1953-1954

Compiled, researched and written by Gary Lundeen '75. Please send any additions and/or corrections to the NavyLites Staff Historian. Vintage photos should be sent to info@navylites.org.

1V W-0 L-1 No 2V and 1F boats 5-15-54 at Princeton

Navy did not qualify for finals
Coach: John James (Buck) Herzog, USN [USNA '46]
Plebe Coach: No Plebe Crew
Officer Rep: none
Captain: John E. McNish '55 (unofficially)
Manager: none

Reflections from Jack McNish '55 and J. Darrow Kirkpatrick '57:
In the spring of 1954, LT Buck Herzog '46, who was an assistant to Navy Heavyweight Head Coach, Rusty Callow, got an okay from Rusty to enter a lightweight boat in the EARC. The boat didn't have long to practice. There were no 2V or Plebe crews. The 1V rowed one race. There was no Captain, but Jack McNish was the most experienced and the leader of the crew.

The First Navy Lightweight Eight at the Eastern Sprints
Please email NavyLites to let us know the name of the first Navy lightweight eight 4-oar.

Reflections from J. Darrow Kirkpatrick '57:
Two sayings I remember that were the precept of Rusty Callow with the '52-'54 crews:

"We'll row anybody, anywhere, anytime, under any conditions"
and the writing scrawled along the seawall during my day
"Line us up and start the clock."

I was a spare for the plebe heavy's prepping for the IRA one day when Willie Fields, Olympic and 1954 #2 oar got held-up from practice due to a dental appointment (I think). Rusty looked at me and said get in. It was an incredible experience. Just as we were turning around to start back, Fields came out in a coach boat and my moments of glory were over, but quite a memory. I've always appreciated Will Rich, the youngster bow man, who had just started in the boat at the beginning of that year, sensing my uneasiness and settling me down.