Fifty years ago, the Coast Guard Academy crews ruled the waters of the Schuylkill River, capturing three national championships and displaying overpowering team strength. The Academy’s varsity heavyweight eight won the Dad Vail trophy for the second straight year with a two-length victory over Trinity College. The winning time was 6:09.3. The second national championship was won by the Academy’s varsity lightweight eight and the third was won by the varsity four. The better indicator of Coast Guard’s dominance was their overall score for the Jack Bratten Trophy, awarded to the team with the most points. Coast Guard racked up 32 points to win the trophy for the third straight year. In 1976, the Coast Guard Academy cadets arrived on the shores of the Schuylkill River with the entire squad of 88 oarsmen. The Academy’s crew coach, Bill Stowe, who won a gold medal as the stroke of the 1960 USA Olympic crew, did not believe in leaving anyone at home and everyone raced every weekend in the spring season. Coach Stowe firmly believed that crew was a team sport, and the least developed oarsman deserved his attention as much as the varsity stroke. Everyone raced, much to the consternation of the budget-minded Academy’s athletic director, Captain Otto Graham. Yes, the same Otto Graham, who was a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. The Cadet oarsmen arrived on Thursday night for the Friday heats because exams were taking place on the Dad Vail weekend. To cut costs, the cadets stayed for free in the barracks of the now closed Navy base at the foot of Broad Street. We came by van, private cars, a RV and on several occasions hitchhiking. No fancy buses for this group. We trained on peanut butter sandwiches because the budget would not allow steak. In order to scout the competition Coach Stowe had managers on bikes riding up and down the river gathering any information that might be helpful to give us the small edge on race day. It was an awesome logistical effort, and we were hated for it by our jealous rivals. There was talk about the Coast Guard Academy getting thrown out of the small college league because we were too fast for the regulars. But the Academy did not have the funding, the student body size (in 1976 there were 1250 cadets at the Academy) or a paid coaching staff. The Coast Guard Academy belonged in the Dad Vail in all respects of a small college; except we were considered too fast. Sadly, Coach Stowe passed away. He was the primary reason for our success and fueled our fighting spirit. The 1976 crew team dedicates this celebration to his memory. 1976 CGA varsity heavyweight crew 50YEARSAGO
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