Squash Champions, Then and Now

By Kristen Watson

What do a P&S alumnus from the Class of 1932 and a third-year P&S student have in common? Besides being Harvard men? Put simply, squash. Both J. Lawrence Pool ’32 and Alexander “Marty” Clark ’00 are masters of the game played in a four-wall court with long-handled rackets and a rubber ball. Dr. Pool, professor emeritus and chairman of neurological surgery until his retirement in 1973, won the national squash champion title, strictly an amateur sport then, in 1929 and again in 1931. Mr. Clark won the men’s elite professional division of the S.L. Green Championships this past February, making him the current U.S. squash champion. Mr. Clark’s latest victory marked his third win of the championship title within four years. He originally won the title in 1995 and repeated in 1997. A Harvard graduate and top collegiate player, Mr. Clark’s highest world ranking came in 1997 at number 59. A two-time member of the USA National Men’s Team, he competed in the 1995 and 1997 world team championships. Mr. Clark, 26, has been playing squash since age 10. “I played just about every sport you can imagine growing up, but I stuck with the squash because I enjoyed it so much. I got serious because I liked the pure thrill of winning on my own and losing on my own. The feelings are so intense when playing an individual sport that it heightens the stakes.” Dr. Pool started playing squash when he was a student at St. Paul’s Prep School in Concord, N.H. He continued playing while an undergrad at Harvard under one of the best coaches in the country at the time, Harry Cowles. During his vacations, Dr. Pool was coached by George Cummings at the University Club in New York because, as he tells it, his father wanted to keep him busy-- “not just sitting around New York.” Mr. Clark keeps his squash skills honed by playing, practicing, and competing at many different things. “Whether it’s a game of backgammon or ping pong, I like to concentrate and win when I play games,” Mr. Clark says. “It is a mental exercise for me which crosses over and allows me to think more clearly when I study as well.” Mr. Clark also believes that the high level of concentration that squash demands will continually improve his skills as a physician. “I think that competing and pushing myself physically sharpens me in general,” Mr. Clark says. “If I become a surgeon, I know that I will be able to concentrate better than maybe some people who have not had similar experiences.” Dr. Pool is at work on his 14th book, which mentions this very subject--the connection he sees between playing squash and performing surgery. “When things look bad in the OR, you have to keep going, use your competitive spirit,” says Dr. Pool. “You’ve got to want to win; you’ve got to want to rack up a good score in the OR.” Dr. Pool made a generous contribution to P&S in 1986, which was used to build a new squash court in his name at Bard Hall. He says his gift made the conjoining of his two passions--P&S and racquet sports--possible. Squash is not a lucrative sport, but Mr. Clark says his sponsors (HEAD, Power Bar, and Oakley) help him through the rough spots. “These companies have been a good fit for me because I really believe in their products and they are good to me in terms of support.” The coming year will be an exciting one for Mr. Clark. He has a number of important squash events scheduled, including the Pan American Federation Games this fall in Guatemala, the U.S. nationals next March, and the Pan American Games in Canada in July 1999. Plus, he has yet to decide which path to take in his medical career. “I feel orthopedic surgery might be a natural match, but I really love children and could see myself as a pediatrician. In essence, I don’t know yet and will see what I like in this upcoming year of rotations.” Mr. Clark said he received a letter from Dr. Pool congratulating him on his victory, and the two were hoping to meet this past summer. “I have heard so much about him and I very much look forward to meeting him,” Mr. Clark says. “He seems like a great man. I hope I can keep up with his accomplishments as a wonderful doctor as well.”

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