Evening star., 1958-07-03
Crewcuts Mark Wis Champions
At Worlds Foremost Rowing Event
BY ANDREW w. BINGHAM
Star stan Writer

HENLEY-o ON THAMES. Eng
land, July Sit is impossible
to miss the Washington-Lee
High School crew here this
week.
You can tell by the haircuts
which is our crowd" says Ben
T. Norris. the school principal.
Not even the other Ameri-
can crews among the 149 en-
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Other Stories on WushinstOn-Lss and
Henley Resotto. Posa All
tries in the Royal Henley Re-
gatta look quite so "Yank," or
have the butch haircuts, Of the
national Schoolboy rowing
champions from Arlington, Va.
They love the distinction. To
be recognized at the premier
rowing event in the world, be-
gun in 1889, is worthy of a
special place in any youngsters
memory.
Last Sunday a group Of Brit
ish girls approached the crew
and asked for their autographs.
"At first we thought they'd
made a mistake" 17-year-old
Bert Thurber recalled.
The boys eagerly - even
gratefully-complied with the
requests when it was discov-
cred no mistake had been made.
But there have been a few
cases Of mistaken identity. Be-
cause Of the bright red shirts
with white stars worn by WI
in practice, some spectators
thought the Generals from Ar
lington we're the Russian crew.
men entered in the Grand
Challenge Cup competition.
The WI shirts came from the
Potomac Boat Club, where the
Generals work out every spring.
Hotels Packed
Last week Henley was quiet
market borough of 5000 popu-
lace, pleasant but scarcely ex-,
citing. Next week 1t probably
will be the same.
But this week the excitement
of international rowing trans
forms Henley into a resort city.
The hotels are packed; parties
are in session nightly.
The athletes center their ac-
tivitieS at the river, just past
the finish line of the mile-and-
Ifive-sixteenths course, where q
battery of tents covers their
dining area and also houses the
shells.
The WI crew arrived here
Saturday and Sunday nights.
The official party includes the
eight oarSmen, one coxswain.
two spare oarSmen, Principal
Norris and Coach Charlie Butt.
Several parents and an assist
ant coach, Bob Duncan, also
came along.
Often in the daily practice
sessions, Mr.. Butt has acted as
coxswain in the stern Of the
shell, the better to coach the
sweepSwingerS. Another time
the coach bicycled along the
river towpath shouting instruc-
tionS.
Quarters Centuries Old
The Washington-Lee young
sters are staying in a house
they describe charitably as
quaint" Located in the middle
of town. it has beams dating
back before the construction
of the original Mayflower.
There is no furniture except for
a table and some chairs in the
kitchen. The boys sleep on
cots.
Those on the crew are:
Bert Thurber, II, bow oar;
Bob Cavaiola, II, No. 2; Frank
Benson, II, No. 3; Steve Emery,
IL, No. 4; Mendel Pete)
Peterson, II, No. S; Tony john
son. II, co-captain, No. s: Kirk
Evans, II, co-captain, No. Z;
Harvey Montgomery, II, stroke
oar; Mike Hanley, 16, cox
swain; Owen O'Donnell, is,
spare for starboard side, and
Steve Clineberg, l6, spare for
port side.
They go into action today,
against Emmanuel College of
Cambridge. in one of many
heats to decide the Thames
Challenge Cup for light"
eights. They hope to win each
day through Saturday.