Photograph: Werner Schmidt

Saturday, January 29, 2011

John Biglin, The Hard-Assed Coach?

Rowing historian Bill Lanouette of Washington DC now and then sends an e-mail with some interesting facts. This morning, I received a photograph from him. The picture is showing the professional oarsman and coach John Biglin with the Amherst College crew in 1872. Bill writes, “Biglin glowers at the camera while his college boys seem to flit and flutter about. Under his savage training they won a race in a regatta in Springfield in 1872. Hard to believe from this photo.” Bill continues, “Doesn't Biglin look like a hard-assed coach? The press said his training methods were ‘decidedly savage’ and you can feel it in his glare.”

Indeed you can. Thank you for sharing this great photo with the readers of HTBS, Bill! The photograph is from Armherst College Archives.

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