THE SPORT OF ROWING As they reach the Barrier, the Germans are leading by a canvas. Pennsylvania is striking 32 and the Germans 34. Barrier time 2:06. As they reach Fawley, the Germans are still leading by a canvas, both crews striking 31. Fawley time 3:29. We will turn you over to the Remenham Club . . . This is the Remenham Club speaking. Pennsylvania is now closing up, and as crews pass here, Pennsylvania is leading by a canvas, Pennsylvania striking at 36, the Germans at 33. Over to the enclosure. Coach Al Lawn: “At the mile mark, the lead had increased to half a length. Our lightweights were gaining on each stroke and carrying a beautiful run on the boat as they swept by the Stewards’ Enclosure. “At the finish line, Pennsylvania was a good length ahead and timed at 7:19. They had accomplished something that no other Pennsylvania crew had ever been able to do and were proud possessors of the famous Thames Challenge Cup, in competition since 1868.”2397 Kendall: “Our time difference to the Grand winner [only three seconds slower] stood for twenty years thereafter, and that Grand-winning crew, Lady Margaret Boat Club,2398 later won the European Championships held that summer in Mâcon, France.”2399 The next week the crew participated in the 61st Annual Hamburger Inter- nationale Ruder-Regatta in Hamburg, Germany. On Saturday they won the race for second eights over Mühlheimer Ruder- Gesellschaft, Lübecker Ruder-Gesellschaft and Akademischer RV Kiel, and on Sunday they participated unofficially in the race for lightweight eights because they were a little bit heavy. They beat RC Allemannia 2397 Lawn, op. cit. 2398 See Chapter 76. 2399 Kendall, op. cit. Hamburg, Bremer Ruderverein and Rudergesellschaft Kassel. 1952 Lightweights Al Lawn left his position as volunteer coach after Henley, and the Lightweights were turned back to Penn Heavyweight Freshman coach Dick Jordan, the man who had coached them until1951. Bill Katterman ‘52, 3-seat: “For the 1952 season, the Lightweights practiced with the Freshmen. However, there were times when we would practice at ‘first light’ because our pre-meds and engineering students had labs, and most of the time Dick Jordan would be there. “For most of our races we were ‘on our own’ since Dick would accompany Joe and the Heavies. I recall only the first race on the Harlem when Cup schedules put the Lights and Heavies together. After that and straight through the Championships at Princeton, we were coachless. [The crew arrived at the Sprints undefeated and successfully defended its 1951 title.] It was not until we were preparing for Henley (and I had already left the boat for the U.S. Navy) that Dick really became our full-time coach again. “Dick Jordan was a very laid back guy with a bawdy sense of humor. He gave us encouragement and motivation, and that’s all we really needed!”2400 Eventually, the Penn Lightweight win streak would stretch to twenty-three races, including a successful defense of the Thames Challenge Cup at Henley in 1952. So in the first few years of the Joe Burk era at Penn, the Lightweights led the way, and it was Rusty Callow’s former assistant (and Joe’s 1930s teammate) Dick Jordan who largely determined the technique. 2400 Katterman, personal correspondence 2006 664
