Frank Cunningham Dies

Sad news reaches the rowing world as we hear that Frank Cunningham, one of the grand old men of American rowing, but maybe particularly Seattle rowing, has died at age 91. He died on Sunday night. Read more about Frank Cunningham here.

New News on 'Rowing'

The world's most famous treble, or triple, scull crew: Ernest Barry, Wally Kinnear and Harry Blackstaffe.

Yesterday, Rowing News arrived in my mailbox, or that is, the “new” magazine from the people behind the old Rowing News, now simplified to just Rowing. The magazine has got a new, nice, readable lay-out – except the section called “Training” which has so many different fonts, and sizes and colours that they make your head spin. ‘Doctor Rowing’ – Andy Anderson – is still having his column, thank god. In this issue he is telling the story of some American “triple sculls” (in England also called treble scull). Rowing legend Frank Cunningham in Seattle built one out of an old Pocock coxed pair, then Susan Kinne, from Cunningham’s club, came along and built three more.

“Well, dear readers”, Andy writes, “triples are alive and well.” And Kinne makes a good point, saying that this boat type is great to have when someone doesn’t show up, or if two experienced scullers would like to take a beginner for an outing.

HTBS’s friend Bryan Kitch, at Rowing Related, is still writing for the magazine, and this time he has a well-written and well-researched article called “America’s Best Rowing Towns”. It doesn’t have that many surprises, though, it’s Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Richmond, Oklahoma City, and a few more.

Thumbs up – all around!

Happy Belated Birthday, Frank!

On 10 February famous rower and coach Frank Cunningham celebrated his 90th birthday. To pay tribute to Cunningham, the Washington State Senate passed a resolution honouring him for his service to the community and the nation as a teacher and coach. In an article, Cunningham, who was a teacher for 30 years and a coach for 50, said: “It was fun to meet the governor and it is nice to get that kind of attention. But it was kind of a charade.” Read the whole article here.

In November 2010, Cunningham was the recipient of USRowing’s highest honour, the USRowing Medal. He began to row at Noble and Greenough School in Massachusetts in 1937, and during the 1940s he rowed in different crews at Harvard University. Cunningham has coached many of the U.S.’s most prominent scullers.

HTBS would like to send Frank Cunningham a Happy Belated Birthday Greeting!

2010 USRowing Medal Goes To Frank Cunningham

On 18 November, USRowing announced the names of 2010 Annual Award Winners. I was happy to see that this year's recipient of USRowing's highest honour, the USRowing Medal is Frank Cunningham, legendary coach out in Seattle. Cunningham began to row at Noble and Greenough School in Massachusetts in 1937. During the 1940s he rowed in different crews at Harvard University. He has coached many of the U.S.'s most prominent scullers. Read USRowing's press release here.