Events & Trophies

Many thanks to the Witzeling-Tierney family who compiled this information.

 

  Event Trophy
1 Boys Freshman Eight The Robert W. Suter Trophy is named in honor of Bob Suter and his lifetime involvement in rowing.   Bob is a graduate of LaSalle College High School. In 1958 he won the nationals in pairs and won the Dad Vail twice in the Varsity 8.   As a supporter of junior rowing, Bob coached at LaSalle from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. In 2005 Bob was presented the George Illman award for a lifetime of service to the sport of rowing. Bob retired as chief referee of the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in 2006, a position he had held for 11 years. The Robert W. Suter Trophy was donated in 2007 by the Suter children to honor their father.
2 Girls Junior Double The Patrick J. O’Rourke Memorial Trophy was donated in his memory by his daughter, Eileen O’Rourke. Patrick O’Rourke was an Irish immigrant who had a strong sense of determination and the ability to overcome obstacles. Eileen remembers him as an exceptional man. With Patrick’s support, Eileen became a national rowing champion and successful coach.
3 Girls Freshman Eight The T.C. Williams Freshman Coach Award was donated by Beth Yancy and the Alexander Crew Boosters in memory of Philip Yeich. Phil was a physics teacher at T. C. Williams from 1986–1989, and the Boys Freshman crew coach from 1987–1994. Phil was injured in a toboggan accident in 1994 which left him paralyzed from the waist down. Unfortunately, 5 weeks later he died from a blood clot.
4 Boys Junior Double The Undine Cup is named in honor of the Undine Barge Club. The Boys Junior Double was first established as a Stotesbury Cup Regatta event in 1949.
5 Boys Junior Four The George Mattson Trophy is named in honor of George Mattson, a member of the 1932 Olympic team. He coached at West Catholic, winner of the first Stotesbury Cup.
6 Girls Junior Four The Elizabeth Plate was donated by Elizabeth (“Liz”) Bergen, a coach at Agnes Irwin, and long-time rower and supporter of rowing.
7 Boys Freshman Quad The Jack & Nancy Seitz Trophy was donated by Mike Cipollone in honor of Jack & Nancy Seitz. Jack Seitz devoted his life to the improvement of rowing on the Schuylkill River, including organizing the Dad Vail Regatta, documenting the history of rowing and announcing races. He was a Dad Vail champion, having competed as a coxswain at LaSalle University. Jack supported Philadelphia rowing of all types. This trophy was originally established for the Boys Freshman Eight, retired in 2007 and re-established in 2009 for the Boys Freshman Quad.
8 Girls Freshman Quad The Past Presidents Cup of Conestoga High School Crew was donated by Dave Grace, long time Athletic Director of Conestoga High School. This award honors Ellie Bradley, the first CHS Booster Club President, and the hardworking Club Presidents who followed her. Dave states these parents’ commitment and dedication goes above and beyond, making crew a viable sport at Conestoga. Initially, this was a Girls Lightweight Four trophy and converted to the Girls Freshman Quad in 2009 when this event was established.
9 Girls Lightweight Double The Lawrence Kieffer Trophy was donated by John Kieffer in honor of his father, Lawrence. Lawrence won 13 national titles, plus the Stotesbury. John himself won the singles at Stotesbury in 1970.
10 Boys Lightweight Double The Barker Cup is named in honor of the Barker family and their involvement in rowing. The trophy was donated by Jim Barker, retired head coach at The Haverford School.   The trophy symbolizes Jim’s love of sculling and good sportsmanship. Jim began rowing in high school to prepare for football.   He was in the Olympic trials and won Nationals as a single sculler. His sons and grandsons have also followed in the sport. Jim Barker has been involved in rowing for more than 50 years.
11 Girls Junior Eight The Dee Campbell Trophy is in honor of T.C. Williams coach, Dee Campbell, and was donated by the Alexandria Crew Boosters. Dee began rowing in the 1950s at Old Dominion where he became the highest ranking oarsman in sweeps, sculls and singles.   He coached rowing for 45 years in the Alexandria School District, and admits to crew being his first love. Dee remembers his coaching years with joy and pride. He particularly enjoyed contributing to the development of young people and watching them grow into outstanding citizens in their communities. His hope is that he helped them develop the ability to manage successes and disappointments equally well.
12 Boys Junior Eight The Charlie Butt Trophy is named in honor of Charlie Butt, who was involved with rowing in the Washington DC area for more than 40 years. Charlie learned to row at M.I.T. and was a bow for 3 years for the JV Lightweights. His enthusiasm for rowing was life-long and infectious for those who came to know him. Charlie is considered the driving force behind youth rowing in the Washington DC area. His son, Charlie, and daughter, Nancy, continue to follow in his footsteps.
13 Boys Junior Quad The George C. Hines Trophy is in honor of George C. Hines, a 1952 graduate of LaSalle University. He was a member of the 1952 varsity eight that won the first Dad Vail. George coached LaSalle High School from 1955-1968, then coached at LaSalle College from 1968-74. He has been referee emeritus since 1968.
14 Girls Junior Quad The Ruth Robinhold Trophy honors Ruth Robinhold, an organizer and founding member of the Philadelphia Girls Rowing Association. She was the “bow girl” on the gold medal team in 1939 at the Middle States Regatta in Baltimore, MD.   She rowed in many different events, and rowed until age 75. She is the “Grande Dame” of Philadelphia rowing, and has had four boats named in her honor by the Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club (PGRC).
15 Girls Lightweight Eight The Steven Weir Trophy is named in honor of Steven Weir, coach at T.C. Williams.   This trophy was donated by Dee Campbell in 1992.   Steve began his rowing career as a lightweight at Hammond H.S. As coxswain, he won the Boys Junior 4 at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in 1968. He graduated from Virginia Tech, started a lightweight women’s program at TCW and was instrumental in having this event included in the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. He attributes his work ethic and team work to lessons he learned from rowing. Steve has the utmost respect for the hard-working female lightweights.
16 Boys Lightweight Eight The James R. Muldowney Trophy is in honor of James R. Muldowney, who grew up in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, the youngest of six, and the only son. In 1947 he was captain of the Roman Catholic Lightweight team. He was an avid rower, who married another rower, Lucy Finnegan, a member of Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club. As a professional printer, he was influential in documenting the history of rowing by reproducing historical pictures.
17 Boys Lightweight Four The Bill Belden Cup is named in honor of Bill Belden, world champion and coach of young men. He rowed from 1965 to 1966 for Bishop Kendrick High School and from 1967-70 for LaSalle University. He also rowed for the Upper Merion, Undine, New York A.C., and Fairmount R.A. teams.   Bill then coached Upper Merion from 1986 to 1996. During his career, he won 32 national championships, was a 1976 and 1980 member of the U.S. Olympic team, and coached 11 national teams, winning 7 medals.
18 Girls Lightweight Four The Phyllis M. Graham Trophy was donated by the Stotesbury Cup Regatta Committee in 2009. This trophy is dedicated to the memory of Phyllis, who enriched our lives with her smile, endless love and remarkable character. Phyllis served the Stotesbury Cup Regatta with pride and joy. She was a true winner!
19 Girls Senior Double The Lovey Farrell Award is named in honor of Lovey Farrell, one of the founders of the Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club in 1938. Lovey was a champion singles sculler, served as Vice-President and Captain of the Club. She was considered the female Jack Kelly. Rowing was a theme in the Farrell household. She was married to Tom Farrell of Fairmount. Her daughter Nancy, was a former member of PGRC who rowed in the first eight to represent the United States in the 1967 pre-Olympics.
20 Boys Senior Double The Charles J. McIlvaine Cup honors Charles McIlvaine, a 1928 Olympian.
21 Boys Second Eight The Hammer Trophy honors Gus (“the Hammer”) Ignas (1933-1994).   He served in the Korean War and returned to Philadelphia where he began his rowing career at Penn A.C.   He was national singles champion in 1958 and rowed in the first FISA organization race in Poland. He won 12 gold medals and was the U.S. sculling coach at Amsterdam in 1977. He coached at St. Joseph’s Prep from 1975-1985. His last race was the Head of the Schuylkill in 1993.   Fairmount Rowing Club is the home of a single scull named “The Bride” in honor of Gus’ wife, Rita.
22 Girls Second Eight The Irish American Chamber Cup was donated by the Irish American Business Chamber and Network, Inc. that promotes the business interests of its members, and the development of economic, commercial, financial and educational relationships between the United States and Ireland. The Chamber promotes the Philadelphia region as the prime location for Irish and US companies to do business together. This is a non-profit organization and many of its members are currently involved in business in Ireland. The trophy is donated in recognition of the growth of rowing in Ireland and Philadelphia.
23 Girls Senior Quad The Bride’s Plate honors Rita Ignas, wife of Gus “the Hammer” Ignas, and long-time supporter of youth rowing in Philadelphia. A Registered Nurse at Roxborough Hospital, Rita traveled the world with her husband, who reportedly called her “the Bride” so often that many never knew her real name.
24 Boys Senior Quad The Sonzogni Trophy honors the seven brothers of the Sonzogni family who rowed for the Fairmount Rowing Association. Roman Catholic donated this trophy in 2001.
25 Boys Senior Single The John B. Kelly Trophy is named in honor of John B. Kelly, who won the Olympic gold medal for doubles in 1920 and 1924. In 1935 John donated a cup to be awarded annually to the winner of the Boys Senior Single. His son, John B. Kelly, Jr., was the winner of this trophy in 1944 and 1945.
26 Girls Senior Single The Ana Tamas Knecht Trophy honors Ana Tamas Knecht, an avid rower and wife of Bill Knecht, Olympic rower (1964). Ana came from Romania in 1968, longing to lavish her training talents as a professional rowing coach in the United States. Her credentials to do so were staggering: 14 world championships in women’s rowing and a Romanian government license to coach the sport. And that’s not all. She was the first Romanian woman ever elected “An Honored Master of Sport”, which is about the best thing that can happen to an athlete in Eastern Europe. She was reputed to be one of the toughest rowing coaches on the Schuylkill at a time when heads of schools and athletic directors could not see a woman in charge of young men involved in one of the most demanding of endurance sports.
27 Boys Senior Four The Kings Club Cup was donated by West Catholic in honor of the Kings Club of West Catholic High School. The original trophy was awarded in 1933 and was eventually retired in 1939 after West Catholic won it three times. The original trophy is in the President’s office at West Catholic High School.
28 Girls Senior Four The Airley Cup was donated by the Salisbury family in honor of Mary Airley Salisbury, better known as “Molly”.   “Airley” originates from the Olgivey clan of the highlands of Scotland. The family encouraged the development of the mind, soul and sportsmanship of youth. Molly was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1905. She married Andrew Salisbury in 1929 and raised 3 sons, Andrew, Richard and Robert. The Airley Cup is sponsored by her grandson, Andrew P. Salisbury, the Director of New Jersey Scholastic Rowing.
29 Boys Senior Eight The Edward T. Stotesbury Cup was first placed in competition in 1927 by Edward Stotesbury (1849-1938), a wealthy financier, banker, philanthropist, and prominent citizen of Philadelphia. As a youth, he was a drummer boy in the Civil War. He attended Friends Central High School and was a member of the Bachelors Barge Club. The Edward T. Stotesbury trophy was awarded annually and given to any team that won the race for three consecutive years. It was first won in 1927 by West Catholic, captained by George Mattson. West Catholic repeated for 2 more years, and was given the trophy. West Catholic again won for three consecutive years, and was given another trophy in 1932. Edward Stotesbury then lobbied to change the trophy to a permanent trophy in 1934, which it remains today.
30 Girls Senior Eight The Robert Engman Trophy was designed, sculptured, and donated by Robert Engman, a distinguished scholar and artist. Trained at the Rhode Island School of Design and Yale University, he received his MFA from Yale University and served as the Dean of the Graduate School of Fine Arts at the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Engman captured the flowing feel of rowing in a simple and elegant continuous circle. This circle has an end flowing into a new beginning, much like the stroke of a rower.
31 Adaptive Doubles The Isabel Bohn Trophy is in honor of Isabel Bohn of the Philadelphia Adaptive Rowing program. The program was founded by Dorothy Driscoll as part of “Freedom on the River”, supporting students who have physical disabilities from Cerebral Palsy to an amputation of a limb. All rowers are matched with an able-bodied rower, who matches their stroke.