NYT On Doggett's

As it is such a rare thing, HTBS cannot help but to point out that the New York Times actually published an article on rowing the other day. No, no, you are wrong, dear HTBS reader, it was not a piece about Olympic rowing. Instead it was about the oldest rowing race in the world, which also might be the oldest sport event in the world (well, we rowers know it is!). Of course, I am writing about the Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race, which Tim Koch wrote so elegantly about on 21 July on HTBS.

The nice article in the New York Times was written by Campbell Robertson, who according to Tim, was sent by the paper to the “London Olympics ‘without portfolio’ to cover odd sports as needed but also to do some human interest stories, not necessarily connected with the Games,". You can read Robertson’s article on the Doggett’s here. Both Tim and rowing historian Chris Dodd (who unfortunately is named something else by NYT) gave Mr. Robertson some pointers to the Watermen's old race, which is organised by the Fishmongers' Company. Dodd is planning to published a book about the Watermen and the Doggett's in two years. Then it's exactly 300 years since the Doggett's first race.