I knew nothing about crew until I entered GU in '58 and a friend who rowed in prep school told me about the crew being formed by guys in the Class of '61, so he and I joined and began rowing in the spring of '59. We were told that GU had a boathouse and crew in the past, but the boathouse had been washed away in a flood 50 years prior and Georgetown had no crew since then. We were using W & L High School shells and oars, wearing shirts bought at the bookstore, raising our own funds and busting our butts.

That spring we went to NYC to race Fordham (staying there Fri night and partying with girls from The College of New Rochelle at the NYAC boathouse Sat night) and our freshman boat beat them (giving us the excuse for the party). If I am recalling this correctly, that made us the first boat in over 50 years to win a race for Georgetown. At least that's the story I've been telling for years.

Attached is a newspaper photo of the 1961 1st boat that I found in a trunk in my parents' attic after they died and we were cleaning out the house. I think I'm the only guy from the Class of '62 in that boat. Unfortunately my crew career came to an abrupt halt just prior to the '62 Dad Vail due to a cyst at the base of my spine that prevented me from sitting, much less rowing.

I read the account compiled by Ed Witman and Butch Cassidy with respect to the first win of the Georgetown crew in 1959. I defer to Butch’s recollection of what transpired on that particular day. I am sure he has a lot better memory than I do.

That being said, I am enclosing portions of correspondence back home in 1959, including one dated February 28, 1959, in which the Fordham was initially mentioned as being off in the future (possibly May), together with a “big regatta” which probably was the Dad Vail. There then is another letter dated April 23, 1959, in which the crew was looking for money to support the team. Most likely, Don Cadle purchased the television on which the various chances were sold. We also had landscaping projects around his house which, in exchange for work by members of the crew, he contributed money to cover the crew’s budget.

Lastly, I am enclosing* the portion of a letter dated April 28, 1959. It refers to the fact that we won our crew race on Saturday (April 25, 1959). However, the frosh and varsity lost. That may not have been Fordham, although it was late in April. Possibly, the Dad Vail and probably the Fordham race preceded that.

It is great what you are doing and I admire your efforts. Crew motivated me to help establish a women’s rowing program at St. Ignatius High School in Chicago which resulted in several of the gals rowing for Big 10 schools and one rowing in the National Championship and eventually on The Thames.