The Boys In The Boat: Where Are They Now?

The boys in the boat went on to lead good, solid middle-class lives. Joe Rantz, the main subject of the book and film, graduated with a degree in chemical engineering, married his girlfriend Joyce, and worked for Boeing until his retirement. Rantz and his teammates were spared from fighting in World War II due to their age, and those with engineering degrees contributed to the war effort by designing and building aircraft. The boys would come together every few years to row again and remained close with their families.

The boys' lives after the Olympics

Joe Rantz, the main character of the story, graduated with a degree in chemical engineering in 1939 and married his girlfriend, Joyce. He then took a job at Boeing and worked there until his retirement. Rantz and Joyce's courtship is a sweet part of the story, with one memorable moment being when Joe proposed to Joyce while they were hunting for four-leaf clovers. Joe said, "I got one!" and when Joyce asked to see it, he revealed an engagement ring instead.

Most of the boys did not fight in World War II as they were a little older than the usual draftees. Those with engineering degrees, like Rantz, were put to work designing and building aircraft for the war effort. Aside from one team member who died early due to smoking, the rest of the boys lived into their 80s or 90s.

The team's socioeconomic diversity

The Boys in the Boat is a true story based on the struggles and sacrifices made by the University of Washington rowing team, who represented the United States in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The team was comprised of nine rowers, including Joe Rantz, who was the main protagonist in the book. The rowers came from lower-middle-class families and had to work their way through school during the Great Depression. They were the sons of loggers, fishermen, and dairy farmers, and their working-class backgrounds deeply impacted their experience on the team.

The socioeconomic diversity of the team is a core theme of the story. The rowers were not from wealthy backgrounds and often felt out of place in the genteel crew culture, especially when travelling to the East Coast and Europe to compete. Their working-class backgrounds also influenced their work ethic and determination to succeed. Rowing is an incredibly physically demanding sport, and the UW rowers' resilience and grit, developed through their experiences with adversity, became a source of strength for the team.

The University of Washington provided a stipend to the rowers, which was often a way for them to stay in school. The team's success was also a result of their ability to come together and work as a cohesive unit, despite their diverse backgrounds and experiences. The rowers had to learn to put their trust in one another and work in harmony to achieve success. This diversity of perspectives and experiences ultimately contributed to their victory in the Olympics, as they narrowly defeated teams from Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy.

The Boys in the Boat highlights the importance of socioeconomic diversity and the value of creating an inclusive environment for everyone to reach their full potential. The team's success was not just a result of their individual talents but also their ability to come together and work as a united front, demonstrating the power of teamwork and collaboration.

Joe Rantz's childhood abandonment

Joe Rantz had a difficult childhood, marked by abandonment and hardship. When he was just four years old, his mother, Nellie Maxwell, passed away from throat cancer. His father, Harry Rantz, remarried in 1921, but Joe struggled to form a connection with his stepmother, Thula LaFollete, who had four younger children to raise alongside Joe.

At the age of 15, Joe was abandoned by his father, stepmother, and half-brother. Standing on the porch of their dilapidated house, he watched them drive away in the rain. Joe's father left him with a can of bacon grease, a chunk of meat, and a few eggs, along with the words, "if there's one thing I've figured out about life, it's that if you want to be happy, you have to learn how to be happy on your own."

Left to fend for himself, Joe learned to be self-sufficient. He tended a vegetable garden, slept at the schoolhouse where he chopped wood for a bed, and hauled food trays at a work camp. He also foraged for food in the woods and learned practical skills like swinging hammers and axes and sharpening saws. Joe finished building the house his family had left behind, learned to play the banjo, and worked weekends driving draft horses to drag logs. Despite his self-sufficiency, Joe yearned to be part of a family.

Joe's abandonment led him to value the concept of family deeply. When he later agreed to have his story told in the book "The Boys in the Boat," he insisted that it should not just be about him but about the boat and the brotherhood he found within it.

Germany's 1936 Olympic propaganda

The 1936 Berlin Olympics were a powerful tool for Nazi Germany's propaganda machine. The Games were awarded to Berlin in 1931, before Hitler came to power, as a symbol of healing after Germany's isolation following World War I. However, by 1933, Hitler was chancellor and had instigated his antisemitic agenda.

Hitler's minister for propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, persuaded the dictator to use the Olympics as an opportunity to showcase Nazi Germany to the world and promote an image of a new, strong, and united Germany. The Nazis spent large sums of money constructing a huge sports complex, including a new stadium and an Olympic village. They also promoted the Games with colourful posters and magazine spreads, drawing a link between Nazi Germany and ancient Greece to symbolise the Nazi racial myth of Aryan superiority.

In the lead-up to the Games, the Nazis toned down public displays of antisemitism. They removed signs that excluded Jews from public places and temporarily relaxed anti-Jewish activities. They also removed anti-Jewish publications from the streets and concealed the places where Stars of David had been written on Jewish-owned businesses. These efforts were designed to sanitise Berlin and present a false image of a peaceful and tolerant Germany to foreign spectators and journalists.

The Olympics were a massive propaganda coup for the Nazis. An international boycott movement failed, and the participation of 49 nations legitimised the Hitler regime in the eyes of the world and German domestic audiences. The Games also helped Hitler consolidate his power at home, boosting the confidence of the German people in their leader.

The 1936 Olympics were not without their setbacks for the Nazis, however. The American athlete Jesse Owens won three gold medals, shattering the myth of Aryan superiority. Additionally, the University of Washington rowing team from the United States beat Germany and Italy in a close race to win the gold medal.

The team's journey to the Olympics

The University of Washington rowing team's journey to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin is a remarkable story of determination and perseverance. The team, comprised of nine young men, overcame numerous obstacles and adversities to achieve their dream of representing the United States on the world's biggest sporting stage.

At a time when the country was in the depths of the Great Depression, the rowers from the University of Washington faced their own set of challenges. Most of them came from lower-middle-class or working-class families, often unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. For many, including Joe Rantz, the team's protagonist, joining the rowing team was a way to stay in school and get an education. The university provided part-time jobs to those who were on the team, which helped them afford their college fees.

Despite their financial hardships, the rowers worked tirelessly, often using rowing as a means to forget their troubles and find solace in the camaraderie of their teammates. The team was also driven by their coach, Al Ulbrickson, who pushed them to be the best they could be. One of the key members was Don Hume, who worked in a pulp mill as a child and suffered from respiratory issues as a result. Yet, he persevered and became an integral part of the team.

As the Olympics approached, the rowers faced another hurdle when they learned that the United States Olympic Committee couldn't afford to send them to Berlin. Determined to make their dream a reality, they hosted a fundraising drive and even received support from their rival, the Berkeley coach. Their hard work and dedication paid off, and they qualified for the 1936 Summer Olympics.

The Olympics itself was a highly anticipated event, with millions following the action on the radio. The University of Washington rowers represented the United States in the Men's eight rowing event, going up against crews from Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy. The final race was a nail-biter, with the American rowers narrowly edging out their competitors to claim the gold medal. It was a triumph that brought national pride and put their university on the map.

The victory of the University of Washington rowing team is a testament to the power of teamwork, determination, and perseverance. Their journey to the Olympics was filled with challenges, but they never gave up on their dream. Their story continues to inspire generations and showcase the importance of unity and the ability to overcome adversity.

Frequently asked questions