THE ERA OF POLARIZATION author David Halberstam, who was preparing an article for Parade Magazine, and Tiff was saying that it was too early for the Singles Trials. ‘The cherry trees have not even blossomed,’ and that showed me that he was not confident. “Halberstam considered writing something longer only after his first interviews for that Parade Magazine piece. He loved rowing himself, having rowed on a house crew at Harvard. I remember him saying after our first three-hour interview, ‘I may have enough here for a book!’7227 The result was The Amateurs, a classic in American 20th Century nonfiction. Altekruse: “From my point of view, the way that 1984 worked out was pretty unfortunate because of the timing of how it was put together. Also, the way that the Olympic boycotts washed through the system is not to be understated. We had boycotted ‘80, which meant that we had twice as many people trying out in ‘84, which is one reason why it was so hard to make the team. “The Singles Trials were packed with good scullers.”7228 Dietz: “Mr. Parker took it upon himself to seed the Olympic Trials. This was unprecedented in U.S. rowing and believed by many a tool to protect the scullers he favored.”7229 There were thirty-five entrants in the Olympic Singles Trials. After six seeded heats with one to advance and six repêchages with one to advance, all the favorites had made it to the semi-finals. In the first semi, Tiff Wood led throughout with John Biglow stalking a half length back, Joe Bouscaren another half-length 7227 Biglow, op. cit. 7228 Altekruse, personal conversation, 2009 7229 Dietz, op. cit. behind and the ageless Jim Dietz a close fourth. Rowing U.S.A.: “Coming into the last 500 meters, third place was still a question. Bouscaren seemed to have it, but with about 20 strokes to go, Dietz put on an amazing run to take back the half length that Bouscaren seemed to have on him. “As they flashed past the finish line, the general feeling in the crowd was that Dietz may have just nosed past Bouscaren, probably by inches. The videotape left the officials in a quandary. The body of [Biglow] obscured the view of [the bow balls of] the two boats. The race was declared a dead heat for third [with four advancing to the final].”7230 Sean Colgan: “Even though he definitely came fourth, Harry wanted Bouscaren in the final and unilaterally put him in. My dad7231 was the head judge and would not allow it. After a one hour fight on the Princeton bank, my dad was overruled by the Men’s Olympic Rowing Committee.”7232 Dietz: “If there was a finish line picture taken of the semi-final, it was not necessary. Mr. Colgan told me I clearly had beaten Joe. I knew it, Joe knew it, and everyone else knew that Harry had put him in the final.”7233 “Blatant interference. He never should have been allowed in the finish line area, having no official capacity.”7234 “I also remember that I was given an outside lane in the final with Joe more in the 7230 Kathryn Reith, Men’s Olympic Single Sculling Trials, Rowing U.S.A., June/July 1984, p. 37 7231 Chuck Colgan (1927-1999), University of Pennsylvania and Vesper Boat Club, a tireless rower, coach, father of rowers, referee and raconteur his entire life. 7232 Colgan, personal correspondence, 2009 7233 Dietz, personal correspondence, 2009 7234 Dietz, memorandum to Men’s Olympic Rowing Committee, September, 1984 2019
