Penn AC had 398 entries and 159 victories and holds 9 Schuylkill Navy rowing records, the highest winning rate of any club. They have won the Barnes National team trophy 8 times. Joe Burke won the Championship single belt 4 years, and Art Gallagher won it in 1941. They had the following boats in the Olympics. The winning double in the 1924-28, the pair with in 1928-32, the four with in 1932-36, and the four without in 1932-36, and the two pairs and single in 1936, all boats except the straight four in the 1940 trials, the double in 1948, and the straight four in 1988-92, and women's double in 1996. Penn AC won the World Championship in the 8 in 1930, which is listed as the fastest 8 by the Guinness Record book, the Silver Medal straight four in 1986, and the Gold Medal Women's straight Four in 1996. Joe Burke, Dan Barrow, and Bill Miller all won the prestigious Schuylkill Navy Championship (single) belt. In cross country Penn AC won in 1950-51, and had 5 individual wins. In Basketball they won the league in 1940-57.
Many prominent Penn AC members served the rowing community with distinction. The Hon. Frank Smith was the first president of Penn AC. In 1946 Fred Plaisted died at the age of 96, after a lifetime as oarsmen, coach, and rowing philosopher, who rowed until the age of 91. Another outstanding Penn AC member was Henry Penn Burke, who served as steward and chairman from 1925 to 1945. He also was president of the NAAO for 13 years. He managed and helped raise funds the Olympic teams from 1920 to 1936. A monument to his memory stands between Plaisted Hall and Fairmount Boatclub. George Malloy and William Harmon were responsible for funding many Penn A.C. activities during this era. finally, the great Big Eight coach, Frank Muller, who died in 1948, had coached Olympic teams from 1920- 32. For over 30 years, Leo Keller served as chairman of the board of stewards. George Darrow was secretary during this period. Many prominent Penn AC members served as Commodore of the Schuylkill Navy; Dr. Robert C. White from 1930 to 34, John B. Kelly Sr. from 1935 to 41, James J. Beckett, Penn A.C. from 1952 to 1955, Jack Bratten 1950, Joe Sweeney 1985-86, and Vince Dougherty 1987. In 1982 Jack Bratten, Coach for Penn A.C. St. Joe Prep and LaSalle College died at 62. John B. Kelly Sr. died in 1960 at the age of 70. Jack Kelly had his start as a coxswain at Penn AC in 1937-38. And finally, the incredible list of winning coaches including Frank Muller 1924-38, Tom Mack 1939-41, Joe Dougherty 1943-50, Tom Curran 1951-54, Jack Bratten 1955-59, Jack Galloway 1960-66, Vince Simkowski 1968-70, Ted Nash 1983 to present. While we point with pride to the record of our athletes, it is also the men behind the scene who deserve our recognition. The advice and help of these "clubies" was an intrinsic part of the Penn A.C. winning formula.
THE 1900-1904 OLYMPICS Paris, The first Olympic with rowing had five rowing events. The Vesper B.C. won the 8, Roscoe Lockood, Ed Marsh, Ed Hedley, Bill Carr, John Geiger, James Juvenal, Harry DeBaecke, John Exley and Lou Abell, in 6:09 over Belgium 6:13 and Netherland 6:23. This outstanding achievement by our local athletes is something every Philadelphia can be proud. In 1901 the U. Of Penn eight, coached by Ellis Ward, was second at the Royal Henley. The 1904 Olympics in St. Louis, the US took first, second, and third in all rowing events except the eight which only had US and Canada competing. Vesper won the 8; Fred Cresser, W. G. Gleason, Frank Schell, James Flannigan, Charles Armstrong, Harry Lott, Dr. Joe Dempsey, John Exley, and Lou Abell cox, in 7:50 over Canada. Frank Greer won the single in 10:08, with James Juvenal 2nd, and Constance Titus third, all from the US. All three medal winners were U.S. single scullers. William Varley and John Mulcahy won the double in 10:03, James McLoughlin and John Hoben were 2nd, and Joe Ravanack and John Wells were 3rd. Again all three double medal winners were from the U.S. The US straight four, George Diets, August Erker, Albert Basse, and Arthur Stockhoff won in 9:53, and the U.S. was second with Charles Amman, Michael Begley, Martin Fromanack, and Frederick Suerig. Because of their two Olympic Victories, The Vesper 8 was invited in 1905 to row in the Royal Henley, and came in 2nd to the Leander BC, considered the best 8 England ever had. The US Olympic authorities offered no opportunity for rowing entries in the 1908-12 Olympiad in London and Stockholm. Great Briton won the 8 both times. England won all four rowing events in the 1908 Olympics at Henley, and won the eight in 1912 at Stockholm. There were no Nationals in 1918.
In the 1920-24-28 and 32 Olympiad, all the oarsman on the US rowing team were from the Schuylkill Navy except the eight, and they all won their right to be on the Olympic team by the winning the trials. A superstition arose that a war followed each time Harvard won the Grand Challenge, which they did in 1914, 1939, and 1950. Jack Kelly Sr started rowing at Vesper in 1908, and won 126 consecutive races and six first Nationals by 1920. He won two Olympic gold medals in the double and one in the single. He was the Commodore of the Schuylkill Navy from 1935-40, and President of the NAAO 1954-55. He married Margaret Major, who worked at the U of Penn Phys Ed Dept.
IN THE 1920 OLYMPICS in Antwerp Belgium, the U.S. won three of the six events, John B. Kelly Sr won the single in 7:35, defeating Jack Beresford of England 7:36, who was a 4 time Diamond Sculls winner, by one second, and with his cousin Paul Costello from Vesper, they won the Double Sculls in 7:09 over Italy 7:19 and France 7:21. The four with from Pennsylvania BC, Ken Myers, Carl Klose, Franz, Erich and Erich Federschmidt, Sam Hunter cox, was 2nd in the semi-finals behind Switzerland who won in 6:54. The Naval Academy won the eight by beating UK by 10 feet in 6:06. Our team was supported and fed by a US Navy cruiser in the harbor. Kell was denied entry in the 1920 Royal Henley. He vowed to beat the winner in other events, and he vowed to have his son win the Diamond Sculls. Kell later beat the English Henley champion Jack Beresford and Kell sent his green rowing cap to King George of England.
There were no entries for the West Phila BC in the 1919 and 1920 Nationals at Worcester Mass., 1921 Nationals in Buffalo. In the 1922 Nationals in Phila., West Phila BC was 3rd in the Sr quad, and 2nd in the Sr 8, was 4th in the Int 4. Walter Hoover of Undine won the Diamond Sculls.
THE PHILADELPHIA CHALLENGE CUP In 1922, Walter Hoover of Duluth BC won the Diamond Sculls. John B. Kelly Sr. entry was refused by the Henley Stewards because he "worked with his hands" (in effect intimating he was not a gentleman). In response, Elliot Newlin, Commodore of the Schuylkill Navy raised $2,000 by popular subscription for a 18" high gold challenge cup, emblematic of the World Single Championship, and awarded it to Jack Kelly Sr. In 1922 Walter Hoover of Duluth BC won the first challenge race defeating Paul Costello of Vesper. In 1924 Costello defeated Gillmore and later that year Jack Beresford of England won the cup when he defeated Gillmore in the Olympics in Paris, and later that year retained the cup by defeating Hoover in Putney England. The first non-bump head race was held in 1926 at Putney England.
In the 1923 Nationals in Baltimore Penn AC won the Sr 4 and Sr Double, Paul Costello was 3rd in the Champ single, and 2nd in the Sr quad. Jim Regan was 4th in the Sr single dash, and the Sr 4 and Sr Quad were 2nd, and the Sr 8 was 3rd. (rowing as West Phila B.C.) James Regan was 4th in the 1/4 dash and 5th in the Assoc single. In the 1923 Sesquicentennial Regatta, Penn AC won the 8. In the Middle States Regatta Paul Costello beat Gillmore in the single.
IN THE 1924 OLYMPICS in Paris, "Jack" Kelly Sr. and Paul Costello, now rowing for Penn AC repeated their achievements in the previous Olympics by winning in 6:34 over France 6:38 and Switzerland. Bachelor Barge Club four, Henry Welsford, Ed Mitchell, Bob Gerhardt, Sydney Jellinek, and Jack Kennedy cox, won the bronze. Pennsylvania B.C. pair with, Leon Butler, Harold Wilson, and Ed Jennings cox, won the bronze behind Switzerland and Italy. In the single W.Garrett Gilmore of Bachelors finished second in 7:54 to Jack Beresford of England in 7:49. Yale won the eight by 6:33 over Canada and Italy. The renowned physician Dr. Spock was bow. In the 1924 Nationals in Springfield Mass. Penn AC won the Sr LW double and the Sr 4- (rowing as West Phila BC). In the Olympic trials in Philadelphia, the Penn AC four was 4th, and the single and double first.
In the 1925 Nationals in Phila Penn AC won the Barnes point trophy by winning the LW double, LW 4, Sr Quad, Sr double, and Paul Costello won the Champ single. Penn AC took 2nd in the Sr quad and Sr double, and 3rd and fourth in the senior 4, fourth in the LW Sr double. In the 1926 Nationals in Phila Penn AC the Sr quad, Sr 8, and LW four won the gold. Joe Wright was 2nd in the Assoc Single, the Sr LW double was 2nd, and the Sr single and Sr LW single Paul Costello was 2nd and third.
In the 1927 Nationals at Wyandott Mich., Penn AC won the Sr LW 4, John McNicholas was 2nd in the Assoc single, and Penn AC took 2nd in the SR LW 8 and Sr double, and was 3rd in the Sr 8. Teams from Boathouse Row won 17 of the 22 events.
IN THE 1928 OLYMPICS in Amsterdam was the first time the US sent a full rowing team. 20 nations with 67 entries competed on a 2 lane course over 8 days. Philadelphia represented the US in five events. Penn AC was 1st in the double, Paul Costello and Charles McIlvaine 6:14 over Switzerland 6:51, and Austria 6:48. Paul became the first athlete to be victorious in the same event in three consecutive Olympics. The Pennsylvania BC straight pair, Paul McDowell, John Schmitt was 3rd in the semi-finals in 7:20 behind Germany 7:06, and England 7:08. Ken Myers of Bachelors was second in the single in 7:20 to the great Australian Single sculler, Henry Pearce 7:11. Penn Bargeªs Straight Four, Ernest Bayer, George Healis, Bill Miller and Charles Karle, came in 2nd in the finals in 6:37 behind England who won in 6:36. The Penn AC pair with, Joe Dougherty, Aug. Goetz, and Thomas Mack, cox were beat by Italy and France, their borrowed boat practically disintegrated in the race. The eight from the U. of California took the gold in 6:03.2 over England 6:03.8 and Canada in 6:05. Jim Beckett was the spare for the 28 Olympic team and 5 time National Champion. Penn AC's Coach Frank Muller was also the coach in this Olympics. Also in 1928, Penn AC took 16 medals in the Nationals in Phila, including a gold for the Jr quad. Chet Turner won the Senior and Championship single, C. Moore was 2nd in the Jr single, as was the Jr double. A.E. Fitzpatrick was 2nd in the 1/4 dash and third in the Sr single, as was the Sr four with and four without and Int four. The Penn AC Int 8, and Sr 8 was 4th. C. Dietrich was 5th in the Int single. In 1928 West Catholic started rowing from Penn AC and many West oarsmen were to become champion oarsmen at Penn AC 2, 4, and 7 seat in the big eight were West Catholic oarsmen.
In 1929 the US joined FISA. In the Nationals at Springfield, Penn AC won the SR LW 4, Sr 4, and SR 8, beating NYAC by 5 lengths, and was 2nd in the Sr Quad, 3rd in the LW 4. Philadelphia became known as the home of sculling and amateur rowing in the US. For example in a Regatta in Virginia, Phila boats took 13 of the 15 races.
In the 1930 Nationals in Boston, A.E. Fitzpatrick won the Sr dash and Sr single, Al Vogt was 2nd in the Assoc Single. Penn AC was 2nd in the Sr 4, and Sr LW 8, and third in the Sr LW 4, and 5th in the Sr 8. Penn AC beat Columbia for the Stewards Cup.
THE 1930 WORLD CHAMPION, PENN AC's 'BIG EIGHT' In marked contrast with the Olympic, where the US teams won every eight event, a U.S. eight never won the world championship, except for the great Penn AC _big eight_. A boatload of Philadelphia Irishmen won the world championships at Liege Belgium, bringing undying fame for themselves and Penn AC The Big Eight included Charles McIlvaine in bow, Tom Curran 2, Jack Bratten 3, John McNichol 4, Myrlin Janes 5, Joe Dougherty 6, Dan Barrows 7, Chet Turner stroke, and Tom Mack After winning their trials heat in 5:18, there was considerable speculation that this might be the fastest eight ever seen. This time is listed in the Guinness Book of world records as the fastest time for an eight. However, because wind, current and other conditions vary so greatly, record times in rowing do not have the same significance as other sports. In the finals, the Penn AC Big Eight convincingly crushed Europeªs finest crews with a two length victory over Italy, while third place Denmark was six lengths further astern. Over the next three year from 1929 to 31, the ¦big eightª remained virtually intact, winning 31 consecutive victories, including the US and Canadian championships in 1931. It was voted the greatest crew of the first half of this century by the Associated Press. In the 1931 Schuylkill Navy regatta, a young Penn AC eight, Al Vogt bow, Charles Dreuding 2, Ed Marehall 3, Tom Pierie 4, Latimer Lawrence 5, Chet Turner 6, Harry Grossmiller 7, Frank English stroke, Permar Richards cox, challenged the Big Eight for the right to represent Penn AC John B. Kelly Sr. described the race as follows;
"This was the greatest eight race in history. I have been watching boat races for the past thirty years, and have seen some of the most important ones, so I am qualified to say that this was the greatest boat race of all times. Before describing the race I am going to set the stage and tell you a few of the important facts leading up to and responsible for this grueling battle about a month ago Coach Muller felt that the Penn A.C. Big Eight was not moving fast enough and they were getting a little temperamental. The crew took exception to this and the result was that Muller organized a new crew from members of last year's junior eight who had developed into seniors by this time, and arranged a race with the 'big eight'. The new combination defeated the big eight three times in success which gave the impression that the big eight was finished, for the present season at least. We felt this crew that had established the greatest record of any eight had gone stale and needed revamping. Soon after their defeat by the junior crew, we broke up the Big Eight. However, when the entries closed for the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, we found we did not have any entry for the new senior eight. The big eight, still smarting under the lash, asked Coach Mueller if they could get the old crew together to compete against the new eight. The crews got away together with the gun and at the first quarter the big eight was leading by about 5 feet. The new eight sprinted at the first + mile point and came abreast of them. I say sprint, although it was hard to tell when a crew was sprinting, as they were both up to the limit all the time. Finally they came out from under the trolley bridge bow to bow, and even to the inch and here something started which I have never seen before in all my experience. These crews happened to be rowing the same stroke and were in stroke and the same run on their boats developed so that there was never six inches differences in the bows of the boats from the trolley bridge to the head of the island. Here McNichol, stroking the ¦big eightª, raised his beat a little and rowed out in front of the new eight by about 3 feet. But English raising the stroke of the new eight, was not to be denied, and he raised the stroke and they were even again at The. middle of the island with an eight of a mile to row. The coxswains were urging their crews for every ounce of strength, and the two crews were straining as hard as any men who ever rowed a race. Again they were even, rowing about 42 strokes per minute, and by this time they were just out of stroke with each other. Every time one eight would take a stroke they would move ahead a couple of feet then immediately be passed by the other crew when they took their stroke. So finally it developed that it was just a question of which crew would be on the stroke at the time they hit the line. As the gun went off at the finish the big eight had just finished their stroke and the new eight was coming up for theirs, and the former finished over the line by about a one foot margin. Both crews were badly used up at the finish and they showed the remarkable time of 5:49. True, conditions were fast, but the wind had die down and the river was very calm. The last Olympic race, under similar conditions, was won in 6:03."
In the 1931 Nationals in Phila, Penn AC was first in the LW 4, senior 8, LW 8, and third in the association single and dash, the Sr 8, and was 2nd in the Sr 4+ and Sr Quad.
The 1932 Olympic trials was combined with the Nationals and Peoples regatta in Philadelphia, except for the eights trials which were held in Worcester Mass. The Penn AC Eight had a dead heat in 6:06 with California crew in the trials and did not make the Olympic team. There was considerable speculation that the determination of the dead heat was influenced by not having to pay the way back to the east coast if California went to the Olympics, a major expense during the depression. Penn AC won the straight four and LW four trials, and was 2nd in the four with. Bill Miller won the Championship single, and Penn AC won the LW 8 and the Championship quad. Howard McGillin was 2nd in the Jr single, and the Penn AC Jr 8 and Sr double, Int 4 gig, and Int double were also second. The LW Penn AC double was 3rd. Ed Hixon won the Int single, and Al Vogt was 2nd in the 1/4 dash.
IN THE 1932 OLYMPICS at Long Beach California, Philadelphia oarsmen represented the US in six of the seven events, three of which were from Penn AC This was the fourth consecutive Olympics in which the U.S. won both the 8 and double. US had 3 firsts. In the Bachelor BC double, Ken Myers and Garrett Gilmore won in 7:17 over Germany 7:22 and Canada 7:27. In the Pennsylvania BC pair with, Joe Schauers, Charles Kieffer, and Ed Jennings Cox, won the gold in 8:25 over Poland 8:31 and France 8:41. This was the first gold for the US in that event. Penn AC's William Miller was second in the single in 7:45, to the famous Henry Pearce, of Australia, in 7:44, who has never been defeated. He said that Miller gave him the hardest race of his life. Henry Pearce was awarded the Gold Challenge Cup. He forfeited the cup when he turned pro in 1933. the Penn AC straight four, E. W. Johnson, Tom Pierie, George Mattson and John Mcosker was fourth by two lengths to the British with the Germans second and Italy coming in third. The Penn AC four with, Ed Marshall, Charles Drueding, Harry Grossmiller, Frank English, and Tom Mack cox, racing in open seas with a strong headwind, was fourth in the repechage, and the Undine pair without, Eugene and Tom Clark were fourth in the heat. The US eight won by 6:37.6 in a titanic sprint in the last fifty yards beating Italy, 6:37.8, who were a 1/2 length over Canada and England. This was the second consecutive win at the Olympics for the Cal 8.
Also in 1932 at the Nationals in Philadelphia, the Penn AC crews won the Barnes Point Trophy with five heavy and two LW events, including the Sr 4, Sr 8, SR 4, LW 4, and Bill Miller won the Championship single. John McNichols was the coach of West Catholic for three undefeated seasons, and succeeded Frank Muller as the Penn AC coach, and was the Olympic coach in the 1936 Olympic games in Germany. In the American Rowing Assoc. Regatta in Philadelphia, Penn AC placed first and second in the 2nd eight, Bill Miller was first in the single, and first in the four race. In the Schuylkill Navy regatta, and Penn AC won the Sr. pair with and the LW Sr four and 1st and 2nd in the Sr 8, 2nd in the straight four, third in the Jr 8. Al Vogt won the 1/4 dash, Howard McGillin was third in the Jr single gig, and Ed Hixon won the Jr single, and Bill Miller won the Champ single. Herman Wohlgemuth was fourth in the Int single. In the Middle States Regatta in Baltimore, Bill Miller was first in the 1/4 dash, and Latimer Lawrence won the Jr single. Penn AC first in the Sr four, Jr quad, and Sr LW gig four, Sr four gig, and third in the Jr 8.
In the 1933 Nationals in Chicago, run in high winds and rough water, and a shortened course of 3/4 mile. Penn AC again won six National Championships and the point trophy. The four Penn AC scullers won all five sculling championships, a National Championship record. Bill Miller won the Champ single in 5:21. Al Vogt won the Assoc single in 5:20 advancing through 4 heats and 2 semi finals. A.E. Fitzpatrick won the dash. Penn AC's LW 8, Sr 8 won, SR quad, and double won in 4:37, double LW four was second the West Side. In the American Rowing Assoc Regatta, Penn A.C. won the Sr four, and club 8 in 6:53. In the Schuylkill Navy regatta, Harry Grossmiller was 2nd in the Jr single, and Ed Hixon was 2nd in the Sr single, and Joe Dougherty was 2nd in the Assoc single. Penn AC won the Sr 8 and 4, and was 2nd in the Jr 8. In the Independence Day Regatta Al Vogt won the Sr dash, and Bill Miller won the Champ single, Penn AC was 1st in the Sr 8, Jr four, and the Handicap double, Sr four, 2nd in the SR 8 and Sr LW four. In the Middle States Regatta, Dan Barrows won the Assoc single, Howard McGillin won the Int single Penn AC won the Int Quad, Sr LW four, and 2nd in the Jr. quad, the Jr 8, and Sr 8.
In 1934 Penn AC again won the Barnes Point Trophy at the Nationals in Baltimore. Penn AC was 1st in the Sr 8, four, four without, LW8, double, second in the LW four, LW Quad, and Sr Quad. Al Vogt was 2nd in the Champ single, Dan Barrow was 4th in the 1/4 mile dash. In the American Rowing Assoc. Regatta in Philadelphia, Al Vogt was first in the 1st single, Dan Barrow was 2nd in the 2nd single, ,Penn AC was first in the interclub 8, special four, first 8, and 2nd in the 1st double. In the Middle States Regatta in Baltimore, Hans Jongloed won the Sr single and Assoc single, Tom Curran won the Int single. Penn AC was 1st in the Sr 8, Sr four gig, and 2nd in the Sr double. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Al Vogt won the 1/4 dash, Joe Veterlein won the Jr single gig, Howard McGillin was 3rd in the Assoc single, Tom Kerr was 4th in the Jr single, Penn AC was 1st in the Jr 8 and Jr four gig, 1st and 2nd in the LW Sr four, won the
In 1935, the Schuylkill Navy held one of the largest rowing spectacle of its kind, the "Rowing Pageant" where club boats, with Victorian uniforms executed spectacular series of maneuvers in front of thousands of spectators. Charles Campbell of Argnaut BC in Canada beat Winthroy Ruteerford of Princeton for the Gold Challenge Cup. In the Nationals in Princeton, Dan Barrow was 2nd in the Assoc single, Al Vogt 4th in the 1/4 mile dash and 3rd in the Phila Challenge Cup, Penn AC was first in the Sr double and quad and pair, and 4th in the Int 8. In the American Rowing Assoc. Regatta in Philadelphia, Howard McGillin was 2nd in the 2nd single, Al Vogt 2nd in the 1st single, and 1st in the double. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Dan Barrow was 1st in the Champ single, Charles Drueding was 2nd in the Jr single, and Tom Gripson was 2nd in the Jr single. Penn AC was first in the Jr four gig, Sr four, and Int double. In the Peoples Regatta, July 4th, Dan Barrow won the Champ single, Al Vogt was 2nd in the dash and Howard McGillin was 2nd in the Assoc single, Penn AC won the Sr 8, four and Jr double, 2nd in the Jr quad, was 3rd in the Jr 8. In the Middle States Regatta, H. Grossmiller was 5th in the Jr single and Penn AC won the Int double.
IN THE 1936 OLYMPICS in Berlin, four of the seven U.S. boats were from Philadelphia, three being from Penn AC. Germany, using a National Camp system and boats that averaged 50% less in weight than the US equipment, won five of the seven events. The Penn AC Pair With, Joe Dougherty, Tom Curran, George loveless, cox, and the Penn AC Straight Pair, George Dahm and Harry Sharkey failed to reach the finals. The third Penn AC boat, Dan Barrow in the Single, after finishing last in his heat, won the reparcharge, and finished second in the semi-finals. He took the Bronze in the finals in 8:28 behind the German 8 G. Schaefer in 8:21. Dan beat the champions of 18 other Nations, and also won the US Nationals and the Philadelphia Gold Challenge Cup. The Undine double, John Houser and Bill Dugan, was fifth. The University of Washington's eight, coached by Al Ulbrickson with George Pocock won in 6:25.4 over Italy 6:26, and Germany 6:26.4. The US double was 5th, the four was 2nd in the reps, the straight four 3rd in the reps, the pair with 4 in reps, the straight pair 3rd in reps.
In the 1936 Nationals and Olympic trials in Philadelphia, Dan Barrow won the Champ single trials in 7:36, Penn AC won the pair with trials in 8:36 and pair without in 7:50, and was 2nd in the Champ quad, Int 8, and straight four, 3rd in the Jr four gig, and 5th in the champ double. Penn AC was 2nd in the Barns Point system. Undine BC won the point trophy. West Catholic won the Stotesbury varsity 8. In the American Rowing Assoc Regatta, Dan Barrow won the single, and Penn AC won the four and doubles, and 3rd in the eight. In the Schuylkill Navy regatta, Dan Barrow won the single, and Penn AC won the Jr 8, Sr straight four, Sr double, Int quad and the Jr four gig, was 2nd in the Jr and Int double and Jr LW quad. In the Middle States Regatta in Philadelphia, George McGee won the Int single in 6:14, and Howard McGillin was 2nd in the Assoc single. Penn AC won the Jr quad, Jr double, and was 2nd in the Int 8 and Int quad.
In 1937, Joe Burk of Penn AC won the Diamond Sculls at Henley for only the second time by an American, (1897 Ed Hanlan, 1922 Walter Hoover) At the Nationals at Buffalo, Joe Burk won the single in 7:00. Penn AC was 2nd in the 8, and was 3rd in the Barnes Point trophy. In the American Rowing Assoc, Regatta, Penn AC was 1st in the 2nd 8, and 2nd in the 1st four and 1st double. In the first Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Art Gallagher won the Jr single in 7:54 and Frank English was 2nd in the Assoc single. Penn AC was 1st in the Int 8 and Jr quad, 2nd in the Jr 8, Sr double and Sr four. In the Independence Day Regatta, Frank English was 2nd in the dash, john McGillin 3rd in the Jr gig. Penn AC 1st in the Sr 8 and Sr quad, 2nd in the Sr double, and 3rd in the LW double. In the second Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Joe Burk won the Champ single in 7;00, Art Gallagher won the Assoc single in 7;08, Frank English was 2nd in the dash, and Bill Campbell 3rd in the Jr single. Penn AC won the Jr quad, and was 2nd in the Jr 8. In the Middle States Regatta in Baltimore, Art Gallagher was 2nd in the Sr single. Penn AC won the Sr double and Sr quad. Phila Girls RC, The first women's rowing club was established in Phila. Jack Kelly Jr started his rowing career at Penn AC at the age of 9 as a coxswain.
In the 1938 Nationals at Red Bank NJ Joe Burke won the Championship single in 7:46. Penn AC won the quad, the Int eight was third behind NYAC and Westside BC. In 1838, and 3rd in the 8. Joe Burk won the single in the American Rowing Assoc Regatta and the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, and Penn AC won the Sr 8 and quad. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta George McGee won the Assoc single, Frank English was 3rd in the dash, Charles Ford 2nd in the Jr single. Penn AC was 2nd in the Int double and Sr four. Penn AC won the Sr 8, Jr 8, and Sr quad, and took 2nd in the Independence Day Regatta in the Jr four gig. In the 2nd Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Art Gallagher won the Jr gig, and Penn AC won the Int and Sr double, and 2nd in the Int and Sr four, and 3rd in the Int quad. In the Middle States, Art Gallagher won the Int single in 6:49. Penn AC won the four gig, and was 2nd in the Int handicap double.
In 1939 the Penn AC's eight raced Cuba, finishing 2nd after nearly swamping in the rough Caribbean Sea. Tom Mack became the head coach at Penn AC and won 41 first place victories in NAAO sanctioned regattas, the greatest number won by one club in a single season. At the 1939 Nationals in Detroit, Penn AC won the point trophy, Joe Burke won the Champ single, and Penn AC won the four, was 2nd in the quad and pair without, 4th in the Int 8 and double. Joe Burke won the American Rowing Assoc Regatta. In the Spring Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Penn AC won the Sr 8, and Sr quad. Joe Burke won the N.Y. Regatta. In the 2nd Schuylkill Navy Regatta, James Burk won the Int and Champ single, and Art Gallagher won the Assoc single. Penn AC won the Sr quad, Int four, Jr 8. At the Independence Day Regatta, Penn AC won the Sr four, 2nd in the Sr double and Jr four, 3rd in the Jr LW Jr double and Jr double. Jowe Burke won the Canadian Henley, and the Royal Henley in England. In the 2nd Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Joe Burke won the Champ single John MGillin was 2nd in the Jr single. Penn AC was 1st in the Jr 8, 2nd in the Sr four, and 3rd in the Sr 8. In the Middle State Regatta, Tom Colgan was 5th in the Jr single. Penn AC won the Jr quad and Sr four.
During the period between the First and Second world wars, Penn AC had won the National Barnes Point Trophy in 1930, 32, 33, 34, and 1940. Penn AC accounted for 24 individual National Championship titles. They also won the Caldwell point trophy in the Schuylkill Navy Regatta for 1930, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 1935, and won 76 individual Championships in this Regatta. During the pre war Olympic years, the Schuylkill Navy had 24 boats on the Olympic team, winning 8 medals. Penn AC had 9 of these entries with 2 medals in four Olympics.
The summary of Schuylkill Navy Victories in the Olympics; 1900 Vesper 8 gold, 1904 Vesper eight gold, 1920 Vesper single gold, Vesper double gold, 1924 Penn AC double gold, 1928 Penn AC double gold, 1932 Bachelors double gold, Pennsylvania Barge pair with gold.
Continue to the next section, Part 4 - Joe Burk and Jack Kelly
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