THE ERA OF POLARIZATION Altekruse: “We had fifteen people invited to the Camp. We went through the schedule for the summer, and I said to Harry, ‘How are we going to do this? How are we going to have a training camp for three or four weeks, go to race in Lucerne and come back and do the Olympic Trials two weeks later?’ “He said to me, ‘Charlie, that’s for me to worry about. I’m the coach,’ in perfect sort of Harry Parker style.”7258 Halberstam: “Some of the oarsmen, Jim Dietz among them, did not like Harry Parker and knew that he did not like them. If most of the oarsmen called him ‘Harry’ and spoke of him as a kind of rowing deity, Dietz referred to him as ‘Parker’ and thought of him as an enemy.”7259 Dietz: “At the Camp in Hanover, there were two different groups that trained separately: the group that Harry favored, and then the second group that I was in with, those never under consideration. I was the only singles finalist not in the mix. “I knew before even going to Hanover that Harry would never seat race me or let me row with the better scullers. That’s why I soon left.”7260 Enquist: “Racing started Tuesday, May 15. Group A was Brad, Tiff, Charlie A., Joe, Bill Purdy and me. Almost every combination was put together with the exception of Brad and Tiff. On Thursday, May 17, I was paired with Tiff. During the first six minute piece, I strained a muscle in my left forearm. As the forearm fatigued during pieces, I would start to lose my grip. It was a big problem for me the rest of the camp and to a point, the rest of the summer. “Sean and Charlie Bracken joined this group on Tuesday afternoon, May 22. Then on Friday, May 25, Jack Frackelton and 7258 Altekruse, op. cit. 7259 Halberstam, p. 161 7260 Dietz, op. cit. Ridgley joined, and we had the final ten of the camp.”7261 Dietz: “Mr. Parker informed Group ‘B’ after one week that Group ‘A’ was unchallengeable, and he had no intention of mixing the groups before the next day’s cuts. His reason was that Group ‘A’ had proven their ability throughout the year. The following day he made his cuts and kept S. Colgan and C. Bracken – all others were out. Two hours later he decided to keep R. Johnson and J. Frackelton. This did nothing for the morale or the psyche of these men or for those who were cut, who believed Mr. Parker was keeping them for the sole purpose of preventing challenge boats from forming. “That day, Mr. Parker left for the Harvard-Yale Race and did not return for one week.”7262 Colgan: “It was not that stressful. I loved it. What, seat racing every day??? Bring it on! “Through the entire camp, I had my work sent from Philly by courier. While everyone else napped between practices, I was on the phone and doing paperwork. I did not need the rest. I needed my mind doing something else. I still have to play golf in under 2.5 hours. There is always too much to do in life.”7263 The first task of the camp was to select a double that would compete in Europe and then come back and take on all comers at the Doubles Trials. The fastest combination before the Singles Trials had been Biglow and Enquist, but that possibility had been eliminated when Biglow had already made the Olympic Team as the single sculler. Another obvious pairing was Lewis and Enquist, the 1983 sixth-place U.S. Double. 7261 Enquist, op. cit. 7262 Dietz, memorandum to Men’s Olympic Rowing Committee, September, 1984 7263 Colgan, op. cit. 2025
