The Boat Race 1938 (partially found footage of rowing race; 1938): Difference between revisions

From The Lost Media Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
mNo edit summary
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{InfoboxLost
{{InfoboxLost
|title=<center>The Boat Race 1938</center>
|title=<center>The Boat Race 1938</center>
|image=Theboatrace19381.jpg
|image=Theboatrace19384.png
|imagecaption=BBC camera pointed towards the boats.
|imagecaption=Issue 756 of ''Radio Times'' announcing the race would be covered live on radio and television.
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
}}
}}
On April 2nd, 1938, '''the ''90th Boat Race'' commenced'''. Pitting crews from the University of Oxford and Cambridge in a rowing race along the River Thames, this event was the first-ever televised Boat Race, a trend that continues to the present day.
The '''90th Boat Race''' between crews representing the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge commenced on 2nd April 1938. It occurred on the River Thames' 4.2 mile Championship Course and saw Oxford claim a 2-length victory, its second consecutive win, which subsequently reduced Cambridge's overall standings lead to 47-42. The event is also historic from a media perspective, as it became '''the first Boat Race to receive live television coverage'''.


==Background==
==Background==
The Boat Race is a rowing event first established in 1829, eventually becoming an annual event being held on the River Thames between Oxford and Cambridge University since 1856.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/london/articles/University-Boat-Race-2014-spectators-guide/ ''Telegraph'' article discussing brief history of The Boat Race.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref> It is a type of side-by-side rowing competition, whereby crews start concurrently at the same position.<ref>[https://www.britishrowing.org/go-rowing/types-of-rowing/types-of-rowing-events/ ''British Rowing'' defining side-by-side rowing.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref> By the time The Boat Race 1938 commenced, Cambridge had won 47 races to Oxford's 41. However, Oxford were the defending champions, having won the 1937 event.<ref>[https://www.theboatrace.org/results Official Boat Race website, listing all Boat Race results.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref> Oxford were also deemed the favourites heading into the event.<ref>3rd April 1938 issue of ''The Observer'', discussing Oxford's win, its status as the favourite to win, and deeming the television coverage as a success. Retrieved 10 May '21</ref>
Though this race was the 90th running of the event, its inaugural staging occurred back in 1829.<ref name="overallresults">[https://www.theboatrace.org/results/the-mens-boat-race ''The Boat Race'' detailing the results of each race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="telegraphboat">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/london/articles/University-Boat-Race-2014-spectators-guide/ ''The Telegraph'' summarising the history and prestige of the Boat Race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> However, it was only run intermittently until 1856, when it became an annual spectacle typically held at the 4.2-mile Championship Course in the River Thames.<ref>[https://www.theboatrace.org/the-course ''The Boat Race'' detailing the Championship Course.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="telegraphboat"/><ref name="overallresults"/> Only the First World War had caused a temporary disruption by that point.<ref name="overallresults"/> Since then, the Boat Race produced a firm rivalry between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge,<ref>[https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/boat-race-2023-everything-you-26402719 ''Cambridgeshire Live'' summarising the importance of the race for both universities.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> with the latter having led overall 47-41.<ref name="overallresults"/> However, Oxford finally broke Cambridge's 13-race winning streak in 1937 and aimed to reduce the overall gap.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080403142408/http://www.theboatrace.org/article/introduction/pastresults/racereport1937 Archived ''The Boat Race'' report on the 1937 edition.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="singoxford1937">[https://heartheboatsing.com/2020/11/23/the-1937-oxford-crew-at-ranelagh/ ''Hear the Boat Sing'' detailing the story behind the Oxford crew's 1937 victory.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="brreport">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080403142413/http://www.theboatrace.org/article/introduction/pastresults/racereport1938 Archived ''The Boat Race'' report on the race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="overallresults"/> For the majority of the British population, the main options for following the race were to attend it in person or listen to BBC Radio's coverage of it.<ref name="radiopreview">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/17e89bc6bf504532aa12cc89760f8e79?page=17 Issue 756 of ''Radio Times'' previewing the race and designating where the BBC cameras were located at.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> The event had been aired live on BBC Radio [[The Boat Race 1927 (lost radio coverage of rowing race; 1927)|since 1927]],<ref name="bbchistory">[https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/research/the-boat-race/ ''BBC'' summarising the history of its Boat Race coverage, including how the 1938 event was televised.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="science">[https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/boat-race-oxford-cambridge-archives/ ''Science and Media Museum'' summarising the milestone Boat Race broadcasts.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> with John Snagge's familiar voice set to cover the race once more on the launch boat the Magician.<ref name="radiopreview"/> Alternatively, one could wait until the release of relevant newsreels from the likes of ''British Pathé'' and ''British Paramount News'',<ref name="pathereport">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve14ig3Lh6Y ''British Pathé'' newsreel of the race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="paramount">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaEmkxw1Ask ''British Paramount News'' newsreel of the race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> with films of the event having transpired since [[The Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race (lost footage of rowing race; 1895)|1895]].<ref name="science"/>


Meanwhile, the BBC were seeking to televise various sports, including rugby, football and test cricket, for its relatively new Television Service.<ref>[https://www.swlondoner.co.uk/sport/19032021-rugby-tv-debut-calcutta-cup-televised-83-years-on/#:~:text=On%20March%2019th%201938%2C%2083,Toft's%20English%20side%2021%2D16. ''SW Londoner'' article discussing the BBC's efforts to televise sports, including The Boat Race.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref> Among them was the 90th Boat Race, the BBC having already succeeded in covering the Boat Race via radio since 1927. The BBC had previously broadcast a programme for the 89th Boat Race, but this featured no footage of the race. Rather, discussion from John Snagge and Tom Brocklebank, as well as film extracts of previous races and models showing where the competitors were, dominated the television screen.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=asc&q=boat+race&svc=9371533#search BBC Genome archive of ''Radio Times'' issues, listing the 1937 and 1938 Boat Race television coverage, and ''Rowing Blues''.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref><ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/98b374495385473badb46953eb8b6696 Issue 703 of ''Radio Times'', listing the 1937 Boat Race.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref> The BBC's subsequent broadcast of the Boat Race would feature live footage, including seeing the competitors cross the line.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/17e89bc6bf504532aa12cc89760f8e79 Issue 756 of ''Radio Times'', listing the coverage of the 1938 Boat Race.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref>
But for between 9,000-20,000 well-off households,<ref name="ascent">[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Ascent_of_Media/6At9DAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT296&printsec=frontcover ''The Ascent of Media From Gilgamesh to Google Via Gutenberg'' noting the television in the late 1930s was typically upper middle-class.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref>[https://blog.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/history-of-british-television-timeline/ ''Science and Media Museum'' noting around 20,000 households had access to television sets by 1939.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> another choice was beginning to emerge.<ref name="blackandwhite">[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/BBC_Sport_in_Black_and_White/ZM-GDQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA27&printsec=frontcover ''BBC Sport in Black and White'' detailing how the 1938 broadcast occurred and the near-ill-fated 1939 coverage (p.g. 27-29).] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="radiopreview"/> On 2nd November 1936, the BBC had launched its [[Opening of the BBC Television Service (partially found coverage of inaugural day of high-definition television service; 1936)|high-definition Television Service]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/birth-of-tv/opening-night/ ''BBC'' on the launch of its high-definition Television Service.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> It soon began to develop its outside broadcast capabilities, with its first "true" airing being the [[Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (partially found television coverage of royal coronation; 1937)|coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth]] on 12th May 1937.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/may/coronation-of-king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth ''BBC'' on its coverage of the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, its first "true" outside broadcast.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="ascent"/><ref name="blackandwhite"/> Thus, the BBC was not quite ready to cover the 1937 Boat Race, which emerged on 24th March.<ref name="singoxford1937"/> A day prior, an event preview consisting of a discussion between Snagge and Tom Brocklebank was broadcast.<ref name="1937preview">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_television_service/1937-03-23#at-15.00 Issue 703 of ''Radio Times'' detailing a broadcast used to preview the 1937 race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> However, thanks to subsequent outside sports broadcasts like [[1937 Wimbledon Championships (partially found footage of tennis tournament; 1937)|Wimbledon tennis]] and [[Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves (lost footage of early BBC televised football match; 1937)|Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves]],<ref>[https://tdifh.blogspot.com/2010/09/16-september-1937-were-pretty-sure.html# ''This Day in Football History'' on the Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves broadcast.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> the BBC quickly expanded to cover events like the [[England 16-21 Scotland (partially found footage of Home Nations Championship game; 1938)|Calcutta Cup]].<ref name="blackandwhite"/> Rowing was also on the horizon, with the Head of the River Race first televised on 26th March 1938.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_television_service/1938-03-26#at-14.40 Issue 755 of ''Radio Times'' detailing the coverage of the 1938 Head of the River Race (found on BBC Genome).] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="blackandwhite"/> A broadcast of the Boat Race was therefore seen as inevitable, primarily helped by the corporation's pre-existing relationship with the sport.<ref name="fields">[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Fields_in_Vision/32la1P76wNYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA17&printsec=frontcover ''Fields in Vision'' summarising the BBC's early prioritisation of key events, including the Boat Race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="blackandwhite"/> Exactly whether the Boat Race deserved such extensive coverage has always been a subject of debate.<ref name="fields"/> But for 1938, the television audience was predominantly upper-middle-class, making the coverage seemingly more relevant.<ref name="ascent"/> The fact numerous BBC personnel graduated from either university according to Snagge also probably contributed to the race's prioritisation.<ref name="fields"/>


Financial and technical limitations meant that coverage was limited. Particularly, cameras were only situated at the finish line at Chiswick Bridge, and the boathouse. Additionally, the commentary was provided by Snagge, who also did radio coverage simultaneously, and race progress was covered through a chart.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/april/boat-race-first-televised ''History of the BBC'' anniversary documenting the first televised Boat Race, and the broadcast limitations.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref> Nevertheless, the broadcast was deemed a major success. Indeed, the television correspondent for ''The Observer'' stated it was so successful and informative that even the viewers knew more about the race than the umpire. Oxford went on to win by a margin of 2 lengths. The day after the race, the BBC broadcast a programme called ''Rowing Blues'', where Philip Dorte would review the races from 1929 to 1938.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/0732678f1531430d950fb2cf2ebad85f Issue 757 of ''Radio Times'', listing ''Rowing Blues''.] Retrieved 10 May '21</ref>
There were some limitations with this broadcast.<ref name="broadcasthistory">[https://tvobhistory.co.uk/when/75-years-televising-the-boat-race/ ''TV Outside Broadcast History'' detailing the limited coverage of the event prior to 1949.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="blackandwhite"/><ref name="science"/> The BBC lacked the technological resources needed to cover the whole race live, especially on the Thames.<ref name="broadcasthistory"/><ref name="bbchistory"/> Hence, the majority of the broadcast was actually merely linked to Snagge's radio commentary, with Alexandra Palace having provided an animated chart containing two model boats.<ref name="broadcasthistory"/><ref name="radiopreview"/> The boats were moved by magnets to pinpoint the location of their real-sized counterparts.<ref name="radiopreview"/><ref name="broadcasthistory"/><ref name="science"/><ref name="bbchistory"/> The unique selling point was that the finish and aftermath were televised.<ref name="science"/><ref name="blackandwhite"/><ref name="bbchistory"/> One was placed just before the boats crossed the finish line at Chiswick Bridge.<ref name="radiopreview"/><ref name="broadcasthistory"/> Two others were situated at the Boat House, to allow viewers to see both crews officially conclude the event.<ref name="radiopreview"/> Commentary would also subsequently switch over to Howard Marshall, with these television plans directly influenced by the weather conditions.<ref name="genome">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_television_service/1938-04-02#at-13.30 BBC Genome archive of ''Radio Times'' issues detailing the coverage of the race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="radio">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/17e89bc6bf504532aa12cc89760f8e79?page=19 Issue 756 of ''Radio Times'' listing the television coverage of the event.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="blackandwhite"/> The event's direction was covered exclusively from the MCR 1 outside broadcast unit.<ref name="broadcasthistory"/>
 
Ultimately, the race did occur in windy conditions, but this was not enough to stop the broadcast from commencing.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="broadcasthistory"/><ref name="bbchistory"/> Indeed, the television correspondent for the 3rd April 1938 issue of ''The Observer'' stated it was so successful and informative that even the viewers knew more about the race than the umpire.<ref>3rd April 1938 issue of ''The Observer'' reporting on Oxford's win and deeming the television coverage as a success. Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> With its inaugural broadcast wrapped up, the BBC resorted to expand its coverage the following year, which included the towpath, start sequence and the final half-mile of the race.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_television_service/1939-04-01#at-10.45 Issue 808 of ''Radio Times'' detailing the BBC's coverage of the 1939 event (found on BBC Genome).] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> The broadcast revealed how fragile early coverage generally was, as the finish almost occurred without audio as the sound connection between Alexandra Palace and the outside broadcast unit was compromised by unsuspecting roadworkers.<ref name="blackandwhite"/> It forced Bill Ward to link Snagge's commentary with the broadcast's final minutes.<ref name="blackandwhite"/> A day after the 1938 race, Alick Hayes decided to create a programme detailing the history of the Boat Race from 1829 to 1938.<ref name="blues">[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_television_service/1938-04-03#at-15.00 Issue 757 of ''Radio Times'' detailing ''Rowing Blues'' (found on BBC Genome).] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> Called ''Rowing Blues'', it was a 30-minute presentation conducted by Philip Dorte.<ref name="blues"/> It was not until [[The Boat Race 1949 (partially found footage of rowing race; 1949)|1949]] that the BBC finally had the capabilities needed to fully televise the race live.<ref name="broadcasthistory"/><ref name="bbchistory"/><ref name="science"/> Except for 1946 and ITV's 2005-2009 coverage,<ref>[https://www.cherwell.org/2008/12/16/itv-drops-oxford-boat-race/ ''Cherwell'' noting ITV covered the race from 2005 to 2009.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> the BBC has always subsequently [[The Boat Race (partially found television coverage of rowing races; 1938-present)|televised the event]].<ref name="bbchistory"/><ref name="science"/>
 
==The Race==
Heading into the race itself, Oxford (the Dark Blues) sought to maintain their 1937 momentum.<ref name="burnell">[https://archive.org/details/onehundredfiftyy0000burn/page/n27/mode/2up? ''One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race'' summary of the race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="brreport"/> Analysis of the 1937 and 1938 Dark Blues crews indicate five remained on the team.<ref name="crews">[https://archive.org/details/onehundredfiftyy0000burn/page/74/mode/2up? ''One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race'' listing the crews of the race and their weights.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> This included R.R. Stewart, J.P. Burrough, A.B. Hodgson, coxswain G.J.P. Merrifield, and crew president John Conrad Cherry.<ref name="presidents">[https://archive.org/details/onehundredfiftyy0000burn/page/50/mode/2up? ''One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race'' listing the crews' presidents (p.g. 50-52).] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="crews"/> Cherry had previously competed at the [[1936 Summer Olympics (lost television coverage of Berlin Games; 1936)|1936 Summer Olympics]] in the coxed eights, where his crew finished fourth.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121111091959/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1936/ROW/mens-coxed-eights.html Archived ''Sports Reference'' detailing the results of the Men's Coxed Eights at the 1936 Summer Olympics.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> A. Burrough, T.B. Langton and coxswain T.H. Hunter all remained for Cambridge (Light Blues), Langton having become the crew's president.<ref name="crews"/><ref name="presidents"/> Oxford's experience, weight (12.6 and a half stone compared to Cambridge's 12.13 and three-quarter stone)<ref name="crews"/> and 1937 success made them the race favourites.<ref name="brreport"/>
 
The race occurred amidst heavy winds and rough waters.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="pathereport"/> The Light Blues won the toss and opted to put Oxford on the Middlesex bank, giving them access to the Surrey side.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="pathereport"/> Oxford initially made the better start,<ref name="pathereport"/> but Cambridge quickly moved in front because of their 39 strokes per minute.<ref name="brreport"/> However, the Dark Blues soon recovered, taking a decent lead by the Mile Post.<ref name="brreport"/> This convinced the crew to attempt a move to Surrey, but this was blocked by a Light Blues push led by stroke Denis Eadie and rough waters.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="pathereport"/> By Hammersmith Bridge, Cambridge had reduced the gap to two seconds, as Oxford faced ever rougher waters.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="pathereport"/> A major push meant the Light Blues gained a quarter-length lead at Chiswick Reach, but a Hodgson-led Oxford regained it at Eyot and were a second ahead at Chiswick Steps.<ref name="brreport"/> The battle commenced within rough waters for some time due to an obstructive cruiser, though it appeared Cambridge were edging ahead in calmer waters.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="pathereport"/> Nevertheless, Oxford retained their slender lead and Hodgson's successful counters of Eadie's challenges meant they expanded the lead from between 1 and three-quarters to 2 and a half at Barnes Bridge.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="pathereport"/> A late push from an otherwise fatigued Light Blues did little to concern Oxford, who won their second consecutive race by two lengths.<ref name="brreport"/><ref name="pathereport"/><ref name="overallresults"/><ref name="burnell"/>
 
''British Pathé'' considered the event as one that "would live long in the history of rowing",<ref name="pathereport"/> while ''One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race'' compared it to the previous year's running and deemed Oxford had more advantages but were slightly less dominant than before.<ref name="burnell"/> Nevertheless, the race was considered well-run in spite of the poor conditions.<ref name="brreport"/> With this victory, the overall standings were reduced to 47-42 in Cambridge's favour.<ref name="overallresults"/> Despite being deemed the favourites the following year, Oxford lost to Cambridge in 1939.<ref name="burnell"/><ref name="overallresults"/> The event was then officially suspended from 1940 to 1945 because of the Second World War.<ref name="burnell"/><ref name="overallresults"/> It resumed in 1946, and with the exception of 2020's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rowing/51917462 ''BBC Sport'' reporting on the 2020 race's cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> has always been held annually ever since.<ref name="overallresults"/>  


==Availability==
==Availability==
Like other early BBC television broadcasts, the 90th Boat Race was broadcast live and was not recorded. Therefore, televised footage of the event is now permanently missing. Photos of the BBC camera pointing towards the boats, and the Oxford crew posing for the camera, are all that remains of the broadcast. Nevertheless, the race itself is not fully lost, with a ''British Pathé'' recording providing a few minutes of footage that is publicly accessible. All footage of the 1937 broadcast, and ''Rowing Blues'', are also lost forever.
The 1938 Boat Race's television coverage occurred live, in an era where television output was seldom recorded.<ref name="lost">[https://archive.org/details/BbcTelevisionReceivedInNewYork-1938 ''Web Archive'' article discussing how most early television is missing due to the lack of directly recording television.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> For the BBC, regular recordings did not emerge until 1956, as videotape became a viable option.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/research/1948-olympic-games/ ''BBC'' noting videotape recording was not possible at the corporation until 1956.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="lost"/> However, it did conduct telerecording experiments during the late 1940s, including during its full coverage of the 1949 race.<ref name="baird">[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Restoring_Baird_s_Image/1ISFkhG6cZQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA235 ''Restoring Baird's Image'' noting the race broadcast was one of the first subject to a telerecording by the BBC.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="kingdom">[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_of_Broadcasting_in_the_Unite/ndvkTwjfP9kC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=1949 ''The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom: Volume IV: Sound and Vision'' noting that the broadcast was subject to a telerecording shown later that evening.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref> As most sources cite the 1949 telerecording as among the earliest known instances,<ref name="baird"/><ref name="kingdom"/> it ultimately proves the previous 1938-1948 broadcasts are almost certainly permanently lost.<ref name="lost"/> It means the 1937 preview and ''Rowing Blues'' are also irrecoverable.<ref name="1937preview"/><ref name="blues"/><ref name="lost"/> Nevertheless, some newsreel footage of the 1938 race remains, including from ''British Pathé'', ''British Paramount News'' and ''Huntley Film Archives''.<ref>[https://youtu.be/iy1YXf8qYsA ''Huntley Film Archives'' newsreel of the race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="pathereport"/><ref name="paramount"/> Some photos can also be found online of the television process,<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/april/boat-race-first-televised/ ''BBC'' providing a photo of the Oxford crew in front of the television cameras post-race.] Retrieved 24th Jan '24</ref><ref name="science"/> while Issue 756 of ''Radio Times'' helped document the broadcast.<ref name="genome"/><ref name="radio"/><ref name="radiopreview"/>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
===Videos===
===Videos===
{{Video|perrow  =1
{{Video|perrow  =3
   |service1    =youtube
   |service1    =youtube
   |id1          =ve14ig3Lh6Y
   |id1          =ve14ig3Lh6Y
   |description1 =Footage of the event from ''British Pathé''.
   |description1 =''British Pathé'' newsreel of the race.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =SaEmkxw1Ask
  |description2 =Silent ''British Paramount News'' newsreel of the race.
  |service3    =youtube
  |id3          =iy1YXf8qYsA
  |description3 =Silent ''Huntley Film Archives'' newsreel of the race.
}}
}}


===Images===
===Images===
<gallery mode=packed heights=300px>
<gallery mode=packed heights=350px>
File:Theboatrace19382.jpg|The Oxford crew posing for the camera.
File:Theboatrace19385.png|Issue 756 of ''Radio Times'' issue listing the event.
File:Theboatrace19383.jpg|BBC crew working to properly position the camera.
File:Theboatrace19386.jpg|Issue 756 of ''Radio Times'' issue previewing the race and pinpointing the BBC cameras' location.
File:Theboatrace19384.png|''Radio Times'' issue's front cover stating that the Boat Race would be televised.
File:Theboatrace19385.png|Same ''Radio Times'' issue listing the event.
</gallery>
</gallery>


==See Also==
==See Also==
*[[1934 Philo T. Farnsworth broadcasts (lost early television demonstrations; 1934)]]
*[[The Boat Race (partially found television coverage of rowing races; 1938-present)]]
*[[1936 Summer Olympics (lost television coverage of Berlin Games; 1936)]]
*[[The Boat Race 1927 (lost radio coverage of rowing race; 1927)]]
*[[1937 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1937)]]
*[[The Boat Race 1949 (partially found footage of rowing race; 1949)]]
*[[1937 International Imperial Trophy Race (lost footage of motor race; 1937)]]
*[[The Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race (lost footage of rowing race; 1895)]]
*[[1937 Wimbledon Championships (partially found footage of tennis tournament; 1937)]]
 
*[[1938 Ashes Series (partially found footage of international test cricket match; 1938)]]
==External Links==
*[[1938 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1938)]]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boat_Race_1938 GA-Class ''Wikipedia'' article on the 1938 Boat Race].
*[[1938 Pennsylvania Quakers football season (lost early televised college football games; 1938)]]
*[[1939 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1939)]]
*[[1953 British Grand Prix (partially found footage of Formula One race; 1953)]]
*[[1960 Daytona Races (lost CBS and NBC televised footage of NASCAR prelude events to Daytona 500; 1960)]]
*[[Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves (lost footage of early BBC televised football match; 1937)]]
*[[Brooklyn Dodgers 2-5 6-1 Cincinnati Reds (lost footage of MLB doubleheader; 1939)]]
*[[Brooklyn Dodgers 23-14 Philadelphia Eagles (lost footage of NFL game; 1939)]]
*[[Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)]]
*[[Columbia Lions 1-2 Princeton Tigers (partially found footage of college baseball game; 1939)]]
*[[England 0-1 Scotland (partially found international football match; 1938)]]
*[[England 16-21 Scotland (partially found footage of rugby match; 1938)]]
*[[Fordham Rams 34-7 Waynesburg Yellow Jackets (lost footage of college football game; 1939)]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents|Boat Race 1938]]
[[Category:Lost recordings of sports events|Boat Race 1938]]
[[Category:Lost TV|Boat Race 1938]]
[[Category:Partially found media|Boat Race 1938]]
[[Category:Partially found media|Boat Race 1938]]
[[Category:Historic|Boat Race 1938]]
[[Category:Historic|Boat Race 1938]]

Latest revision as of 15:52, 24 January 2024

Theboatrace19384.png

Issue 756 of Radio Times announcing the race would be covered live on radio and television.

Status: Partially Found

The 90th Boat Race between crews representing the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge commenced on 2nd April 1938. It occurred on the River Thames' 4.2 mile Championship Course and saw Oxford claim a 2-length victory, its second consecutive win, which subsequently reduced Cambridge's overall standings lead to 47-42. The event is also historic from a media perspective, as it became the first Boat Race to receive live television coverage.

Background

Though this race was the 90th running of the event, its inaugural staging occurred back in 1829.[1][2] However, it was only run intermittently until 1856, when it became an annual spectacle typically held at the 4.2-mile Championship Course in the River Thames.[3][2][1] Only the First World War had caused a temporary disruption by that point.[1] Since then, the Boat Race produced a firm rivalry between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge,[4] with the latter having led overall 47-41.[1] However, Oxford finally broke Cambridge's 13-race winning streak in 1937 and aimed to reduce the overall gap.[5][6][7][1] For the majority of the British population, the main options for following the race were to attend it in person or listen to BBC Radio's coverage of it.[8] The event had been aired live on BBC Radio since 1927,[9][10] with John Snagge's familiar voice set to cover the race once more on the launch boat the Magician.[8] Alternatively, one could wait until the release of relevant newsreels from the likes of British Pathé and British Paramount News,[11][12] with films of the event having transpired since 1895.[10]

But for between 9,000-20,000 well-off households,[13][14] another choice was beginning to emerge.[15][8] On 2nd November 1936, the BBC had launched its high-definition Television Service.[16] It soon began to develop its outside broadcast capabilities, with its first "true" airing being the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 12th May 1937.[17][13][15] Thus, the BBC was not quite ready to cover the 1937 Boat Race, which emerged on 24th March.[6] A day prior, an event preview consisting of a discussion between Snagge and Tom Brocklebank was broadcast.[18] However, thanks to subsequent outside sports broadcasts like Wimbledon tennis and Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves,[19] the BBC quickly expanded to cover events like the Calcutta Cup.[15] Rowing was also on the horizon, with the Head of the River Race first televised on 26th March 1938.[20][15] A broadcast of the Boat Race was therefore seen as inevitable, primarily helped by the corporation's pre-existing relationship with the sport.[21][15] Exactly whether the Boat Race deserved such extensive coverage has always been a subject of debate.[21] But for 1938, the television audience was predominantly upper-middle-class, making the coverage seemingly more relevant.[13] The fact numerous BBC personnel graduated from either university according to Snagge also probably contributed to the race's prioritisation.[21]

There were some limitations with this broadcast.[22][15][10] The BBC lacked the technological resources needed to cover the whole race live, especially on the Thames.[22][9] Hence, the majority of the broadcast was actually merely linked to Snagge's radio commentary, with Alexandra Palace having provided an animated chart containing two model boats.[22][8] The boats were moved by magnets to pinpoint the location of their real-sized counterparts.[8][22][10][9] The unique selling point was that the finish and aftermath were televised.[10][15][9] One was placed just before the boats crossed the finish line at Chiswick Bridge.[8][22] Two others were situated at the Boat House, to allow viewers to see both crews officially conclude the event.[8] Commentary would also subsequently switch over to Howard Marshall, with these television plans directly influenced by the weather conditions.[23][24][15] The event's direction was covered exclusively from the MCR 1 outside broadcast unit.[22]

Ultimately, the race did occur in windy conditions, but this was not enough to stop the broadcast from commencing.[7][22][9] Indeed, the television correspondent for the 3rd April 1938 issue of The Observer stated it was so successful and informative that even the viewers knew more about the race than the umpire.[25] With its inaugural broadcast wrapped up, the BBC resorted to expand its coverage the following year, which included the towpath, start sequence and the final half-mile of the race.[26] The broadcast revealed how fragile early coverage generally was, as the finish almost occurred without audio as the sound connection between Alexandra Palace and the outside broadcast unit was compromised by unsuspecting roadworkers.[15] It forced Bill Ward to link Snagge's commentary with the broadcast's final minutes.[15] A day after the 1938 race, Alick Hayes decided to create a programme detailing the history of the Boat Race from 1829 to 1938.[27] Called Rowing Blues, it was a 30-minute presentation conducted by Philip Dorte.[27] It was not until 1949 that the BBC finally had the capabilities needed to fully televise the race live.[22][9][10] Except for 1946 and ITV's 2005-2009 coverage,[28] the BBC has always subsequently televised the event.[9][10]

The Race

Heading into the race itself, Oxford (the Dark Blues) sought to maintain their 1937 momentum.[29][7] Analysis of the 1937 and 1938 Dark Blues crews indicate five remained on the team.[30] This included R.R. Stewart, J.P. Burrough, A.B. Hodgson, coxswain G.J.P. Merrifield, and crew president John Conrad Cherry.[31][30] Cherry had previously competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in the coxed eights, where his crew finished fourth.[32] A. Burrough, T.B. Langton and coxswain T.H. Hunter all remained for Cambridge (Light Blues), Langton having become the crew's president.[30][31] Oxford's experience, weight (12.6 and a half stone compared to Cambridge's 12.13 and three-quarter stone)[30] and 1937 success made them the race favourites.[7]

The race occurred amidst heavy winds and rough waters.[7][11] The Light Blues won the toss and opted to put Oxford on the Middlesex bank, giving them access to the Surrey side.[7][11] Oxford initially made the better start,[11] but Cambridge quickly moved in front because of their 39 strokes per minute.[7] However, the Dark Blues soon recovered, taking a decent lead by the Mile Post.[7] This convinced the crew to attempt a move to Surrey, but this was blocked by a Light Blues push led by stroke Denis Eadie and rough waters.[7][11] By Hammersmith Bridge, Cambridge had reduced the gap to two seconds, as Oxford faced ever rougher waters.[7][11] A major push meant the Light Blues gained a quarter-length lead at Chiswick Reach, but a Hodgson-led Oxford regained it at Eyot and were a second ahead at Chiswick Steps.[7] The battle commenced within rough waters for some time due to an obstructive cruiser, though it appeared Cambridge were edging ahead in calmer waters.[7][11] Nevertheless, Oxford retained their slender lead and Hodgson's successful counters of Eadie's challenges meant they expanded the lead from between 1 and three-quarters to 2 and a half at Barnes Bridge.[7][11] A late push from an otherwise fatigued Light Blues did little to concern Oxford, who won their second consecutive race by two lengths.[7][11][1][29]

British Pathé considered the event as one that "would live long in the history of rowing",[11] while One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race compared it to the previous year's running and deemed Oxford had more advantages but were slightly less dominant than before.[29] Nevertheless, the race was considered well-run in spite of the poor conditions.[7] With this victory, the overall standings were reduced to 47-42 in Cambridge's favour.[1] Despite being deemed the favourites the following year, Oxford lost to Cambridge in 1939.[29][1] The event was then officially suspended from 1940 to 1945 because of the Second World War.[29][1] It resumed in 1946, and with the exception of 2020's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[33] has always been held annually ever since.[1]

Availability

The 1938 Boat Race's television coverage occurred live, in an era where television output was seldom recorded.[34] For the BBC, regular recordings did not emerge until 1956, as videotape became a viable option.[35][34] However, it did conduct telerecording experiments during the late 1940s, including during its full coverage of the 1949 race.[36][37] As most sources cite the 1949 telerecording as among the earliest known instances,[36][37] it ultimately proves the previous 1938-1948 broadcasts are almost certainly permanently lost.[34] It means the 1937 preview and Rowing Blues are also irrecoverable.[18][27][34] Nevertheless, some newsreel footage of the 1938 race remains, including from British Pathé, British Paramount News and Huntley Film Archives.[38][11][12] Some photos can also be found online of the television process,[39][10] while Issue 756 of Radio Times helped document the broadcast.[23][24][8]

Gallery

Videos

British Pathé newsreel of the race.

Silent British Paramount News newsreel of the race.

Silent Huntley Film Archives newsreel of the race.

Images

See Also

External Links

GA-Class Wikipedia article on the 1938 Boat Race.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 The Boat Race detailing the results of each race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  2. 2.0 2.1 The Telegraph summarising the history and prestige of the Boat Race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  3. The Boat Race detailing the Championship Course. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  4. Cambridgeshire Live summarising the importance of the race for both universities. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  5. Archived The Boat Race report on the 1937 edition. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  6. 6.0 6.1 Hear the Boat Sing detailing the story behind the Oxford crew's 1937 victory. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 Archived The Boat Race report on the race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Issue 756 of Radio Times previewing the race and designating where the BBC cameras were located at. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 BBC summarising the history of its Boat Race coverage, including how the 1938 event was televised. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 Science and Media Museum summarising the milestone Boat Race broadcasts. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 British Pathé newsreel of the race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  12. 12.0 12.1 British Paramount News newsreel of the race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 The Ascent of Media From Gilgamesh to Google Via Gutenberg noting the television in the late 1930s was typically upper middle-class. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  14. Science and Media Museum noting around 20,000 households had access to television sets by 1939. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 15.9 BBC Sport in Black and White detailing how the 1938 broadcast occurred and the near-ill-fated 1939 coverage (p.g. 27-29). Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  16. BBC on the launch of its high-definition Television Service. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  17. BBC on its coverage of the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, its first "true" outside broadcast. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  18. 18.0 18.1 Issue 703 of Radio Times detailing a broadcast used to preview the 1937 race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  19. This Day in Football History on the Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves broadcast. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  20. Issue 755 of Radio Times detailing the coverage of the 1938 Head of the River Race (found on BBC Genome). Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Fields in Vision summarising the BBC's early prioritisation of key events, including the Boat Race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 TV Outside Broadcast History detailing the limited coverage of the event prior to 1949. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  23. 23.0 23.1 BBC Genome archive of Radio Times issues detailing the coverage of the race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  24. 24.0 24.1 Issue 756 of Radio Times listing the television coverage of the event. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  25. 3rd April 1938 issue of The Observer reporting on Oxford's win and deeming the television coverage as a success. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  26. Issue 808 of Radio Times detailing the BBC's coverage of the 1939 event (found on BBC Genome). Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 Issue 757 of Radio Times detailing Rowing Blues (found on BBC Genome). Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  28. Cherwell noting ITV covered the race from 2005 to 2009. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race summary of the race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race listing the crews of the race and their weights. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  31. 31.0 31.1 One Hundred and Fifty Years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race listing the crews' presidents (p.g. 50-52). Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  32. Archived Sports Reference detailing the results of the Men's Coxed Eights at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  33. BBC Sport reporting on the 2020 race's cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 Web Archive article discussing how most early television is missing due to the lack of directly recording television. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  35. BBC noting videotape recording was not possible at the corporation until 1956. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  36. 36.0 36.1 Restoring Baird's Image noting the race broadcast was one of the first subject to a telerecording by the BBC. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  37. 37.0 37.1 The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom: Volume IV: Sound and Vision noting that the broadcast was subject to a telerecording shown later that evening. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  38. Huntley Film Archives newsreel of the race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24
  39. BBC providing a photo of the Oxford crew in front of the television cameras post-race. Retrieved 24th Jan '24