Golden Era of Rowing

[Cowbells123]

For those who are the historians of rowing; what period of time do you consider the golden era of rowing for men and women’s rowing or has the sport not achieved that yet?

[fatsculler]

I think you need to define what you mean by “golden era”

[Long'n Strong]

It's the hour or so just before sunset.

[fullmetal]

I know just enough history to know that I'm not a real historian -- I echo fatsculler's question of what it means to be in a golden age So many ways to approach the question! And that discussion may prove more meaningful than the answer.

[gamestop]

From the US perspective I don't know about golden era but certainly some highlights would be:

2004-2006ish - Men win the 8, women start their streak of golds in the 8, women's collegiate rowing boom accelerates.

1964ish - Men lead olympic medals in '64, Vesper reps US an win the 8, Harry Parker starts at Harvard.

I'm sure a case could be made for mid 1800's - apparently the height of rowing popularity in US, start of Harvard Yale regatta, start of IRA

[Cowbells123]

I think you need to define what you mean by “golden era”

That’s fair; and I may not have a good answer. I’d say a period of time when rowing captivated a large audience of spectators and individual rowers had name recognition.
I’m sure others have better definitions.

[fatsculler]

I think you need to define what you mean by “golden era”

That’s fair; and I may not have a good answer. I’d say a period of time when rowing captivated a large audience of spectators and individual rowers had name recognition.
I’m sure others have better definitions.

Probably the mid-19th century then when scullers were household names and competed for huge prizes

[oldman]

followed by

The Triumph of the Amateurs: The Rise, Ruin, and Banishment of Professional Rowing in the Gilded Age

a great read

dictionary on "gilded" : covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint

[Cowbells123]

followed by

The Triumph of the Amateurs: The Rise, Ruin, and Banishment of Professional Rowing in the Gilded Age

a great read

dictionary on "gilded" : covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint

I’ll certainly check that out! Thanks for the recommendation.
I happen to have my MA in History so that will be a fascinating read.

[KitD]

I think you need to define what you mean by “golden era”

That’s fair; and I may not have a good answer. I’d say a period of time when rowing captivated a large audience of spectators and individual rowers had name recognition.
I’m sure others have better definitions.

Probably the mid-19th century then when scullers were household names and competed for huge prizes

This was going to be my answer too.

Apart from pro-sculling being as big a sport as pro-boxing (in England at any rate), it's also the environment where many of the sport-defining features were introduced or developed. Eg shell construction, outriggers, sliding seat, etc.

[LakeGator]

This is a fun topic and can have a few definitions. The good one provided by Cowbells123 works well. Clearly, rowing was once a huge sport, so a few periods work for the large spectators works by country and participant type.

As described in The Boys in the Boat, collegiate rowing was a huge deal in the mid 1930’s United States with upwards of 100,000 spectators with trains and steamboats following the race. Rowing was huge in England, the United States and Canada in the late 19th century as it turned professional and corrupt. I am sure the book suggested by oldman covers this well and more. Thanks, by the way! I have the book on order.

I offer another way to define a Golden Era and that is esthetics. I suggest that rowing equipment was once beautiful, created by craftspersons. I suggest that height of this era was the 20 years or so from the mid-1960s to mid-1980s when shells and oars were wood with Macon blades. Today’s plastic is not horribly ugly but it certainly lacks the beauty that was the Macon era.

[oldman]

Not just appearance, the wooden boats with wooden oars made the most beautiful sound and more often ghostly silence as they slipped through the water. You only heard the run and the blades and never oars in the oarlocks. The NZ eight in 1984:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_DV44e05ek&t=140

[Cowbells123]

Not just appearance, the wooden boats with wooden oars made the most beautiful sound and more often ghostly silence as they slipped through the water. You only heard the run and the blades and never oars in the oarlocks. The NZ eight in 1984:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_DV44e05ek&t=140

Lake Gator and Oldman: if you are ever in the vicinity of Mystic Seaport, they have some very nice wooden shells in their offsite boat storage. A kindly old man docent gave us a private tour and it was hands down one of the most memorable experiences.

[Withoutmercy]

Not just appearance, the wooden boats with wooden oars made the most beautiful sound and more often ghostly silence as they slipped through the water. You only heard the run and the blades and never oars in the oarlocks. The NZ eight in 1984:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_DV44e05ek&t=140

The soundd\s of the catch brought back memories of swing.

[oneofthorsboys]

That clip in the near dark of the NZ 8 has always been my favourite part of that documentary, which in itself is my favourite rowing video. That was the easy swing and sound you aimed for but rarely achieved. I don’t believe there was a golden era. Too much subjectivity. I’d be happy to leave it with the fact that if one has rowed at all, they are part of a special group of people who have experienced something which is indescribable to mere mortals who have never rowed.