The 1956 UBC Eight Oared Crew coached by Frank Read represents an essential component of UBC's "golden age" of rowing, a time when UBC crews represented Canada on the national and international stage. This assembly of athletes, relatively inexperienced in rowing yet successfully built and shaped by coach Read, had, during the summer of '56, won the Canadian championship. With an eye toward the upcoming Olympics in Melbourne Australia, the UBC crews led by the eights had effectively established UBC and Vancouver as the epicenter of rowing in Canada.
At the Olympics in November 1956, Canada, with UBC's eights rowing in the final at Ballarat, Australia, provided drama as the Vancouver Sun reported, "For a few ecstatic breath taking minutes there was a fond hope that a dream would become a reality and Canada would win her second gold medal of the day." This had been a great day for Canada as earlier the UBC fours had unexpectedly won gold. But in the 2000 meter eight oared final the U.S. represented by Yale according to the Sun ". . . clung tenaciously to a three-quarter boat lead and threw off one of the most courageous challenges seen at these Olympics when the UBC eight failed by a whisper." The U.S. boat had gained revenge (UBC had defeated it in the preliminary round) by edging the Blue & Gold by less than two seconds and less than a boat length, thereby giving Canada a silver to go with the gold won earlier by their UBC compatriots. Keep in mind, this was not a National Team, these were in essence club sides, with all the athletes coming from just one place, UBC.
British Columbians and Canadians felt a definite surge of pride as the B.C. oarsmen were looked upon as heroes upon their return to Vancouver, their gallant efforts and Olympic medal success a first for Canadian four and eight oared crews. These students had for months worked and trained hard at Vancouver's Coal Harbour, devoting every spare minute to workouts which translated to being able to demonstrate they were the best in the nation. Yet as it happened, the Canadian Olympic Association had not thought any Canadian crews including UBC were worthy of representing Canada at the '56 Olympics. This was a challenge and "a snub" UBC and the VRC overcame by raising $25,000 to send the two crews to Australia. It proved to be worth it as the resulting rowing gold and silver medals emerged as Canada's first, launching the heralded UBC rowing tradition.
Four members of this same eight oared crew further added honour by going on to win gold at the British Empire Games (Commonwealth Games) in 1958, ultimately adding to their national fame and their Canadian Olympic and provincial Hall of Fame status.
In November 1956, prior to the UBC crews' victorious homecoming, the Vancouver Province editorialized "These youngsters, each of whom have made sacrifices to compete in the Olympics for Canada, have made the names of their province and city ring around the world. They have done more than bring fame to their own particular towns and cities – they have shown in one of the most grueling amateur sports that the spirit of sportsmanship flourishes in the West."
Laurie West Wayne Pretty Bill McKerlich Carl Ogawa Doug McDonald Bob Wilson Phil Kueber Dick McClure David Helliwell Glen Smith (spare) Tom Gray (spare) Frank Read (Coach)
This Inductee is also in the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
