Courtney, perhaps they would be quite as well off if they devoted a little more time to classics and mathematics and a little less to rowing."
The first full-time professional coach hired by any college in any sport, Courtney remained at Cornell through 1916. His crews won 98 meets and lost 46, including 14 of 24 championship races at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta, which was established in 1895.