THE SPORT OF ROWING What was Joe Burk’s reaction to the Penn victory? “It’s happiness, tinged with regret. I’m happy that we won, but sorry also to see a crew with a wonderful streak like Navy’s lose.”2406 That 1955 Adams Cup victory completed a sweep of Penn’s historic cup races. The last time the Quakers had accomplished that was 1936, when Penn was still coached by none other than Rusty Callow. There was a reason Fred Lane, Stroke 1955 Penn Crew Penn did so well in 1955. According to Fred Lane, “We also had a special incentive. Right after each race that we won in the U.S. that season, Joe’s wife, Kay, one of the greatest ladies I have ever met, leaned on Joe’s training rules a little bit, and gave us ice cream!”2407 1955 Eastern Sprints Penn entered that year’s Eastern Sprints as the top seed. Lane recalls, “The Sprints were on the Potomac in 1955, and I know you’re supposed to give your all in a race, but we were just floating on air down there.”2408 Six-seat Frank Betts ‘57: “In my mind, that was probably our greatest race. We were dead last after a disastrous start, almost at a standstill after a couple of crabs. “After restarting, we overtook the field and began passing boats with about 1,000 2406 Associated Press, May 7, 1955 2407 Lane, op. cit. 2408Crocco, personal correspondence, 2005 1955 University of Pennsylvania Heavyweight Men’s Eight 1990 Reunion at Henley Bow Joe Burk (coach), 2 Harry Parker, 3 Eliot Daniel, 4 George Hermann, 5 Tom Friend, 6 Frank Betts, 7 Bruce Crocco, Stroke Fred Lane, Coxswain J.L. “Fox” DeGursé meters to go. It felt like we were gaining a seat on every stroke. “I wonder what our stroke count was.”2409 Lane: “It wouldn’t surprise me if records showed that we sprinted the last 500 meters at 40.”2410 Betts: “I remember my exhilaration at winning was diminished by learning that we had missed setting the course record by fractions of a second – unbelievable!2411 1955 IRA Seven-seat Bruce Crocco ‘56 adds: “After we beat Navy and won the Sprints and decided to go to Henley, a reporter from Sports Illustrated started following us around. We were undefeated, and of course, they expected us to win the IRA.”2412 2409 Betts, personal correspondence, 2005 2410 Lane, op. cit. 2411 Betts, op. cit. 2412 Crocco, op. cit. 668
