A woman in upstate New York was cleaning out her attic last summer and stumbled upon an old rowing letter sweater from nearly 80 years ago that belonged to former Wisconsin rower Harold H Zabel. She contacted the UW athletic department with the idea of passing along the artifact. After the sweater arrived in Madison and a little research, an interesting story about the mens rowing program of the Depression era emerged.
Harold Zabel was a member of the Badger crew from 1928 through 1931. The 6-3 and 188-pound rower competed as the stroke and seven seat and was a three-time letterwinner for Wisconsins varsity crew from 1929-31. During his time at Wisconsin, the rowing program was struggling as the university suffered severe financial blows.
Adding to the financial plight of the rowing program in the late 1920s, the Badgers beloved head coach Henry Dad Vail passed away in 1928 at the age of 69. Following Vails death, Wisconsins athletic director, George Little, went out and hired George Mike Murphy, who was coaching the Yale freshmen. To draw Murphy to Madison, Little promised a new boat in each of the first three years under Murphy, of which two were procured. Things were looking up, but the growing depression forced the Badgers to miss the IRAs in 1932 and 1934, while the 1933 event was cancelled. At one point in 1932, with the departments expenses outstripping its revenues, it appeared the crew program was destined for the chopping block. Murphy earned inspiration from his team, however, who had encouraged him to fight for the team, and took a trip to visit Board of Regent President Dan Grady, who told him since the UW had rowing since 1890, the program was going to stay.
With their new coach George Mike Murphy in 1929, Wisconsin raced three times in the 1929 season. In June of 1929, Washingtons crew made the trip to Madison to compete in a head-to-head dual meet. In front of an astounding 20,000 spectators, Wisconsin lost by less than one length, a close race in 1929. At the IRAs, Wisconsin finished fifth of nine boats as four boats swamped.
Rowing during this period was nothing like rowing is today. Boats constantly swamped, and many never finished races. As former UW stroke Eldon Marlpe said, They have much nicer boats now. We had cedar boats in those days and they creaked a little bit. They were much more flexible and heavier. And they had a certain romance. Marple continued, Both years (1929 and 1930) were a total catastrophe. We rowed across under water; we actually finished under water.
In the 1931 season, the crews financial crises hit bottom. As the program had no money, Wisconsin was unable to host any home meets and would not be about to travel to any of the national regattas. However, the dedicated Wisconsin rowing fans and members of the Greek community would not let this happen.
Fraternities and Sororities raised $1,000 to send the Badger crew to the Poughkeepsie regatta of 1931. They raised $250 from donations at Prom and sold rowing buttons in the Madison community. UW students planned an enormous send-off as several hundred students marched to the train station, pulling the crew in the historic red wagon (a large red cart used for transporting shells to practice sites). Once the Badgers got to the Poughkeepsie regatta they finished eighth of nine boats.
Zabel experienced Wisconsin rowing at its best and worst during this dynamic four year period. Although the program had little money, a dedicated group of community members supported the crews every move. Tens of thousands of faithful fans watched Wisconsin race on Lake Mendota and raised money to keep the program alive. If it wasnt for the devotion of the Madison community in the late 1920s and early `30s, the mens rowing program may not exist today.
Special thanks to Brad Taylor and Wisconsin Where They Row , as the source for much of this story.
