James Conlan
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Sport:
Crew |
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Year
Graduated: 1940 |
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Year
Inducted: 1993 |
The current achievements of Boston University crew simply
would not have been possible without the vision and leadership
of Jim Conlan.
Recognized as the "Father of Boston University Crew,"
Conlan founded the Boston University Independents in 1937,
as crew was not yet a varsity sport at the University.
The Independents enjoyed tremendous success, however. After
a winning season in 1938, crew was elevated to varsity status
for the 1939 campaign. Fittingly, Conlan was elected captain
of the crew.
After earning a varsity letter in 1939, Conlan was again
elected to captain the crew in 1940 along with fellow senior
Burton Carr.
While the athletic accomplishments of those early crews may
be overlooked, the dedication of Conlan commands attention.
He recruited the rowers, found a coach, borrowed equipment,
raised money, and even built a boat house. Through Conlan's
drive and inspiration, the crew program was assembled from
scratch, and gained enough prominence to become a varsity
sport.
A 1940 graduate of the University's School for the Arts,
Conlan kept a watchful eye on the crew after leaving B.U.,
and was a major donor and inspiration for the athletes.
