Don’t Need No DHAteration

The Technicolor Dreamcoat. The Shroud of Turin. DHAs. Not too many articles of clothing conjure the majesty and intrigue of these alluring garments, and the Harvard athletes who are privileged enough to wear the sacred grey cotton Harvard Department of Athletics sweats do so proudly. Naturally, those interested in capturing some DHA magic are legion. Non-athletes at Harvard are forced to procure DHAs through other means, and the intricate webs of girlfriends, family members and guys-that-lived-down-the-hall spun to capture these treasured swatches of fabric are staggering. These are their stories.

Andrew M. Fichte ’05 procured his DHAs the illicit way. “I stole them from a friend of mine who played baseball,” he says. “I was so much cooler than him, I deserved it much more than he did.” In light of that view, it is somewhat surprising that modesty lies behind Andrew’s DHAppreciation. “I don’t like to wear clothes that have Harvard blatantly written all over them,” he says.

Ernesto Cruz ’05 does not play a sport here at Harvard, but he was an athlete in high school, playing both varsity basketball and lacrosse. Ernesto’s DHAs were a gift from his uncle, who graduated in 2000, who got them from his roommate who was a rower. “They just have sentimental value since they were a gift,” Ernesto says, and that is why he made sure he got them back from his girlfriend after they broke up. “I bit the bullet and made her send them back,” he says. “She raised hell about it—but I got them back.”

Daniel S. Fox ’04 is a proud member of his House intramural ultimate Frisbee and football teams, and is especially proud of his frequent workouts at the MAC. But he does not play a varsity or junior varsity sport. “DHAs kinda make you look like an athlete,” Dan says, adding that they have a “nice color scheme.” As to how Dan actually got his DHAs, he says, “I did what any other self-respecting Jewish non-athlete would do—I bought them from a women’s JV lacrosse player.”

Eliot R. Hamlisch ’04 plays intramural basketball, and in high school played tennis and golf, but plays no varsity or junior varsity sport at Harvard. “I got them from a 6’9’’ swimmer because they wouldn’t fit him,” Eliot explains. What makes DHAs so special? “They’re comfortable,” Eliot says. “It’s a free sweatshirt, and they’re good to wear to class. They make you feel athletic.”

Caitlin M. Van Ness ’05 says her DHAs are “a really great conversation piece. They definitely helped me meet a lot people.” In perhaps the most involved story of DHAs-acqusition, Caitlin got her sweats as a graduation present after she got into Harvard, from the brother of the director of her high school flute group, who played football for the Crimson.