THE POCOCK GENERATION “I tried to get the stroke to go up. I kept yelling at Don to take the stroke up! Nothing happened. No response at all. Still his mouth was open, his jaw was down, his eyes were closed. Nothing happened at all! “I was frantic!”2114 Hume: “Overdramatization if I ever heard it.”2115 Moch: “I knew we were going to lose, we were so far behind, and finally I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got to do it. I’ve got to have the 7-man stroke the boat!’ and so the next stroke I was going to tell Joe to take it up. “All of a sudden, Don came up on the recovery, his jaw clapped shut, his eyes popped open, the stroke went up, and away we went. “In about 400 meters, we gained at least a length on the other crews.”2116 The New York Times: “At 1,200 meters, Moch stepped up the Washington stroke a bit to about 35, and the Americans moved into third position from fifth. “Italy was three-quarters of a length ahead of Germany, which in turn was another quarter-length ahead of the United States.”2117 www.huskycrew.com: “Meters were left, and it was at this point that Moch startled his oarsmen with his demand for their final ounce of energy.”2118 “Al Ulbrickson, the Washington Coach, bit his cigarette in two as his crew approached the finish. Then he roared out simultaneously with Bob Moch, the coxswain, ‘Now! Now! Now!’ in a last frantic plea for a final burst of power.”2119 “With about 500 meters left in the race, the lakeshore changed, depriving Germany 2114 Ibid. 2115 Ibid. 2116 Ibid. 2117 Daley, op.cit. 2118 Ibid. 2119 Ibid. and Italy of the wind shadow in which they had been rowing. The quartering headwind would now be evenly felt just at the instant that Hume and his crew began to sprint. “By now, they knew what happened when their crew sprinted. In every race in 1936 the crew had fallen behind, only to gain it all back.”2120 The New York Times: “For once, Moch lost his head a bit and went up to 36. He had timed his bid a bit too soon, but did manage to cut down that impressive margin that separated the Americans from the Italians. “Perhaps the Washington coxswain was overawed by the close race the Italians rowed with California in 1932. But this was a different Italian crew.2121 By 1,800 meters, as the home stretch in front of the packed grandstand was reached, the Huskies headed the parade. The advantage was slight, but it was sufficient. “Then suddenly the Italians, going well over 40, started to pick up, and the sight of Hitler on the boathouse balcony galvanized the Germans into action. “Both crews picked up with such astounding rapidity that Hume soon found himself even with the Italian and German stroke oars. “Only 100 yards were left, and it was at this point that Moch startled his oarsmen with the demand for their final ounce of energy. “Bob Moch, with a megaphone strapped over his face, screamed in the tired features of stroke Don Hume: ‘Higher! Higher! Give her all you’ve got!’ “Hume forgot his weariness, the ton-like weight of his oar and the exhaustion that overwhelmed him. The beat hopped from 2120 www.huskycrew.com 2121 Actually, it was the same club, but only one rower and the coxswain were holdovers from 1932. See Chapter 73. 581
