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Revised: 06/12/2004
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Our special thanks to Rita Carroll for sending a history and some fine reproduction prints of the original photos. The originals will be placed in the new picture gallery once the boathouse addition is completed.
Instructions: Click on any of the thumbnails below to see a full size photo. Use the "Back" button to return.
For Rolla's recollections of his years rowing in Long Beach, click here.
The following account was generously provided by Rita M. Carroll in December of 2000:
ROWING HISTORY FOR ROLLA G. CARROLL
I have discussed with my father, Rolla ("Rollie") G. Carroll his best memories of his rowing in Long Beach.
He lived in Long Beach with his parents and little sister. He worked in his parents' grocery store that used to be on the Northwest corner of First and Atlantic Streets (currently a parking garage). In 1932 he attended the rowing events for the Olympics that were held in Long Beach. After the Olympics a rowing club was started in the Fall of 1932, and he was one of the original members. He was 18 years old and had just graduated from High School. He does remember Pete Archer, especially on the 'barge', a training boat, but unfortunately he does not have any pictures of him.
He bought his scull for $125 (a lot of money then!) from a man who he thinks might have been a national champion. He remembers that it was hand made of Port Orford Cedar. It was 28 feet long and 11.5 inches wide at the widest spot and weighted 25 Ibs.
He continued to row during the years of 1933,1934, and 1935. In the Spring of 1935 he participated in an inter-club rowing meet, in which he won the single scull class. While he is not certain if this is official or not, they were calling him the "Pacific Coast Single Scull Rowing Champion" (1935). He would have been about 21 years old at that time.
He was planning to go to the Olympic trials in the Spring of 1936, however he had some decisions to make that changed that. In the Fall of 1935 his parents sold their store and moved to Northern California (Shasta County). He had been working in their store and as jobs were difficult to find in Southern California then my father decided to move with them. So he actually did not attend the Olympic Trials. He has said he often wonders what would have happened, but it was so difficult to train and support yourself at that time that it would have been quite the challenge.
When he left he sold his scull to Bill Lockyer for $125 He got a good job in Northern California, married and lived most of his life in the rural community of Montgomery Creek on 40 acres. Once he moved north he did not return to the Long Beach area until my husband and I took him on a visit there in October, 2000. He is currently widowed and living in a retirement apartment in Redding due to his failing eyesight. He is 86 years old now and other than his poor eyesight is in pretty good health. Must have been all the rowing when he was young!
Compiled by Rita M. Carroll December, 2000
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Copyright 1999-2007 Long Beach Rowing Association. All links to external sites are provided merely for convenience to visitors. LBRA does not endorse or guarantee the contents of any external links.
Editor-in-chief: Sabrina Aris-Guentz
Boat captain: AC du Pont
