THE SPORT OF ROWING Joe Burk and Harry Parker Joe Burk had been Harry’s coach at Penn and beyond,4642 and Harry’s respect for Joe was unbounded. Nevertheless, there was an intense competition between the two. That competition started in 1959 as they sculled side by side, Harry in his prime and Joe an ancient 45 years old. Day after day, Joe proved himself the faster sculler.4643 The competition continued when Harry became the Harvard coach. Dick Viall, ‘66 Penn Captain: “I recall the Adams Cup was in Philadelphia my senior year. Harvard lost the frosh race to Penn, while the jayvee and varsity went to Harvard in close races. At the boathouse in front of me, Joe Burk went up to congratulate Harry. Harry’s comment was, ‘That settles a few old scores.’ “I was stunned. It has haunted me ever since. Harry could not put on a gentlemanly face even for his former coach and mentor. Beating Joe’s crews was personal! “In many respects, Joe’s crews lacked the killer instinct because Joe never coached in those terms. If you were prepared and rowed a good race, you might win. Winning with Joe came from hard work, hopefully reaching but not exceeding your potential. “BUT, Harry was ALL about winning. He had great material, but his objective was to WIN!”4644 On his deathbed in 2008, 93-year-old Joe Burk was reflecting on his life with his daughter, Kathy. Out of the blue, he said, “Harry won all his races . . . but I beat Harry.”4645 The competition between these two proud men ran wide and deep on both sides, and it never ended! The Road to Mexico City After so painfully losing the 1964 between them Olympic Trials to Allen Rosenberg’s Vesper crew, the overriding priority around Newell Boathouse for the next four years became the next Olympics. “The Harvard crews won numerous international regattas during the mid-1960s, but only one goal really mattered to Harry: earning the right to represent the United States at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.”4646 A Mexico City Olympics travel poster was up in the boathouse for the entire quadrennial, and, in retrospect, Harry Parker’s four-year buildup to the Games appears incredibly focused and disciplined. Paul Hoffman, 1968 Harvard coxswain: “I spent a year after prep school at Bryanston School in England (where I coxed the First VIII and coached after term) so that I could come to Harvard as a member of the Class of 1968 and thus be around for the Olympic Year (one of the few really good planning exercises of my life). “My first day at Harvard I walked into the freshman locker room and put up that Mexico City poster. I thought there should be no doubt as to what we were aiming for. Everyone got the message.”4647 The undefeated 1965 season and appearance at Henley4648 formed the first step. In 1966, Harvard oarsmen rowing as Union B.C. gained valuable international experience representing the United States in the eights at the World Championships in Bled, Yugoslavia. Three of the eventual 4642 See Chapters 65 and 66. 4643 See Chapter 66. 4644 Viall, personal correspondence, 2007 4645 McCaffrey, personal conversation, 2008 4646 www.wikipedia.org 4647 Hoffman, personal correspondence, 2008 4648 See Chapter 100. 1286
