THE SPORT OF ROWING there. We’re going to have him in the boat!’ and so this is what he did.”2103 Stan Pocock: “Al’s alleged response was, ‘Well, hell, he doesn’t pull anyway, so I might as well stick him back in.’”2104 On the day of the final race, Don was still plainly ill, but Ulbrickson had made his decision. Hume would race. The Final www.huskycrew.com: “The six-crew final was in the afternoon. Washington was assigned lane 6, based on the German officials’ decision to position the slowest qualifiers in the most protected lanes. (This was challenged by the Americans, but to no avail.)” 2105 Germany, who had not been pressed in placing third in the repêchage, had been the slowest qualifier, and was assigned Lane 1. Italy, who had cruised in second behind Britain, was given Lane 2. The New York Times: “The sky was dark and sullen. A heavy crosswind kicked up the outside lane where the Americans had the misfortune to be, the elements alone handing the United States a one-length handicap right from the start. “The dangerous Italian crew and the equally dangerous German boat had protected lanes along the lee shore. “To win, Washington had to swing its sweeps harder and faster than ever before. The lads from the tall timber of the great Northwest form a low-stroking crew. They have been invincible all year by giving their shell such a run that others with higher beats have been unable to gain on them.”2106 2103 Qtd. by Scott 2104 S. Pocock, p. 33 2105 www.huskycrew,com 2106 Arthur J. Daley, Fifth Successive Olympic Eight-Oared Rowing Title is Captured by U.S., The New York Times, August 15, 1936 Hume: ‘Out in Lane 6, you’ve got a gale blowing, and Bob couldn’t get the shell lined up. He was yelling to try to straighten the shell back up in line.”2107 George Pocock: “The wind was blowing against them, and it was before the days of bullhorns, and the starter was a Belgian by the name of Bishopf, and he had a furious mustache. “The start was in French, ‘Attention, messieurs. Êtes-vous prêt? Partez!’ and all those vibrations coming through the mustache kind of screened it or stopped it. “Anyway, it was no fault of Bob’s, but he didn’t get it. He heard the British crew start with their thole pins,2108 and so Bob started, but he was last off the mark.”2109 The New York Times: “Hume brought the stroke down to a 36, and the crew went on cruise for the first 1,200 meters.”2110 “Switzerland, Britain and Germany were practically even at 500 meters. At 800, Italy was first, with the Americans last. At 1,100, Germany was in the lead, and at 1,200, it was Italy once more.”2111 Bob Moch: “I was sitting in front of Don and watching him all the way down. We got off to a slow start because we never heard the starter, so we were behind from the beginning, but we hadn’t gone more than about 500 meters when Don went completely . . . he didn’t respond at all.”2112 Hume: “I was busy, Bob. I didn’t have anything to talk to you about.”2113 Moch: “His jaw was down, his mouth was open, his eyes were closed, and at the halfway mark we were about a length and a third behind. 2107 Qtd. by Scott 2108 Thole pins make a loud noise at the entry as the oars slide to impact the bowside pin. 2109 KCTS-TV 2110 www.huskycre.,com 2111 Daley, op.cit. 2112 Qtd. by Scott 2113 Ibid. 580
