Penn Biographies

Joseph William Burk (1914-2008)

• B.S. in Economics, 1934, LL.D. (hon.) 1988
• Varsity crew,
• Varsity football team,
• Member of Delta fraternity and of Sphinx
• Crew coach and assistant professor

Member of U.S. Olympic rowing team for cancelled 1940 Olympics

Yale crew coach

Businessman

Joseph William Burk was born in Philadelphia on January 19th, 1914. He entered the University of Pennsylvania as a member of the class of 1934. Although Burk had never tried rowing before arriving at Penn, he turned out to be a natural. He became dominant in the sport in part because of the unique style he developed. Burk and the national single sculls title four times and the Canadian title three times. As captain of the Penn team during his senior season, he won thirty-seven straight races; that same year he also became the first oarsman to win the James E. Sullivan Award for the advancement of sportsmanship.

To add to his already impressive career, Burk became the first American to win the Henley Diamond Sculls twice. He also broke records with his win at the centenary of the Royal Regatta in 1939, becoming the only American to win the Henley Diamond sculls twice. He was set to row for the U.S. in the single sculls event at the 1940 Olympics, but his chance at winning Olympic gold was dashed by the onslaught of World War II. During the war he took up his duty in the South Pacific for the Navy and as a Lieutenant was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for, "extraordinary heroism and intrepidity in action."

After the war ended, Burk went to work for the American Can Company and also coached the Yale University crew team. He returned to Penn in 1951 to serve for nineteen years as coach and assistant professor. Known as a training innovator, Burk initiated weight and training programs that later became widely used. During his tenure as rowing coach, the Penn crew competed at Henley three times-including one Penn victory; in 1967 the varsity eight won the International Rowing Association championship for the first time since 1900. Burke was also a member of the 1968 Olympic Committee.

After his retirement, Burk moved to Montana and then Arizone, but returned to Philadelphia in 1988 to receive the premier award from his alma mater, the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. In 2005 he was honored with a bronze sculpture created by artist Elizabeth Doering; this sculpture now stands in front of the Penn boathouse on Kelly Drive.

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