JoeRantz
RowingsavedJoeRantz’slife.WhentheSequim,Washington,nativewasabandonedatage10andfoundhimselfforagingforfoodandshelter,heknewtheonlypersonhecouldtrustwithhissurvivalwashimself.WhenheenrolledattheUniversityofWashingtonin1934,everythingchanged.
1936UWCrew
Joe’sathleticismmadehimanaturalrower,buthishistorymadehimapprehensivetojointheotherboysintheboat.GeorgePocock—aboatbuilderwhocraftedUW’srowingshells—encouragedJoetotrustagain.Andwhenhestartedtrusting,theboysstartedwinning.
1936UWVarsity8+
DonHume(Stroke),JoeRantz,George"Shorty"Hunt,JimMcMillin,JohnWhite,GordyAdams,CharlesDay,RogerMorris(Bow),BobMoch(Coxswain)
1936Olympics
Arowingcrewcanonlywinwheneveryoneisinswing.TheUWcrewhadfoundtheirswing,andqualifiedforthe1936Olympics.Forthecrew—sonsofloggersandfishermanfromaquietcorneroftheU.S.—winningwouldn’tjustmeanthey’dprovedthemselvesagainstthecompetition;it’dmeanthey’dchallengedtheprideoftheThirdReich.
UWWinsGold
Onthedayofthefinalrace,everythingwasstackedagainstthecrew.Onerowerfellill,andtheyweregiventheworstlaneassignment:thefarside,straightintothestrongestwind.Buttheyfoundtheirswingandtrustedeachother,anditworked:inthrillingfashion,theycameinfirst.
Results
- Gold:USA-6:25.4
- Silver:Italy-6:26.0
- Bronze:Germany-6:26.4
TheWinnings
Theboyswereoverflowingwithpride.They’dgoneupagainsttheoddsandearnedthegoldmedal.Someofthecrews—includingGermany’s—bettheirjerseysontherace.Joetookonehome—theinsigniawasaharrowingandhumblingreminderofHitler’sreign.
1936Crew,Reunited
Whattheboysaccomplishednotjustthatday,butinallthehoursthey’dspentworkingtowardthewin,bondedthemforlife.Joelearnedhowtotrustandsharemeaningfulrelationshipswithothers,andlongafterthey’dgraduatedfromtheUW,the1936crewregularlyreunitedtocelebratewhatthey’ddone—together.
Paintings
Thepainting,“TheBoysintheBoat,Opus5”waspaintedin2017andpresentedattheSeattleYachtClubaspartofaverypersonalpresentationonthelifeofJoeRantzbyhisdaughter.Ipaintedasecondpaintingattherequestofaclient,whowonderedifIcouldcreatethesameimageofthefirstpaintingonafoggymorninginsteadofasun-filledevening.Thesegicleeimagesoftheoriginalsareprintedoncanvas,exactlyliketheoriginal,thenenhancedwithoilpaint,framedandsigned.
ToownoneofthesesoughtafterpaintingsfromAustinDwyer,youcanreachouttohimusingthebelowcontactinformation:
2069478705mobile
austin@austindwyer.com
Thecostofeachpaintingis$500plustax.Pleaseallow4weeksforlocaldelivery.Extracratingandfreightchargeswillberequiredforordersneedingtobeshipped.TolearnmoreaboutAustinandtoseeadditionalworks,visitaustindwyer.com
1923UWCrew
Beforethereweretheboysof‘36,thereweretheboysof1923:theUW’seight-manvarsitycrewthat,inanunprecedentedrace,beattheNavyattheIntercollegiateRowingAssociationnationalchampionship.CharlesDunnwaspartofthecrewthatputtheUWonthemap.
