Chapter 4:

1961 - 1961

Going Undefeatd

Jay O'Brien in 1962

The Fall of 1961 marked the ascendancy of the class of ’63. Vacancies in the varsity boat left by the graduation of “The Originals of ’61” [1] might naturally have been filled by new seniors of ’62, but because of the unusually high attrition among the members of that class, Jay O’Brien[2] would be the only senior in the varsity boat of ’62; in fact he was the only senior on the entire squad that year. But their youth was a good omen for a varsity that been undefeated in the regular season and had been bested only by Brown and Amherst in last spring’s final of the Dad Vail. The new varsity would have the two seasons of ’62 and ’63 to improve before they lost any members (except Jay O’Brien) to graduation. And with Cadle in charge, they would improve.[3]

To make the most of the time and equipment he had, Cadle began a fall rowing program that afforded the freshman recruits the opportunity to learn to row before the spring. From now on, Crew would be a three season sport: fall practices, winter workouts in the gym, and racing in the spring.[4] After the departure of Thor Hansen, Bob Remuzzi, Al DiFiore and Jack Galloway stepped up to assist in running this expanded schedule of activities.[5] As two of the “Originals,” Al and Goose need no introduction.

Jack Galloway, a more recent

image taken at the Dad Vail

Bob Remuzzi in 1961

Ye Domesday Book

Jack Galloway was a Philadelphia oarsman who had rowed through high school and then four years at LaSalle, rowing in their Dad Vail champion eight in 1957.[6] Together Jack and Al would take care of the freshmen during the afternoons, allowing Don to focus on the Varsity & JV in the mornings; Goose served as rigger, manager and driver for the crews.

As later events would reveal, Cadle had more long term plans to improve his Crew. He knew he had a varsity squad with championship potential, but the plain fact was that the varsity boat could seat only eight of the largest and strongest rowers out of a pool of more than fifty hardworking guys. Too many would never be able to compete fairly for one of those seats because they simply were not big enough. What Georgetown needed was a Lightweight Crew for smaller guys willing to make weight (maximum of 155.)[7] Of course a lightweight crew would need a coach and a lightweight shell, so that fall Cadle began to plan accordingly; and in mid-April, as the season was just getting underway, a new lightweight eight[8] arrived at the boat house to accommodate the increasing number of crews, and eventually, the nascent lightweight crew.

The Spring of ‘62

Just how good the new young Varsity Hoyas[9] might be, became apparent in their first outing April 7th on the Schuylkill against St. Joe’s, GW, and American. Coxed by Paul Ritter and stroked by Jim Mietus, the crew trailed a bit off the line rowing through rough water and a stiff headwind, but they quickly caught and passed St. Joe’s and moved out to a length lead by the midpoint of the course. Extending that lead over the remainder of the course, Mietus approached the head of Peters Island at a smooth and conservative 32spm, and then took the beat up to 40spm for the final quarter to win by an impressive four lengths over St. Joes, with American and GW even farther back. Despite the adverse conditions, the winning time was a solid 6:47.6, with St. Joe’s clocking 7:03.9, and American at 7:17.6.

There were similarly satisfying results from the JV [10] and freshmen. In a race the HOYA[11] accurately described as “a runaway”

Georgetown coxswain Doug “Tiger” Sergeant and stroke Jack Michael got their team off to a fast start and then poured it on for an eight length victory over St. Joe’s with a time of 7:00.8. The Hawk’s distant second place finish was in the time of 7:25.9 and American U. followed in 7:50.7.

Georgetown began this sweep earlier in the afternoon on an official’s ruling. GU had both its first and second freshman boats in the race against St. Joe’s and GW’s frosh, but the results at the finish line were disappointing. St. Joe’s came in (7:15.4) two and a half lengths ahead of the Hoya’s first freshmen stroked by Linc Hoffman, followed by the second boat and GW. But then the referee George Hines motored up to the grandstand and reported that he was disqualifying the St Joe’s crew for cutting into Georgetown’s lane. So the official result had Georgetown’s freshmen first and second, and GW third.[12]

The Hoya April 12, 1962

Washington Post sports headline, April 15, 1962

The next Saturday, April 14th, the Hoya crew returned to the Schuylkill and repeated their winning performance by beating LaSalle. This was not a sweep however since the freshman lost to an Explorer eight that would go through their season undefeated and then take the Dad Vail (thus spoiling the chances for a Georgetown sweep at the Vail four weeks later.)

Easter came very late that year (April 22nd,) so the next race was at home on the Potomac, against St. John’s on Wednesday the 25th. Another victory for the big boat. Winning was becoming a regular habit as the crews looked forward to the Dad Vail.

The 1962 3rd Varsity crew: L to R: Carlos Sarmento

Kevin Kelly cox, Vince Bova and Frank Gunnip

Rear: Dan Ebert, John Harrington, Bob Frederick

Byron Sigg and Joachim (Kim) Esteve

Post 6May1962

Post, 29Apr1962

The following Saturday, there was no sweep, but the Varsity, 3rd varsity, and freshman eights all won by comfortable margins over an outclassed Drexel squadron on the “upstream” course. In the first race of the afternoon, the GU 3rd Varsity,[13] which included several future Hoya standouts, won their race against Howard’s Varsity, by three lengths, 7:28 over 7:41.5.

Stepping up against the Drexel 3rd varsity, the GU 2nd freshmen had a tougher time, losing to the older guys who came in at 7:04 ahead of 7:11.5.

The Hoya first freshmen[14] made the trip from the Three Sisters to the finish in 7:15.7, far ahead of the Drexel yearlings who crossed in 7:40.7, trailed by GW a length back in 7:44.5.

The JV race promised to be a true test since both the GU and Drexel crews left the dock undefeated. The start went well, until the Hoya 4 oar caught a crab and was thrown over the side, never a good thing. Still, despite the loss of power, the crew managed to regain its composure and complete the course less than two lengths back of Drexel at 7:08.5 over GU in 7:15.6; American U’s JV drifted down in third place in the astonishingly slow time of 7:55.

In the varsity race, the undefeated Hoyas[15], now stroked by Dave Casey, lined up against the crews of Drexel, American and GW. Conditions on the “frothy Potomac” were less than ideal, but:

The Hoya eight, clipping over the whitecaps with a steady 36-per-minute stroke ran away from Drexel, the second boat, and finished with a five length lead. The time was a strong 6:17 for the mile and a quarter upstream course.[16]

The reporter for the Post was being overly kind to the vanquished; the times tell of an even wider margin: Drexel came in 41 seconds back in 6:58, American in 3rd at 7:07, and GW last at 7:14.

In a regatta that would become known as the “DC Area Championship” for the Styron Cup, Georgetown enjoyed their last tune-up before the Dad Vail. On May 5th, Howard, George Washington, and American U sent their crews up river to challenge the Hoyas. Yet another sweep was in the making as the Georgetown boats again raced down to easy victories in all four events despite Coach Cadle’s decision to give his second boats the challenge of racing above their nominal classes.

10 May '62 Hoya lauds the crew in article and editorial ('Stan-Point')

Leading off the afternoon’s program, the GU 2nd freshmen[17] far outdistanced GW’s 1st freshman: 7:21 over 8:06. Then the 3rd varsity[18] did the same to American U’s JV in a time of 7:21 over 7:52.

For the last two races, Cadle entered his JV[19] in the Varsity race, and then, as an exercise, rowed the Varsity against the first freshmen simply for the fun of challenging the frosh. Not surprisingly, the Varsity[20] finished ahead, but mercifully, no times were given.

So again, as in 1961, the regular season concluded with the Hoya Varsity undefeated. But everyone knew that no matter how successful their season had been so far, it would mean little without a culminating victory in the Dad Vail, and so the next seven days were counted down with a determination to realize the goal that had escaped them last May. This would be their year.

The Dad Vail, May 12^th, 1962

The ’62 Dad Vail included the largest field yet with twenty one varsities, 12 JV’s, and 11 freshman crews. To make the river traffic even more hectic, Penn was hosting MIT and Navy in a noontime Callow Cup[21] regatta scheduled in between the Vail’s morning heats and afternoon finals. As a result, the crowd for the finals was large, loud, and “lagered-up”: lanes 7 and 6, closest to the eastern shore line were strewn with beer cans tossed at the crews by the inebriated spectators; fortunately however, they did not interfere with the races.

The Morning Heats

There were three varsity heats (with first two to qualify for the final, and the next two to the consolation race.) In the first heat Marietta (6:38.4) narrowly edged out Amherst (6:39.2) and LaSalle (6:43.4); Marist, Wayne State, American U, and Howard trailed. But since Amherst was disqualified, LaSalle advanced to the final.

In the second heat, St. Joe’s (6:36.7) and Purdue (6:39.8) qualified; Rollins, Fordham, GW, Clark, and SUNY of Long Island followed.

Georgetown had to wait until the third heat to qualify easily in the fastest time of the morning, 6:34.8, followed by Trinity (6:42.8) Drexel, Iona (disqualified), St. John’s, Western Ontario, and American International.

The JV heats, GU also qualified by placing first (6:43.9,) well ahead of Drexel (6:50.1) and St. Joe’s (6:54.5). In the earlier heat, Amherst (6:47.8) came in ahead of Marietta (6:53) and LaSalle (6:58.3.)

There were two six boat heats for the freshman crews with the first three to qualify. To enhance his freshman squad’s experience, Don entered his 2nd freshman eight in the first heat;[22] they didn’t qualify, coming in 5th (in 7:23.1) behind LaSalle (6:44.8,) St. Joes’s (6:48.8,) St. John’s (7:12.2,) and Trinity (7:16.2,) but ahead of American International (7:32.3.)

Fortunately, the first freshman[23] fared better by easily out racing the rest of the field in 7:01.3. The other qualifiers were Fordham (7:11.9) and Purdue (7:12.1.)

The 1962 Freshman boat at the Dad Vail

L to R: Ben Domenico, Rory Quirk, Jerry Foust, Charlie

Carozza, Jay Scully, Pete Blyberg, Bob Kaeding

Linc Hoffman, Russ LaMantia, cox

The Finals

The victorious 1962 JV crew: Rear: Pete Reyburn

Dean Conley, Bob Valerian,Jack Michael, Cadle

Front:Bill Allen, Dan Ebert, Marc O'Brien, Mark Pisano

Doug Sergeant

In the freshman final, the LaSalle yearlings closed out their undefeated season by cruising down their home course in 6:48.4, more than two lengths ahead of the Hoyas in 6:56.9, thus preempting a hoped-for Georgetown sweep. Following the GU frosh came St. Joe’s (7:03,) Purdue (7:12) Fordham (7:21.5) and St. John’s (7:28.4.)

From then on the day belonged to the Don Cadle’s Hoyas. The JV final provided the only real excitement when the Georgetown eight[24] had to hold off a late challenge from Amherst. The GU crew had comfortable length lead coming down the stretch, but then Amherst took up the stroke and began to close. But the Hoyas were not to be denied as stroke Jack Michael responded to the challenge to hold a narrowed but still safe lead at the finish line: 6:49 over Amherst’s 6:50.4. Drexel (6:53.9) came in third, followed by Marietta (6:58.3,) St. Joe’s (7:02.6,) and LaSalle (7:08.1.)

In the consolation race Rollins won (6:47.9) over Fordham (6:50.3) with Drexel, Wayne State, Marist, and St. John’s following.

Now the time had come for the Varsity Final, the moment the Georgetown Crew had been looking forward to since Don had first brought them to the Dad Vail in 1960. In the two years after that 9th place showing, the varsity had lost only one race – in last year’s Vail final. Since then they had improved and were once again undefeated. But this year’s final would be different; this time they knew they would win. The race itself was a demonstration of how far Georgetown rowing had come from the days of “The Shrimp Boat” and “the Care Package.”

As described by Dr. V.T. Bradley[25] in the following year’s (1963) Dad Vail program:

Competing for the third time, and elected to membership in the association only the previous evening, Don Cadle’s Hoya’s crews served notice that they may well take over as the major power among the lesser rowing colleges. . .

Rowing in the high thirties, and leading all the way, the beautifully conditioned Georgetown varsity won by three lengths over Ralph Lindamood’s previously undefeated Marietta.

Even without being pushed, the Hoyas[26] came across the line in the fastest time of the two day regatta: 6:34.6, chased by a tight pack of pursuers: Marietta (6:46.1,) Trinity (6:47.9,) St.Joe’s (6:48,) LaSalle (6:55.7) and Purdue (6:57.4.)

The Washington Post May 13, 1962 pictures GU's clear victory

The Boat Burning, May 15^th

'62 GU Varsity Crew at Boat Burning

L to R: Jack Hoeschler, Mike Mullin, Jay O'Brien, Jim Mietus

Don Cadle, Carl Haeger, Fred Vollbrecht, Dave Casey and Pat Doyle

The 1962 Dad Vail Championship was, with little room for argument, the highpoint for Georgetown rowing in its first decade. And to celebrate the occasion Don managed to obtain a decrepit 40 year old shell from Old Dominion Boat Club in Alexandria, Virginia, and brought it up to the parking lot in front of McDonough Gymnasium. This was one of the English traditions Cadle had brought to Georgetown, the celebration of an undefeated season by burning a shell. So after the annual Athletic Awards Banquet[27], the Hoya Crew gathered with its student supporters, carefully doused the old boat with kerosene, and set it ablaze.

The season of ’62 came to a very happy close that night. Jay O’Brien would graduate from the crew, but his junior mates would be back to build on their success and extend the undefeated streak next year in 1963.

Washington Post, May 15, 1962

As a somewhat regretful postscript to this championship year, Coach Cadle announced that despite earning invitations to race in the Eastern Sprints and the IRA[28] the Hoyas would not be able to make it to either regatta. As reported in the Washington Evening Star:

Cadle last year set up a “three year plan” to build a good crew and acquire the necessary equipment to become a major rowing school. “It would cost us $1,500 for the Eastern Sprints and $3,500 to enter the IRA,” Cadle explained. “We would rather concentrate on building up our equipment than stage a fund drive for these races.”

The three year plan would come to fruition in 1964 when the Georgetown Lightweight Crew did go to the Eastern Sprints, and took first place in the consolation race, an impressive showing for a crew in only its first year of competition and its first year at the Sprints.

[1] Of the nine seniors who graduated, five came from the ’61 Dad Vail Varsity: Al DiFiore, Frank Barrett, Jim Fitzgerald, Mike O’Brien and Don Whamond, and two from the JV: Bob Remuzzi and Bill Prest. The others were Wilfred Blanchett and Joe Masterson.

[2] Jay O’Brien was also President of the crew in 1961-62, succeeding his older brother Mike in that office.

[3] The term “Varsity” may be somewhat misleading in this pre-season context in that it seems to imply a fixity in boatings that were in fact and in principle, quite fluid. Dean Conley ’64 clarifies the situation:

There were not two “squads,” varsity and JV, but two boatings that mutually shifted members during the season (with)in ONE “varsity” squad.

The basic structure of the rowing program . . . might best be characterized as having two major divisions: a freshman crew and a varsity crew. . . The freshman team was separate and consisted of members in their freshman academic year – and operated as such. The Varsity, consisting of “players” in the other three academic years, was a separate, but unified pool of individuals within which there was a “junior varsity” classification. For the Georgetown Crew, as for other programs at that time, the “JV” was the “second string” Varsity – not a separate “team” as a whole. JV meant “second varsity” or “B” boat with other Varsity boats “below” that (third varsity, etc.)

Cadle’s training program involved “internal competition” for seats in each level of the overall varsity crew. Thus there was not a “set” varsity boat from the beginning of the racing season. Seating changed – or could change – on a daily basis. Those in the JV boat were always in a position for competing to move up by displacing someone in the varsity or down by being displaced by someone in the 3^rd varsity.

. . . Cadle certainly projected an image that nobody’s seat was “safe.”

[4] Three seasons would become four the next year when Cadle set sights on the ’64 Olympic Trials and commenced summer rowing in 1963 to prepare. From then on, rowing summers became something like a rite of passage for Hoya oarsmen. See “The Romance of Raunch.”

[5] Bob “The Goose” Remuzzi was starting his first year at GU Medical School, while Al and Jack were in GU Law School.

[6] “I graduated from LaSalle College in 1957, entered the Navy, and arrived at Georgetown Law School in mid-September of 1960. I was not involved with the Georgetown Crew until Spring of 1962.” .

[7] According to NAAO Rules “Lightweight crews shall average 150 pounds, with no individual oarsman weighing more than 155 pounds.” Thus “making weight” imposes a constant burden on the ever-hungry “skinnies” both as individuals and as a crew.

[8] This new Pocock, would be christened “The Inge” in honor of Mrs. Inge Cadle.

[9] This initial varsity boat from bow: Fred Vollbrecht ’64, Dave Casey ’63, Mike Mullin ’64, Pat Doyle ’63, Pete Reyburn ’63, Jay O’Brien ’62, Carl Haeger ’63, Jim Mietus ’63,, and cox Paul Ritter.

[10] From the bow: Bill Allen ’64, Mark Pisano ’64, Marc O’Brien 64, John Walsh ’63, Jack Hoeschler ’64, Dean Conley ’64, Bob Valerian ’64, str. Jack Michael, and cox Tiger Sergeant.

[11] 4/12/ 26.

[12] As reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/8/62. No boating was given for the freshman race.

[13] From bow: Frank Gunnip, Byron Sigg 2, Vinnie Bova 3, Carlos Sarmento 4, Joachim Esteve 5, Bob Frederick 6, John Harrington 7, Dan Ebert str, and Kevin Kelly cox. Vin Bova recalls that:

“Both Kim and Carlos had rowed in prep schood . . . it made a big difference to our boat. We won all 7 of our races that year, and some of us rowed out of Potomac that summer.” 5/5/13. See note 4, Chapter 5.

[14] From bow: Ben Domenico, Rory Quirk 2, Jerry Faust 3, Charles Carozza 4, Jay Scully 5, Pete Blyberg 6, Bob Keading 7, Linc Hoffman str, and Russ LaMantia cox.

[15] From bow: Mike Mullin, Jim Mietus 2, Fred Vollbrecht 3, Pat Doyle 4, Jack Hoeschler 5, Jay O’Brien 6, Carl Haeger 7, Dave Casey str, and Paul Ritter cox.

[16] Washington Post, 4/29/62.

[17] From bow: Eric Martell, Jim Lock 2, Jim Hergen 3, Sean Dolan 4, Rick Reynolds 5, Bill Crusey 6, Jack Hardigg 7, Phil Mause str, and Mike McLean cox.

[18] From bow: Frank Gunnip, Byron Sigg 2, Vin Bova 3, Carlos Sarmento 4, Kim Esteve 5, Bob Frederick 6, John Harrington 7, John Walsh str, and Kevin Kelly cox.

[19] As reported by the Washington Post, (5/6/62) the boating for this crew incomplete and incorrect. As listed from bow the Post had “Bill Allen, Dan Ebert, Mark Pisano, Pete Reyburn, Dean Conley, Bob Valerian, Jack Michael str, and Tiger Sergeant cox.” That is a seven man crew, and has Pisano (a port oar) rowing 3. Marc O’Brien probably rowed 3 in that boat, but was mistakenly omitted in the report.

[20] The seating in the varsity changed slightly for this week: Doyle and O’Brien switched seats with Pat in six and Jay in four; otherwise the boat remained the same.

[21] The Callow Cup Regatta is an annual race for lightweight crews. In ’62 Navy won. This trophy is not to be confused with the Callow Cup awarded to the Dad Vail JV Champion. Two different regattas and two different trophies. Rusty Callow was both the founder of the Dad Vail Rowing Assn. as well as a legendary coach at Penn and the US Naval Academy, hence his identification with both “big” and “small” college rowing programs.

[22] This information about a second GU entry is dubious. It comes from the otherwise accurate statistics presented by Ralph Lindamood, Marietta coach in his MARIETTA CREW: A History of Rowing at Marietta College. But the 1962 Dad Vail Program does not show this GU second freshman boat.

[23] From Bow: Ben Domenico, Rory Quirk, Jerry Faust, Charles Carozza, Jay Scully, Pete Blyberg, Bob Keading, Linc Hoffman str, Russ LaMantia cox.

[24] The victorious Dad Vail JV from bow was Bill Allen, Dan Ebert 2, Marc O’Brien 3, Mark Pisano 4, Pete Reyburn 5, Dean Conley 6, Bab Valerian 7, Jack Michael str, and Tiger Sergeant cox.

[25] Crew Coach, Rollins College.

[26] The undefeated Dad Vail Champions were, from bow: Mike Mullin, Jim Mietus 2, Fred Vollbrecht 3, Pat Doyle 4, Jack Hoeschler 5, Jay O’Brien 6, Carl Haeger 7, Dave Casey str, and Paul Ritter cox.

[27] The other teams made “outstanding player” awards that night, and Cadle presented the Crew’s version “To Dean Conley, for devotion and outstanding leadership, Georgetown University Crew, 1962.” Besides rowing, Dean was the publicity artist for the crew and illustrated the race flyers (eg. For the Ratzeburg race in ’63,) and the cover of the ’64 Crew brochure.

[28] The Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges, and the Intercollegiate Rowing Association. The EARC “Sprints” on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA, and the IRA Regatta on Lake Onondaga, NY, were the annual championships for the major rowing powers. Traditionally, the Dad Vail Champion of the “small college crews” was invited to race the “big boys” each year.

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