11 August 2016

Göran R Buckhorn writes:

Renowned rowing writer Andy Anderson, aka Doctor Rowing, fired off an e-mail to HTBS wondering if HTBS contributors and readers could help him with some information of what seems like a rowing tradition of old: how far back goes the tossing of the winning crew’s coxswain in the drink?

Andy writes:

‘I have been unable to find any mention of it [cox tossing] in old publications, although Chris Dodd did tell me that it is done at the Boat Race, which I have witnessed. But he wasn’t sure how far back the tradition goes. Did it originate in UK or USA? We know from watching the documentary The Boys of ‘36 that the Washington crew threw Bobby Moch in the water after winning. Can anyone supply any other older instances? Is it done in other rowing countries?’

I am sure there are many HTBS readers who have seen this custom, or been a rower who has ‘helped’ the crew’s cox in the water, perhaps even been the wet cox’n yourself. What do you know about this tradition?

Please post a comment below or send an e-mail to me, at gbuckhorn – at – gmail – dot – com and I will forward your information to Andy.

Thank you very much in advance.