Murr Center
65 N. Harvard
Street
Boston, MA
Home of Harvard Squash and
Tennis
Harvard's Murr Center opened in May of
1998. While the building houses the state-of-the-art facilities for
the squash and tennis teams, it services the entire intercollegiate
program -it is a centrally-located home for the department's
administration, and also houses a newly-revamped strength and
conditioning facility that serves as a training ground for
Harvard's 41 varsity teams. The dedication plaque in the front
lobby reads "Michael C. Murr '73, MBA '75, Longtime friend of
Harvard, whose vision and generosity offer new generations of
Harvard men and women the opportunity to realize their athletic
potential."
The showpiece of the Murr Center is
its Lee Family Hall of Athletic History. Along the walls is a
timeline of the Crimson's long and rich athletic tradition, and
there are also free-standing displays of the proud tradition of the
nation's oldest - and largest - Division I athletic program. This
space is available to be rented for functions or events.
The Murr Center tennis courts, a
state-of-the-art complex complete with spectator seating, received
a 1999 USTA Facility Award which recognizes high standards in
public tennis facilities. Its six indoor courts, combined with the
18-court Beren outdoor facility gives the tennis teams arguably the
finest facilities in the Northeast.
For directions and parking
information, click here.
The Murr Center also houses 16
international-size squash courts, giving Harvard a home deserved of
its stature as one of the nation's top programs. Now Harvard boasts
the finest college squash facility in the country, complete with
five feature courts that accommodate close to 1,000 spectators. And
its location, adjacent to Harvard Stadium, ties it into the
framework of Harvard's athletic landscape.
For more than six decades, squash
events took place at Hemenway Gymnasium near the Law School. But
with the sport changing to softball in recent years and with the
old Hemenway Courts being of smaller size, neither Crimson squad
had been able to host a match and the teams even traveled off
campus to practice on regulation courts.
The gallery above the
court is named for long-time Crimson squash mentor John
("Jack") M. Barnaby II '32. Barnaby served as head coach of the
Harvard men's squash program from 1937 to 1976, and won 17 national
team championships while accumulating an incredible record of
346-95 (.785) in those 36 seasons. He then returned to head the
women's program for three seasons from 1979-82, and his teams went
28-4 (.875). Barnaby's combined coaching record for both programs
was 374-99 (.791) in 39 seasons. He also served as head coach of
the Harvard men's tennis team for nearly 40 years and led the
Crimson to 371 wins. In honor of Barnaby's unending dedication to
Harvard racquet sports over the past half-century, the gallery
is officially named the John M. Barnaby II Squash and Tennis
Galleries.
Murr Facility Hours
Tennis and Squash Court Hours
Facilities Overview Page
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