What sport did Holden manage at Pencey Prep?

Holden Caulfield managed fencing at Pencey Prep. Before leaving the school, he was responsible for the fencing team’s equipment during a trip to New York, but he accidentally left the team’s foils and other gear on the subway. As a result, the team could not compete, adding to Holden’s reputation as an irresponsible student.

The fencing episode appears near the beginning of J. D. Salinger’s novel and helps establish Holden’s tendency to drift into mistakes while feeling alienated from the institutions around him. Pencey presents itself as a disciplined preparatory school, yet Holden sees much of its adult leadership and student culture as “phony.”

A common mix-up is assuming Holden played or coached a mainstream team sport such as football or baseball. He did not manage a ball-sport team; fencing is a combat sport involving specialized equipment, which is why leaving the gear behind immediately created a practical crisis. Holden’s expulsion from Pencey follows shortly afterward, beginning his solitary journey through New York.