Today In History: Rowing Across the Atlantic

I have always liked fighting nature and I think this is a good way of doing it. 

-- John Fairfax, "A Row Which May Make History: The Hard Way."

On July 19th, 1969, Italian-born Englishman John Fairfax reached Hollywood, Florida after rowing solo 4,000 miles across the Atlantic. At 31 years of age, Fairfax was the the first to attempt the voyage alone -- having disembarked from the Canary Islands on January 20th in his signature 24 foot, shoe-shaped, orange boat named Britannia. He met stormy waters, unfavorable trade winds, and a large menacing hammerhead shark which he battled off with a knife. Fairfax survived mostly on fish, occasionally on food donned by other seaman in passing. 

While another rower by the name of Tom McClean, a 26 year old Irishman in the British Army, would break his record,  Fairfax earned a place in history that coincided with the landing of Apollo 11 . McClean rowed from St. John's Newfoundland, and landed north of Galway, Ireland in 72 days, just a few days after the lunar mission ended. A reputed adventurer,  Fairfax would go on to row across the Pacific with his friend Sylvia Cook in 361 days -- and live to tell an equally adventurous tale.

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Skilton, S. (1967/06/21/, 1967 Jun 21). A Row Which May Make History: The Hard Way. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-) 
• Trans-Atlantic Rower Nears Florida Coast. (1969/07/07/, 1969 Jul 07). The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973) 
• Trans-Atlantic Rower Expected in Florida Today. (1969/07/19/, 1969 Jul 19). New York Times (1923-) 
• Adventurer, 31, Crosses Ocean in a Rowboat. (1969/07/20/, 1969 Jul 20). The Sun (1837-) 
• July 20, 1969 (page 1 of 195). (1969/07/20/, 1969 Jul 20). Detroit Free Press (1923-) 
• Ocean Soloist Lands Rowboat in Florida. (1969/07/20/, 1969 Jul 20). Chicago Tribune (1963-1996) 
• Newsmakers----: Row, Row, Row Your Boat... Transatlantic. (1969/07/20/, 1969 Jul 20). Los Angeles Times (1923-1995) 
• Waldron, M.  (1969/07/20/, 1969 Jul 20). Briton Is First to Row Atlantic Alone: Londoner Is First To ow Atlantic.  New York Times (1923-) 
• Planes and Autos Scare Man Who Rowed Atlantic. (1969/07/22/, 1969 Jul 22). The Sun (1837-) 
• July 28, 1969 (page 47 of 60). (1969/07/28/, 1969 Jul 28). The San Francisco Examiner (1902-) 

Tips:

• Fairfax, John and Sylvia Cook. Oars Across the Pacific. New York:  Norton, [1973, ©1972].  CU Offsite G530 .F136 1973.
• Rackley, Adam. Salt, Sweat, Tears: The Men Who Rowed the Oceans. London : Viking, 2014. CU Offsite GV790.9 .R34 2014.
• Schulkin, Jay. Sport : A Biological, Philosophical, and Cultural Perspective. New York: Columbia University Press, 2016.  e-book.
• Torney, John Alfred. A History of Competitive Rowing in Colleges and Universities of the United States of America. Teachers College, Columbia University, 1958.  Ed.D.
• Whitney, Caspar. A Sporting Pilgrimage Riding to Hounds, Golf, Rowing, Football, Club and University Athletics. Studies in English Sport, Past and Present. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1895. e-book from the Teachers College History of Education Collection.

Images:

• Atlantic Ocean, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
• Lands that Border the Atlantic & Routes of Early Explorers. (1930), from the Rothman Lantern Slide Collection, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University
• Poster Image: John Fairfax, Rower, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons