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When floating debris claims all three of Navy's shells at the 1951 IRA Championships, the program looked to be in the hurt locker for a very long time. But the fact was that it marked the beginning of the most dominant run in the history of college rowing.
In today's episode of Forged At Annapolis, we tell the story of the Great Eight. This Navy Men’s Varsity 8 crew was formed following a humiliating day at the 1951 IRA Championships and went on to turn in one of the most dominant stretches in college rowing history, guided by coach Rusty Callow.
With their complete destruction of Yale in the season's first dual, the Mids send an early message that put the rest of the college rowing world on notice. After that, the wins continued to pile up. One by one, every elite program in the country found themselves in the same place, behind the Navy crew with a decent amount of open water between them.
The story continues through to the 1952 IRA Championships, the Olympic Trials, and the Helsinki Olympics. If you are a Navy Sports fan, or just happen to like hearing about sports history, please join us!
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Related Links: Navy Great Eight YouTube Documentary
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