In the 1940 Nationals at Red Bank N.J. Penn AC won the 8, Art Gallagher, Jim Lyons, John Manion, Permar Richards, Charles Ford, Paul St. Germaine, John Lyons, Frank English, Peter McCaffery, cox, and the Olympic four race, Art Gallagher, Jim and John Lyons, and Frank English in 7:01, and the Olympic double, Howard McGillin and James Burke in 7:51, and the Olympic and Champ single, Joe Burk, in 7:51. Penn AC was 3rd in the lightweight 8, lightweight four, straight four, and quad, and won the Barnes point trophy. At the American Rowing Association Regatta in Boston, Joe Burk won the single in 8:11. Penn AC won the 1st four. At the NYAC Regatta, Joe Burk won the Sr single in 5:07 ( 1 mile), and Penn A.C. won the Sr four in 5:39. At the Schuylkill Navy Regatta Joe Burk won the Sr single in 7:37, and Penn AC won the Jr 8, and the Jr double. At the Independence Day Regatta Penn AC won the Int 8 in 7:21, the Sr four, the Int double, the Int 8, and Sr 8. The Big 8 of 1930 rowed a reunion race.
In the Olympic trials in 1940, three of the seven boats that qualified, including the eight, were from Penn AC: Joe Burke in the single, Jim Burke and Howard McGill in the double, Frank English, John Lyons, Jim Lyons and Art Gallagher, and Hugh McCaffrey, cox. in the four. Unfortunately the Olympic games scheduled to be in Helsinki in 1940 were canceled because of the war. The Penn AC eight won the nationals ahead of Fairmount RA at Red Bank NJ with coach Boyd Spencer, Peter McCaffrey, cox, Frank English, stroke , John Lyons, Paul St. Germmaine, Charles Ford, J. Permar Richards, John Manion, Jim Lyons, and Art Gallagher, bow.
Despite the retirement from active competition of some of Penn AC's greatest champions, and the many members who answered the call to arms during WW II, the club won three National Championships in 1941 at Minneapolis. Art Gallagher won the dash, and Penn AC won the quad, with Bill Murray, Ray McDonald, James Lyons, and Joe Alessi, and Int 8, with Gene Shaw, Charles Sololowski, Gilbert Sweeney, Geo. Gowan, Frank lyons, John Bannon, James Cashman, Bill McGinty, and Hugh McCaffret cox. In the Schuylkill navy regatta, Art Gallagher won the Sr single, and Penn AC won the Int quad. In the Independence Day Regatta, Penn AC won the Jr 8 and four, with silver in the Jr single, Sr straight four, and Sr double. In the Canadian Henley, Art Gallagher won the Association single. In the Middle States Regatta, Art Gallagher won the Sr single and Penn AC won the Sr four. Art also won the President's cup single.
In 1943, at the Nationals in Philadelphia, this wartime Regatta produced close competition in the singles and doubles, but was below par in the other events. Art Gallagher won all five events he entered and was the Senior Single champ, and Fairmount R.A. won the Champ. 8, Sr. double, Sr. quad, and both fours and the Barnes Point trophy. Undine won the SR double, Sr lightweight quad, lightweight four and 8. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Joe Alessi won the Sr dash, and Penn AC won the Jr quad, with C. McIntyre, J. Banon, E. Henwood, and stroke G. Gowen. In the Independence Day Regatta Penn AC won the Int double, with J. Bannon and G. Gowen. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta , Art Gallagher won the dash, , Bob O'Neil won the lightweight Jr single, and Ed McCarthy was 3rd. Bill Campbell was 3rd in the Jr single, and Art Gallagher was 3rd in the Sr single. Penn AC won the Int double, Jr four, Int double with C. McIntyre and E. Henwood. There were no Nationals in 1944-45.
In 1944 Jack Kelly Jr. heir apparent to the throne occupied by his twice Olympic Champion father, won the Schoolboy single championship. He won the Independence Day Regatta and Canadian Henley singles in 1945, and after a hitch in the UnS. Navy he came in 2nd in the Royal Henley. For 20 years from 1938 to 58, Penn AC averaged four victories in each Schu Penn AC was responsible to a great extent in the renewal of Scholastic Rowing after W.W.II by sponsoring West Catholic High School rowing, started by J ack Kelly Sr. and later coached by Joe Dougherty and George Mattson. LaSalle HS returned to rowing in 1948 with the help of Jack Kelly Sr. Bill Knecht was in this crew. Penn AC also sponsored Cardinal O'Hara, St. Joseph College, and for a short time Philadelphia Community College crew.
In 1946, the first post-war National Regatta in Philadelphia, Detroit BC won the Barnes trophy. Jack Kelly Jr, returning from a close second in the Diamond Sculls, beat Penn AC's Art Gallagher in the Sr single in 8:15. Art won the dash, Assoc single and the Champ single. Penn AC won the Sr double, Charles McIntyre and Art Gallagher, and Sr quad, Bill Murray, Ed McCarthy, Charles McIntyre, and stroke Art Gallagher, and were 2nd in the lightweight double, Ed McCarthy and Bill Murray. Penn AC was 4th in the Sr four and Sr 8. Art Gallagher won the dash at the NYAC regatta. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Bill Murray won the lightweight Sr single dash, and John Clary won the Jr single. In the Independence Day Regatta, Penn AC was 2nd in the Jr quad and Int four. This regatta featured races for blind and disabled veterans from the naval hospital. Art Gallagher with Coach Tom Mack, raced Jack Kelly Jr. in the semi, and the winner, Kell, went on the final, being defeated by the Frenchman Sephariades. In the Middle States Regatta, Lou Backe won the Jr single. Penn AC was 2nd in the Sr 8, and Jr four, and Sr straight four. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Jim Becket and Jack Bratten won the Vets Double. Penn AC was 2nd in the Jr four, and 3rd in the Sr 8. LaSalle H.S. won the City, Stotesbury Cup, and National Scholastic championship 8. In 1947, Jack Kelly Jr won the Diamond Sculls, fulfilling his fathers dream.
THE 1948 OLYMPICS At the first post-war Olympics at Henley, England, there were 27 countries and 86 entries. UniversityS. won 14 of the 26 individual gold medals. The US won two first, in the 8 and four. Penn AC renewed its Olympic tradition by qualifying in the Penn AC-NYAC combo double, Art Gallagher and Joe Angyal, a fireman from New York AC who won their heat, defeating Argentina and Hungary. In the semi-finals they drew the unprotected outside lane and finished second to Great Britain. Jack Kelly, rowing for Vesper in the single in one of the most dramatic finishes in sculling history, rowed in a merciless hailstorm and was beaten at the finish line by Risso of Uruguay. The US 8 from the University of California, won in 65:56 over Italy 6:25, and Norway in 6:10. The US four with, from the University of Washington, won the gold in 6:50 over Switzerland and Denmark. Yale's straight four, was third behind Germany and Denmark, their straight pair made it to the repechage, where they led all the way, but a collision between Italy and France forced a re-row, and we did not advance. The Vesper pair with, Vince Deeney, Joe Toland and Jack McIntyre, made it to the repechage.
'Kel' won the Diamond Sculls at Henley in 1947-49. The US won the four, was third in the straight four, and California won the eight. Vesper pair with did not make the finals. Mervin Wood of Australia was awarded the Philadelphia Challenge Cup in 1948. That 1948 the Penn AC Senior Eight won the Schuylkill Navy , Middle States, Presidents Cup and the American Henley. Tom McCreesh, later to be a State Senator, won two Schuylkill Navy and two National Lightweight Single Championships. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Penn AC won the Sr 8, J. Scholl, T. Down, J. Ervin, J. Gallanaugh, R. Penrose, J. Blessing, H. Curan, P. McMamara, and cox J. Coughlin, and 2nd in the Jr four, B. Protevi, W. Link, F. Mellet, R. Blessing, and cox C. Flannigan, and 2nd in the Sr four, J. Fruin, J. Gallanaugh, B. Penrose, J. Blessing, and cox A. Keenen. In the Middle States Regatta, Penn AC won the Sr eight, John Sholl, Tom Dowd, Joe Wilkes, Jim Gallagher, Jake Erwin, John Blessing, Hugh Curran, Paul McNamara, cox Jack Colgan, and 2nd in the Int four, 3rd in the Jr 8, and lightweight Jr single, John Kane. In the President Cup Regatta, Penn AC won the Sr 8, and Jr 8. In The Independence Day Regatta which was combined with the NAAO Championship events, Penn AC was 2nd in the Int double, John Wilke and John Scanlon.
In the 1949 Nationals at Buffalo, West Side won the Barnes trophy. Tom McCreesh won the lightweight dash and Penn AC was 3rd in the Sr straight pair, John Blessing and Paul McNamara, and in the pair with, Jack Sholl, Tom Dowd, Jack Colgan cox. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Tom McCreesh won the lightweight dash, and Penn AC was 2nd in the Jr double, Mike Ontemuro and James Galanugh, in the Sr four, Jake Erwin, Tom Dowd, Hugh Curran, Paul McNamara and Jack Colgan cox, in the Jr quad, John Kane, Joe Landy, Mike Montemuro, and James Galanaugh, in the Int double, Hugh Monaghan, and Jim McHugh, and the Jr 8, Jim O'Kane, George Gothier, don Rogers, Tony DelBrillo, Jack Gegan, Joe Lane, Harry Hudome, Jim Ferry, and Andy Connen cox, and Sr pair, Hugh Curran and Paul McNamara. In the second Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Mike Montemuro won the Jr single, and Penn AC won the Jr four, Jim Ludlow, Jim Ferry, Joe Landy, Harry McIlhenny, and Grant Bengham cox. John Kane won the Jr lightweight gig. In the Independence Day Regatta, Hugh Curran was 3rd in the Jr single, 4th in the Jr quad, Kane, Landy, Hannon, and Galanaugh, and Sr double, Erwin and Curran. In the Canadian Henley, Tom McCreesh was 2nd in the finals of the open dash. Mike Montemura was 3rd at the Middle States in the Int single, and 4th in the President's Cup. Kelly Jr won the Diamond Sculls and European Championships.
In 1950, a race worthy of a Greek tragedy, the famous Gold Challenge cup race, took place on the Schuylkill River between Jack Kelly Jr. the 1947-48 Diamond Sculls champion, Mervyn Wood of Sydney Australia, the 1948 Olympic champion, and Tony Rowe of England, the current holder of the Diamond Sculls. Wood, in 7:14, nosed out Kelly, 7:18, with Rowe third in 7:21. Kel later won the Diamond Sculls in 8:12 over Jack Trinsey.
In the Nationals in 1950, the new Grandstands were dedicated to the rowers who served in either World War. At the Nationals in Phila. no Penn AC boats were in the finals. St Joe Prep was 2nd in the American Rowing Assoc Regatta , LaSalle HS won the scholastic 8, and LaSalle College won the first 8. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Penn AC was 3rd in the Jr 4, Tony Sylvestro, Bill Noland, John McHugh, Bill Phipps, and Tom Darcy cox, and 2nd in the Jr double, Joe Landy and Harry McElhenny, and 3rd in the Jr 8, Bernard Boyce, Bill Savage, John Bleacher, Tom Hegarty, Ed Kelly, Tom Lnagen, Jake McBreer, Tony DelBrello, and Andy Connen cox. In the second Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Penn AC won the In double, Jesse Ferry and Jim Galanaugh, and the Jr double , Jesse Ferry and Martin Ludlow, Dave Cool was 3rd in the Nov gig, and Penn AC was 2nd in the Jr four. In the Independence Day Regatta, Tom Dowd won the Jr single, and Jim Galanaugh won the Jr gig, Joe Landy and Harry McIlhenny won the Jr double, and Penn AC was 2nd in the Jr quad.
At the 1951 Nationals in Worcester Mass, Penn AC did not place in the finals . The U of Penn lightweight 8 won the Thames Cup at Henley, and LaSalle College won the first of eight Dad Vail Championships, and 2nd behind Harvard in the American Rowing Assoc Regatta. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Tom Darcy won the Jr lightweight gig, and Penn AC was 3rd in the Int Double, Harry McElminney and Martin Lulow. Jack Scholl was 2nd in the Jr single, and 4th in the Jr double , Tom Keller and Dick Carroll. Roger Hull was 3rd in the Jr single. In the Middle States Regatta, Tom Darcy won the lightweight single, and Penn AC was 2nd in the Jr four. LaSalle HS won the Scholastic Championships and the Stotesbury.
THE 1952 OLYMPICS The 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland was the first games since 1918 in which the Russians participated along with 31 other nations, with 113 rowing entries. The only Philadelphia entry was Jack Kelly Jr, who lost in a photo finish to Tjukalov of Russia in the semifinal. The Naval Academy won the Olympic eight (for the second time) in 6:25, over Russia 6:31 and Australia 6:33. Six of the rowers were sophomores, including the stroke. This 8, coached by Rusty Callow, and nicknamed the 'Admirals' was honored by a 'pass in review' parade, usually reserved for Presidents and Admirals. the US straight pairs, called the "Cinderella team', Charles Logg and Thomas Price won the gold in 8:20, the first time the US won this event, ahead of Belgium 8:23 and Switzerland 8:32. The four with, Carl Lovested, Alvin Ulbrickson, Richard Wahlstrom, Matthew Leanderson, and Albert Rossi was third in 7:37 behind Czechs 7:33, and Switzerland 7:36. Navy's straight four was 2nd in the repechage, after the officials would not allow a substation due to an illness. The races were held in windy conditions against the current.
In 1952, Jack Kelly Sr became the President of the NAAO. LaSalle College again won the Dad Vail in Boston. Under the magic coaching of Tom "Bear" Curran, the youngest member of the 1930 "big eight", LaSalle won 6 Dad Vail championship varsity eight races in 1951-52-53-56-57-58. Penn's lightweight 8 again won the EARC. University of Penn won the Thames Challenge cup at Henley in 1951-52 -55. The Korean war reduced the numbers of competing oarsmen at Penn AC, and it was not until the 1952 graduates of the LaSalle College crew, who rowed from Penn AC started to rebuild the ranks of the Club Champions. At the same time, Jack Galloway, a LaSalle Dad Vail Champion returned from the Navy and Georgetown Law School to develop a base for the junior program.
In 1953 Nationals at Phila, Tom McCreesh was 2nd in the Sr dash. Navy won the IRA and LaSalle won the Dad Vail. Penn AC was 5th in the Jr four at the Schuylkill Navy Regatta. Tom Keller was 2nd in the Jr single. At the Independence Day Regatta, Tom McCreesh was 2nd in the Sr dash. In the Middle States Regatta, Penn AC was 5th in the Jr four, and Tom Keller was 4th in the Jr single, and 2nd in the President's Cup. Jim Rice died at 83, he rowed in over 50 professional races, Coached at University of Penn and Detroit BC.
At the 1954 80th Annual Nationals and Pan Am Trials in Worcester Mass, Jim Manning's Vesper team won the Barnes Trophy. Navy won their 3rd straight IRA , and Dartmouth swept the Dad Vail, and Washington-Lee won the Scholastic Champs. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, John Wilkes was 2nd in the Jr single and won the special four, Rich Tully, Jerry Mackle, John McHugh, Bill Henderson, and Kip Tovey cox. At the Independence Day Regatta John St. Clair won the Jr gig, and was 3rd in the Jr double with W. Henderson, and 4th in the Int single. In the Middle States, A. Dilverio was 5th in the Jr gig, and Penn AC was 3rd in the Sr four, F. Ford, W. Henderson, W. Nolan, J. St. Clair, and J. Henderson cox. The Manny Flick High School races started in 1954. Rowing lost the great single sculler, Maj Joe Angyal USMC, when his Gruman Cougar Jet crashed not far from the NYAC rowing course. He flew over 65 missions in the Pacific War, and rowed with Penn AC's Art Gallagher in the 1948 Olympics. The Schuylkill Navy held a Commodores Review at Peters Island to celebrate the completion of the river dredging project. A new survey of the race course was made by Albany & Doran Surveyors.
In 1955, the eastern US was hit by a hurricane which damaged many rowing facilities, and caused some regattas to be canceled. At the Nationals in Phila, Penn AC was 3rd in the lightweight quad, and in the Int 8. U of Penn won the EARC and Adams Cup, and Dartmouth won the Dad Vail in a near dead heat with Rollins. Jack St. Clair and John McHugh were 2nd in the double in the 112th Schuylkill Navy regatta. The Penn AC Jr eight was 3rd, D. Kerry, J. St. Clair, Paul Dougherty, Tom Darcy, Dave Unger, Dick Yocum, Joe Harris, John McHugh, and Jim Henderson cox. They were 2nd in the Independence Day Regatta, as was the Penn AC Sr 8, J. McHugh, J. Ferry, J. St. Clair, T. Langan, J. Galanaugh, J. Wilkes, J. Harris, J. McHugh, and A. Gentile cox. Penn AC's Jr four was 2nd in the Middle States, Tom Darcy, Don Kerry, Jack St. Clair, John McHugh, and Chris Mattson cox, and 2nd in the Int four, Jim Galloway, Ed Haas, John Todd, John McHugh, and Chris Mattson cox. St Joe Prep, coached by Jim Manning, was undefeated, and won the Scholastic Nationals. U of Penn won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley. In the first post war revival of the Pan Am games in Mexico City, Schuylkill Navy crews won four of the seven places on the US team, and won two of the three gold for the US, and two second places. Kel won the single, the Fairmount pair of John Kieffer and Tom McDonough, Paul McArdle cox was 2nd, the Vesper four was 2nd, and the Vesper 8 first.
THE 1956 OLYMPICS At Lake Wendoutree, Ballarat, Australia, the US won three gold, two silver and a bronze. All but one of the US seven entrants reached the finals. Yale won the eight in 6:35 over Canada 6:37 and Australia 6:39. and the Stanford and Navy crews won both pairs. The Stanford pair with, Dan Ayrault, Conn Finlay, and Kurt Seiffer, won the Gold in 8:26, West Germany 2nd in 8:29, and Russia 8:31. The Navy pair without, James Fifer and Duvall Hecht won the gold in 7:55, Russia 8:03, and Austria 8:11. This was the second consecutive win in the pair. The Detroit BC straight four and double were 3rd and 4th respectively. "Kell' took a bronze medal in 8:11 behind the Russian Ivanov 8:02 (who also won the 1960-64 Olympic single) and Australia¦s MacKenzie 8:07. The Detroit BC double, Pat Costello and James Gardiner took a silver in 7:32 behind Russia who won in 7:24. The Buffalo West Side straight four took the silver in 7:18 behind Canada, who won in 7:08. The West Side four with, was 5th in the semi-finals.
In 1956, Jack Kelly Jr. won the Diamond Sculls at the Royal Henley, thus vindicating the slight given his father when he was excluded from competing at the Royal Henley in 1927.
In 1958 Penn AC won the Middle States point trophy, and the junior 8, intermediate four and 8 National Championships. In the Nationals in Phila, Hugh Curran was 4th in the Assoc single. LaSalle College won the Dad Vail. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Tom Keller won the Jr single, John McHugh, Jim Becket Jr, Jack St. Clair, and Paul McNamara were 2nd in the Int quad. Penn AC was 2nd in the Int double, and the Jr quad 6th J. Pritt, E. Haas, P. Delaney, and L. Heine, and the Sr four was 3rd, P. Grexa, P. Ignas, G. Hefferman, J. McFadden, and T. Loschiavo cox, the Sr 8 was 2nd, J. McFadden, G. Hefferman, P. Grexa, T. Becket, P. Ignas, R. Yocum, J. St. Clair, T. Keller, T. Loschiavo. Dan Barrow was 4th in the Nov gig. In the Independence Day Regatta, Larry Heine and Franz Schneider were 3rd in the Jr double, and the Jr 8 won, J. McFadden, P. Grexa, T. Darcy, P. Ignace, J. Beckett, J. St. Clair, T. Keller, and T. Loschivo cox. Tom Keller was 4th in the Jr single. The Sr 8 was 5th. St Joe Prep won the Scholastic Championship . The great Syracuse and Penn Barge coach Ned Ten Eyck died. The Schuylkill Navy took over management of Penn Barge, #4 Boathouse Row.
At the 1957 Nationals in Phila, Jack St. Clair was 3rd in the Assoc single, and the Penn AC lightweight double was 5th. In the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, Bill Johnson was 4th in the Jr gig, and Paul Grexa 4th in the Jr single, and with Bill Henderson was 3rd in the Jr and Jr lightweight double. Tom Darcy was 3rd in the Assoc single. Penn AC was 3rd in the Jr lightweight double. In the Independence Day Regatta, Penn AC was 2nd in the Int double, Tom Darcey was 3rd in the lightweight dash, and Jack St. Clair was 3rd in the Int single. Tom Darcy was 6th in the Assoc single. St Joe Prep won the Jr four at the Canadian Henley and the champ 8 at the Phila Scholastic Championship. Cornell won the Grand Challenge Cup against Yale at Henley. They also won the IRA. LaSalle won the Dad Vail, Jack Galloway and Tom Loschiavo from Penn AC were in this boat.
In the 1958 Nationals in Phila, Gus Ignas won the Champ single in 7:20, and Penn AC Int 8 was 7th. W&L HS won the Thames Cup at Henley, defeating Harvard lightweight and the Kent School. Vesper, U of Washington and Tom McDonough of Fairmount RA raced in Moscow. LaSalle won the Dad Vail. Penn AC was 4th in the Champ 8, 3rd in the Int double, and 5th in the Jr double in the Schuylkill Navy Regatta. The Jr 8 was 5th in the Independence Day Regatta. Jack Galloway won the Jr lightweight single in the Presidents Cup for Potomac BC and Penn AC won the Jr quad. In the Middle States Regatta, Penn AC was 3rd in the Jr double, and won the Int four, Bill Henderson, Jerry Jerome, Paul Grexa, Jack St. Clair, and Jack Andrews cox, and won the Jr 8, Jules Cook, Chris and George Mattson, Jim Brazel, Steve Schwab, Jim Henderson, Jerry Jerome, Paul Donohue, and Jack Anderson cox. This boat also went on to win the Int 8. Penn AC's Sr 8 was 4th.
In the 1959 Nationals at Detroit, Penn AC had no entries in the finals. In the Schuylkill navy Regatta, Jack St. Clair won the Int single, and the Penn AC Jr double was 5th, Tom Lynch and Tom Mattioli. At the President Cup the Penn AC won the Jr quad, Tom Keller, Jules Clark, Chris Mattson, and Jim Henderson. In the Pan Ams in Chicago, the US won 6 of the 7 events, Ted Nash was in the winning straight four. Wisconsin was a surprise winner at the IRA. Brown won the Dad Vail. Washington-Lee won the Stotesbury and Scholastic Nationals. Julius Barnes died, the donor of the Barnes Trophy and the power in the Duluth BC. Harry Parker joined Vesper after graduating from Penn, winning two Nationals, the PanAms and was the US single sculler in the Rome Olympics.
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