Ernestine Bayer (born March 25, 1909 – September 10, 2006), her parents were Henry and Rosetta Steppacher, and she was born
Philadelphia. She has been called the "Mother of Women's Rowing". She started rowing at a time when it was unheard of for women and paved the way for other women to follow after her.
Rowing career
Ernestine met Ernest Bayer and they were married on January 28, 1928. Ernest raced in a
coxless four in the
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...
and won a
silver medal
A silver medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of, or plated with, silver awarded to the second-place finisher, or runner-up, of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc ...
. In 1938 Ernestine founded the
Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club (PGRC). Following Title IX in 1972, she became a volunteer coach for the women's club at the
University of New Hampshire. In 1980 she became the first woman to be awarded the
John J. Carlin service award by the U.S. Rowing Association. In 1989, Bayer rowed in the World Rowing Organization's Masters Regatta that was held in the
United States for the first time. In 1991 she competed in the
Florida Masters Regatta and won in a mixed double and the single. Earlier that year she had competed in the Crash B
indoor races in
Boston and established a world record in her age bracket. In 1992 at age 83, she won her age division, 60 and over, in the
Head of the Charles race. She was United States Rowing Sullivan Award nominee that year. At the age of 91 she set the world record on the Concept II
rowing ergometer
An indoor rower, or rowing machine, is a machine used to simulate the action of watercraft rowing for the purpose of exercise or training for rowing. Modern indoor rowers are often known as ergometers (colloquially erg or ergo) because they m ...
for women over the age of 90.
Also that year she competed in the Master's World Championships in Montreal winning the women's double, the women's eight, and taking 2nd in the mixed double.
Death
Ernestine suffered her first
stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
in March 2003. She recovered enough to be able to row in a double. In July 2005, she had a second stroke which left her
paralyzed on her right side and unable to speak. She died September 10, 2006 at the age of 97. She was predeceased by her husband in 1997. They are survived by their daughter Tina.
References
External links
https://web.archive.org/web/20070312050725/http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/exeter/01272006/news/84914.htm
1909 births
2006 deaths
Place of birth missing
American female rowers
20th-century American women
20th-century American people
21st-century American women
{{US-rowing-bio-stub