THE SPORT OF ROWING T. Gary Rogers Rowing Center Collection 1932 Olympic Eights Final Alamitos Bay 1 USA 6:37.6, 2 ITA 6:37.8, 3 CAN 6:40.4, 4 GBR 6:40.8 USA (background, Lane 1) and Italy (Lane 4) have just crossed the finish line. Canada (Lane 2) and Great Britain (Lane 3) are approaching the line. “Italy now carried its stroke up to 41 in the effort to cut down this lead, and Great Britain and Canada were fighting it out a half-length back. “At 1,200 meters, Italy and the United States were catching almost stroke for stroke, and with nothing to choose between them, they continued in a dead heat to 1,500 meters. [Film indicates a U.S. lead of nearly half a length at 1,200m.] “Now came the real drama of the race as the four coxswains all prepared for the des- perate finish. “Italy was at 41 and the United States at 39 as they approached the 1,700 meter mark. “Italy went to 43, and the United States to 42. “Still higher went the stroke, and Cana- da and Great Britain, close on the heels of the leaders, sent their beats up, too. “Those last few hundred yards were about as torturous and spellbinding as any race could possibly be. “Neck and neck the American and Ital- ian boats, both hard-catching, short-stroking, came down the lagoon in an absolute dead heat, both of them hitting a terrific beat of 40 or over, with Canada and Great Britain churning the water furiously in a frantic ef- fort to overtake them. “It looked to be anybody’s race with 200 meters to go. “Less than 100 meters from the end, the prow of the Italian shell crept inch-by-inch ahead as Renato Barbieri1983 carried the stroke up to 42, and the multitudes shrieked imploringly, feeling that all was lost. “Little Norrie Graham, a legendary cox- swain after his performance this day and all year, was hammering on the sides of his shell, tyrannically urging his crew on, and Salisbury, taking his count from him, kept increasing the rate until it stood at 44, with the men behind him taking up the stroke in perfect unison. “Almost like a miracle, the American shell was seen to pick up on the blue-shirted Italians and the crowd went completely wild 1983 Danzig and the Olympic organizers had the lineup backwards. Barbieri was the bow-seat, not the stroke. 542
