University of Virginia Library

Virginia's Top Eight

The Varsity shell, starting
from the one or bow position
and continuing through the eight
or stroke position, consists of:
Bob Tuke, Carl (Chip) Helmetag,
John Bakhaus, Pratt Rommel,
John Woodall, Steve Plott (Captain),
Peter Luke, and Harrison
O'Conner. The coxswain is Peter
Tilghman.

The crew has come a long way
since the revival of the sport last
year. Two major additions that
have been acquired include the new
Varsity shell and, even more
satisfying, a modern boathouse.
The funds came mainly from the
$50 membership dues and donations
from contributors to whom
the crew is greatly indebted.

The boathouse's cost was about
$5000 while the shell amounted to
$2535.

As the sport is hardly as well
established in the South as compared
to the New England states
in particular, funds for warm-weather
clubs have been hard to
come by. When approached for
monetary support by hopeful members
of the Clemson University
club, Athletic Director Frank
Howard replied, "I ain't gonna
give one cent to a sport where the
participants sit on their asses and
go back wards."