The Crimson's current winning streak is not the only big one the squad has enjoyed. The 1961-'65 squad won 47 straight matches before losing a 5-4 decision to (you guessed it) Princeton.

"While those old streaks were certainly achievements, it wasn't nearly as tough as it is to have a big winning streak today," said Dinny Adams, the Crimson captain for the 1965-'66 season.

"A lot of the teams we beat pretty easily," said Peter Brooks, a member of the squash team from 1962-'66. "There wasn't much doubt that we were going to win."

"A big streak involves a little luck," former men's Coach John Barnaby '32 said. "During our streak [in the 1960s] everything broke our way. We had three or four matches decided by one match. Part of a big winning streak is winning the close ones."

In 1971, the Crimson started another streak, rolling off 49 straight victories before falling to (who else?) Princeton, 5-4.

"We never thought about the streak," said Glen Whitman, the captain of the 1973-'74 squad. "We were out to play as well as we could.

On February 22, 1947, Yale recorded a 9-0 triumph over the Crimson, which represented the only time in Harvard squash history that the Crimson was shut out by a collegiate opponent. And the Elis' runaway victory may be explained, in part, by the fact that Harvard suspended its athletic program during World War II whereas Yale kept on playing.

"It was pitiful," Barnaby said. "We were 600 percent behind Yale [in terms of conditioning] during World War II. We improved 300 percent right after the war, but they still beat us 9-0 without taking off their sweaters."

Like their teams, the Harvard squash coaches have been consistent. In 63 years, there have been only three coaches: Harry Cowles (1922-'37), Barnaby (1937-'76) and Fish (1976-present). The three men, who also coached the men's tennis team, have combined for a 1171-368 record in both squash and tennis.

During Cowles' tenure, the Crimson dominated intercollegiate play, posting a 100-27 mark during those 14 years, only falling to club squads.

"Harry Cowles was the greatest coach in racquet history," Barnaby said. "He analyzed every facet of the game. He was just as remarkable as [basketball coach] John Wooden and [football coach] Knute Rockne. We won more championships in a minute than they did in a week."

When Cowles retired in 1937, Barnaby (who played under Cowles on both the squash and tennis teams) picked up where his mentor left off, recording a 355-95 mark during his remarkable 36-year career. Barnaby led the racquetmen to 21 Ivy League titles, 20 national intercollegiate titles, 16 national singles championships, 16 intercollegiate singles titles and 10 six-man championships. Needless to say, this kind of showing is unequalled in the annals of squash.

"Jack Barnaby was an incredible coach," Adams said. "It was unbelievable working under him. Jack would tell us if we played one point at a time we wouldn't have to worry about the match. He was right."

"Jack Barnaby was the best teacher I had at Harvard," Brooks said. "He really knew his students. He knew how to bring out the potential in all of his players."

Fish followed the same path as his mentor, Barnaby. After playing on both the squash and tennis teams for Barnaby and working under Barnaby as assistant coach for five years, Fish took over the team when Barnaby retired in 1976.