On April 10, 2025 we lost our friend and Dad Vail legend, Vince “Murph” Szymkowski. At the Dad Vail, Murph has assisted in many capacities. He may have been best known to competitors as the Head Starter- there in his gold jacket and puffing on a big cigar, he would launch crew after crew off the starting line in a timely fashion. His first official job with the Regatta was going to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for Jack Bratton, (Chairman of the Dad Vail at that time and the person responsible for bringing the Regatta to Philadelphia) and borrowing cot’s which were set-up dormitory style on the basketball court in Plaisted Hall, now Lloyd Hall, so visiting crew members could spent the night. Vince became Treasurer of the Dad Vail in 1977, dealing with ever increasing budgets as the Regatta grew and multiplied. He could always be found carrying his famous brief case with needed “walking around money” which he used for the many last minute expenses and details that were necessary as the Regatta almost doubled in size from his initial year as Treasurer. Murph traded Dad Vail jobs in 1991 becoming Regatta Vice-Chairman. Vince was a proud graduate of both La Salle High School and College. While an undergraduate at La Salle College, he was a gold medal winner of the Dad Vail Regatta twice, stroking the winning Men’s Varsity Eight to victory in 1956 and 1957. As team Captain, he was inducted into the La Salle Athletes Hall of Fame with his teammates of the 1957 crew, for the most wins ever by a La Salle crew. Rowing was not Murph’s only sport. He was a nationally recognized college soccer player while at La Salle, playing at the fullback position, and serving as co-captain. He also played for a short time with an early professional soccer team. During the 1960’s Murph was a very successful rowing coach. He coached La Salle’s freshmen for two years, in 1964 and 1965. In 1967 he became the respected and beloved coach of a young crew from Monsignor Bonner High School, that rowed from Penn AC, that summer. In the National Youth Rowing Championship in New York City that year, Murph’s crew, decidedly an underdog, won by six seconds. The crew proceeded to Ratzburg, Germany, to compete in the World Youth Championship, where they came in seventh. In 1968 the National Youth Championship was held in Philadelphia, the Bonner/ Penn AC crew in this competition won by open water. They went on to Amsterdam for the World Youth Championship and won a Bronze Medal. In 1969 Murph coached a Four from Penn AC, and once again brought his winning crew to compete in Europe. Coach Szymkowski won three consecutive National Championships, with three crews competing internationally, one winning a Bronze Medal. According to his coxswain, Mike Cippalone, “Coach Murph was a ‘tough dog’, but we loved him and had a ball while he was our coach”. Murph has also been involved in the sport of dragon boat racing. As an organizer, he has helped take a team to compete in Hong Kong and Australia. He has also assisted fellow Dad Vail official Bob Morro in running Dragon Boat Festivals in Philadelphia and New York. For two years he was the announcer for the New York Dragon Boat Festivals held in Battery Park City. Vince enjoyed a successful 35-year career at Campbell Soup Company, and retired as Director of Accounting. His wife Donna has also been a long time Dad Vail worker, selling programs and assisting with the medals and awards. Vince was a dedicated husband for nearly 55 years, father of Vincent and Nicole, and Pop-Pop to his four cherished grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of being loved by him. Vince “Murph” Szymkowski A FINALToast By Ken Shaw, Jr
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