A race to remember — ’92 intermediate race

Many

incidents of drama, danger, courage and good sportsmanship have occurred on the pond throughout the history of the Royal St. John’s Regatta.

At the 1992 Regatta, when poor weather caused the races to be spread over several days, such a race was recorded. It was on the second day of the races, when two boats collided nearly causing a tragedy while turning the buoys.

Frank Murphy, of Paradise, who the day before had operated a concession at the races, was with several friends watching the race from the banks. As he watched one rapidly-moving boat moving head towards another boat coming out of the turn at the buoys, he cried, “They’re going to hit!”

The higher than normal winds were causing a lop on the pond.

“It seemed that they didn’t see each other,” Murphy said. “The boat coming out of the turn did not take a wide turn. There was no time to avoid the collision and you could hear the shouting of the rowers as the boats came crunching together.”

The race Murphy described was the Intermediate race. The Pizza Hut Crew rowing in the Good Luck got off to a decent start from stake 2. They held the lead going down the pond, followed closely by Foley’s Garage in the Miss Labatt.

Matt Foley saw the Good Luck turning the buoy and anticipated she was taking a wide turn, but it didn’t. By this time, it was too late, and the two shells were locked into a collision course.

Instead of the Pizza Hut Crew taking a wide turn they cut straight. Foley instantly responded in an effort to minimize the damage and he ordered his crew to let up on the oars. In better weather, perhaps a collision could have been avoided, but the Foley Crew with the wind at their backs were propelled forward into the Good Luck.

“The next thing I knew, there was a loud bang and they were on top of us,” Foley said.

The bow of the Good Luck slid up over the Miss Labatt just behind number one oar Dominic King who suffered a long cut on his back. Jason Newman of the Foley Crew was also injured. The Miss Labatt was damaged and taking on water, but managed to remain afloat. While this was unfolding, a third boat, with cox Jim Ring, had made a successful turn and was heading up the pond.

At this moment, Steve Gillett, the number two oar with the Foley Crew, stood up and worked his way towards the point of contact of the boats. He succeeded in lifting the bow of the Good Luck off the Miss Labatt, whose crew encouraged the Pizza Hut boys to continue the race.

The Good Luck pulled away as the Foley’s crew shouted, “Go get ’em! Go get ’em!”

On the banks, Frank Murphy and his friends joined in the cheering as Pizza Hut Crew pulled hard to overcome the six- or seven-boat lead Ring had on them and win the race.

What had just happened on the pond was not yet fully apparent to the spectators at the head of the pond. Regatta officials had looked on with concern and no doubt recalling the tragedies of the past.

Telegram sportswriter Brendan McCarthy wrote, “It was an incident which transformed itself into a story exhibiting the best aspects of both the sportsmanship and drama that can be associated with the St. John’s Regatta.”

Members of the the Pizza Hut crew were cox John Harte, stroke Steve Fowler, John Barrington Jr., Steve McLean, Gerry Locke, Ted Murphy and Michael Smythe.