The Boys in the Boat

There’s a movie that came out Christmas Day, 2023 called “The Boys in the Boat.” It’s an incredible true story based on the novel by the same name, written by Daniel James Brown. In part, the story of a rowing team from the University of Washington trying to make the Olympics held in Berlin in 1936. If you didn’t go to the movie, then I highly encourage you to read the book (which will probably be better as books usually are) as there is so much to the story that draws some amazing parallels that seem to hit home as the world sits today.

Rowing is likely the most physically demanding sport one can participate in. That’s a bold statement and I’m sure somebody will argue with me, but my dad was a rower. Mostly singles and doubles and he competed out of the St. Paul Rowing Club in his high school years at regatta’s all over the US and Canada. Back in those days, most boats were incredibly thin, fragile, handmade works of art. In the book, the most famous boat builder was George Pocock, who built boats for all the winning teams, and was enlisted to build one for the University of Washington. My dad’s rowing partner (his brother Jim) was given a George Pocock single and he raced it many times. At some point in his life, he donated it to the rowing club, and it hangs there yet today on Raspberry Island.  

My dad’s favorite story of one of their races was, I believe, at the School Boy Doubles where they faced off against both high school and college teams on the Niagra river in 1957. They were well behind at about the halfway point, and my uncle Jim was pissed. He sat behind my dad, and finally told him, “Tom, if you don’t start rowing, I’m going to spit on your back.” My dad believed him, and they won by 3 lengths. 

Here’s a couple photos of the brothers I thought you might like.