In Roman times only slaves and soldiers rowed boats.

In our time, only people who couldn’t play cricket rowed boats. 

In 1953, I shared a study with Jim Howden (1953, see story no.24). He couldn’t play cricket, but he could sure row a boat. Late each afternoon, we would train on the Yarra, up and down the river under the guidance of coach Dr Max Whiteside who rode a bike along the river paths. Then on each Saturday, we would go for a long row past the docks then up the Maribyrnong River. Some river: it stank of the tanning yards in Yarraville. 

I had inherited £100 from a long-forgotten Scottish relative who shared the name Sutherland. I used the money to buy a 1931 model A Ford with a petrol tank that sat just in front of the windscreen. Unfortunately, having bought the car there was no money for running costs so I could not get the brakes fixed. Despite this problem, I drove the crew down Swanson St on the way to training. I stopped by changing to low gears. Inevitably, I rammed into a much newer car waiting at the lights. The driver was really mad.

With Jim in our crew we always defeated Trinity, Queen’s and Newman. But the training was exhausting, so I gave up and started playing footy. Why did Jim row? He was aiming for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He got there. I drove that old Ford to Ballarat to watch him and Michael Aiken (1952, another Ormond rower) win a bronze medal. My suffering had been worth it.

The bronze-medal-winning Australian 1956 Olympics men’s crew that included Ormondians Jim Howden (in the four seat) and Michael Aikman (first on left).

Share your Ormond story

Every Ormondian has their own unique experience of College life, and their own story to tell. Whether it be on the river or on Picken Lawn; in the JCR or the Dining Hall, share your favourite story with us.