5 March 2025

By Göran R Buckhorn

Last week, on 26 February, HOSR Story Hour celebrated rowing historian Tom Weil, his life and legacy with a zoom meeting where many of Tom’s friends offered funny stories and anecdotes about and by him. Among those who spoke warmly about Tom, his kindness and generosity were Dave Vogel, Bill Miller, Bill Lanouette, Peter Mallory, Richard and Diana Way. Former director of the River and Rowing Museum Paul Mainds and present director Steve O’Connor spoke about the importance of donations that had come the museum’s way thanks to Tom.

It was a joyful event with many laughs. For those who missed the event – sadly, I myself was one of them – HOSR has now posted the event on the organization’s YouTube channel. Here is 93 minutes of pure bliss. Tom would have loved it!

There are many good photographs of Tom shown during the zoom event. There is one of him (at 33:53 – 38:40) where moderator Rick Stehlik was a little lost on whom was in the picture with Tom, maybe because it was not a real person but a “dummy”. I was present at the time and can shed some light on who, when and why.

In October and November 2021, Bill Lanouette was on a book tour on the East coast promoting his brilliant The Triumph of the Amateurs: The Rise, Ruin, and Banishment of Professional Rowing in the Gilded Age, which was published by Lyons Press. One evening in the beginning of November, Bill was discussing and signing his book at Yale University Bookstore in New Haven. Tom, who lived outside of town, was of course there. For the event, Tom brought with him a mannequin on which he had put on a white tank top decorated with some medals from his vast collection. He also put a face on the mannequin, the face of Jacob “Jake” Gaudaur (1858 – 1937), the Canadian professional world champion sculler.

Bill had contacted me to ask if we could meet up the next morning for breakfast at a diner in Mystic. Of course, I said yes. For the breakfast, Bill showed up with Tom, Jake and Rick Rinehart, the executive editor of The Triumph of the Amateurs. Rick once rowed for Hart Perry at Kent School and rowed bow in the Kent crew who won the 1972 Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup (PE) at Henley Royal. About that experience, Rick published a book, Men of Kent: Ten Boys, a fast Boat, and the Coach who made them Champions, in 2010.

Needless to say, Tom enjoyed the glances Jake Gaudaur got from the other guests at the diner.