Project Editor: Joshua Vapenik, History 470: Digital History, Spring 2008

The First Eights

The first two rowable shells the team owned were hardly state of the art or even reasonably new. However, both allowed the Huskers to get out onto the water and begin to actually row. Though equipment failures were frequent, they did not stop the Huskers form practicing and competing in their new shells.

The Nebraska One was donated by Dr. Oliver Brundage of MIT and was the first eight the team possessed. It came originally from Putney, England, where it was manufactured by Sims and Sons. The shell was already 30 years old when it was given to the team, but the age didn't matter, it was a real, rowable shell. The second, the Northerner, was purchased from Kansas State University with money donated by Capitol Beach developer Marvin Copple. It too was a Sims shell from England and around 30 years old when the Huskers got it. Rumor held had it that it had been rowed in the 1928 Olympic games. While the exact path of the shell to Nebraska was fuzzy, it was believed that it had been used by Oxford or Cambridge, then made its way to Boston College, who then passed it on to Kansas State so they could start their team (Porter, 94). It was from Kansas State that Nebraska Crew purchased the shell when they began their own program. Initially it was hoped that the shell could be refurbished and passed on to Kansas to help start a team there, but in the end the shell proved to have finally outlived its usefulness. Today the Nebraska One hangs in the rafters of the Boathouse on City campus. Legend has it that if it even comes down the team will cease to exist (Porter, 1994).

An article about the team from the Omaha World-Herald by Tom Allan discussing the upcomming race with Washburn and the teams actions and ambitions for the future. Page one of an Click here for a larger version.

Page two of the previous article. Click here for a larger version.