Thomas Engel

Thomas Engel
Personal information
Full nameThomas Carl Engel
Born(1927-11-19)19 November 1927
Auckland, New Zealand
Died6 December 1979(1979-12-06) (aged 52)
EducationMount Albert Grammar School
OccupationDispatch foreman[1]
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportRowing
ClubWest End Rowing Club
Achievements and titles
National finalsEights champion (1949)
Medal record
Men's rowing
Representing  New Zealand
British Empire Games
Silver medal – second place 1950 Auckland Eight

Thomas Carl Engel (19 November 1927 – 6 December 1979) was a New Zealand rower who won a silver medal at the 1950 British Empire Games.

Biography

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Born in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn on 19 November 1927, Engel was the son of Ernest Carl Engel and Anneta Eileen Engel (née Donohue).[2][3] He was educated at Mount Albert Grammar School, where he enjoyed success as a boxer, defeating Kerry Ashby in the final of the 175 lb (79 kg) weight division of the school's boxing championships in 1944.[4] He won the same division as well as the open championship the following year.[5]

Engel was the stroke of the West End Rowing Club eight that won the men's eight title at the New Zealand championships in 1949; the other crew members were Kerry Ashby, Bill Tinnock, Murray Ashby, Don Rowlands, Grahame Jarratt, Bruce Culpan, Edwin Smith, and Donald Adam (cox).[6] The same crew subsequently represented Auckland in the 1949 interprovincial rowing championships, and were again victorious.[6] The latter race was seen as an important trial for the 1950 British Empire Games,[6] and the entire West End crew was selected to represent New Zealand.[7] At the 1950 Games, raced on Lake Karapiro, the New Zealanders finished second in a time of 6:27.5, half a second behind the winning Australian crew.[7]

Engel died on 6 December 1979, and his body was cremated at Waikumete.[1][2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Record for Thomas Carl Engel". Auckland Council. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Death search: registration number 1979/45281". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Births". Auckland Star. 21 November 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Boxing tourney". Auckland Star. 13 October 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  5. ^ "School boxers". New Zealand Herald. 4 October 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  6. ^ a b c "Rowing eights: Auckland's victory". Otago Daily Times. 18 April 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Thrilling finish". Otago Daily Times. 7 February 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 14 April 2019.