Bill Belden passed away on Jan 18 2024; you can see his full obituary here. Several of Bill's boatmates and competitors remember him in stories and anecdotes below; all photos thanks to his son Bill.
I don't recall the exact moment that I realized that the "Bill" I had talked to several times at the Upper Merion Boathouse where I rowed my single was THE Bill Belden, but I know it wasn't the first time I met him, or the second. As his friends, boatmates, and competitors share below, that was pretty typical. Bill saw himself as just another guy at the boathouse - who at some time in his past had maybe been fast in a rowing boat.
And I mean really fast. Bill was the World Champion for the USA in the light men's single in 1974 and 1979, won three silver and two bronze medals in other years, and was on two Olympic teams. He rowed the men's double with Larry Klecatsky in 1976, and was to be the USA Olympic single sculler in 1980 before the boycott scuttled that opportunity.
I eventually found out that Bill was BILL BELDEN from Tom Pappanastasiou, who had invited me to train at Upper Merion when I was living in Philadelphia but working in Radnor. Bill coached the Upper Merion HS crews there, including his two sons Bill and Andy, so was around the boathouse a bunch. At some point Tom mentioned that he was meeting Bill Belden for some task or other, and my head swung around - that's Bill Belden!!
I sometimes did weight circuits in the concrete block weight room, on the wall of which there was a sheet of paper listing the stations for one of the old-school cement bar weight circuits. At the bottom of the list, below the HIGH PULLS and SQUATS and CURLS and BENT OVER ROWS rows, was the following word:
BELDONS
With an 'O.'
You see, for a large portion of the east coast, a squat with high pull was called a Belden, named after our Bill Belden, who did them ceaselessly as a critical part of his land training (as Mike Teti recounts below).
There it was on the wall of his own boathouse, spelled wrong.
When I finally learned who Bill was, I asked him "Ahh, you know your name is spelled wrong on the circuit on the wall?" Bill laughed and said "Yeah, no big deal."
So unassuming was Bill that I am not even sure the rowers who were doing BELDONS on Saturday mornings knew that this same guy was Bill "Beldon."
Bill's modesty and generous nature ran deep, and he was a true pleasure to be around as a result.
Between the lane lines, it was a different story, I am told, and Bill was known as a truly fierce competitor - but as you will read below, once you crossed the finish line, the Bill Belden I knew showed himself immediately.
Paul Fuchs
Bill Belden was a great friend of mine, I believe we met around 1970 racing in the national championships. Of course he beat me then and he beat me for the next 10 years. During that time we created a strong and lasting friendship even though we were intense competitors. It was easy for Bill to separate the two, he was a very friendly and relaxed person until you put him in a boat on the water.
I remember in 1981 at the Nationals in Oak Ridge TN, Bill and Cathy and I were sitting on the grass catching up on life while Andy and Billy were fishing in the harbor. Suddenly Bill and I realized that we were almost late for launching for the lightweight single championship race. We lined up and started the race with four other top competitors including Larry Klecatsky. When we got to 750 meters, for the first time I was in front of everyone. Bill passed me back, and then before the finish line I got ahead of him for the finish.
After all my years racing him and losing, Bill knew exactly how much this meant to me. Before we even got to the dock he came over to me on the water, we put our boats close and parallel and he congratulated me almost before I realized what had happened. We subsequently raced in the World Championships in the double that year and the next, getting a silver both times. We remained the best of friends for all the years after. I loved that man, he was amazing.
Jim Dietz
The photo of me, Mike Verlin, Bill and Larry Klecatsky was taken after the National Championship win in Camden NJ. It is one of my favorites and always on display in my home. I remember after the win we put Bill's two young boys Bill and Andy and Larry's sons Brian and Chris on each of our foot stretchers and rowed the boat back to our launch site. Cathy always had the boys at the races to see and be with their dad.
Another is a picture of Bill and Larry after winning the lightweight double at a National Championship. They were fierce rivals and very close friends, in a time when amateur scullers respected each other because of the knowledge of all the sacrifices they had to make every day to make a living, support their families, and endure the endless hours of training necessary to compete at the World level. They would go on to destroy all the open weight competition at the 1976 Olympic trials and represent the USA at the Montreal Olympics.
Bill was one of the friendliest and most relaxed people that I can remember. In 1979 when the lightweight FISA Championships and the Open weight championships were held on separate weekends, Bill won one of two of his lightweight World singles titles, and then a week later finish 5th in the Open Worlds with me in the 2X. We would train on a lake above Lake Bled in then-Yugoslavia. Bill would bring his fishing pole with him and spend hours casting into the beautiful water. He was truly a giant killer and a gentleman!
I recall another story told to me that Bill had loaned his Stampfli single to a sculler on the Schuylkill and I believe the sculler hit one of the bridges destroying the boat. When he arrived back at Undine, Bill only asked are you OK?
Our sport creates or attracts some incredible people. Bill was one of the greatest in so many ways.
Scott Roop
I, like everyone else in rowing at that time, admired and liked Bill. He had a whole rowing career of excellence before I came around, and one that continued after I stopped rowing. When I was done Bill actually bought my single and kept training and racing. He was an easy guy to look to. When I turned to sculling and eventually gained success against him, he was the first guy to give me a hug and encouragement after our race. Just a good man on all levels. He will be missed by many.
Mike Teti
Bill Belden was my first rowing "hero". I will never forget those epic battles between Bill and Larry Klecatsky (mostly won by Bill) at IDR, Nationals, Cdn Henley, and trials. In the early 80's Scott Roop joined this duo and lightweight singles race became the highlight of every regatta.
I am so grateful for all the advice and guidance Bill gave me during my rowing career. In 1977 I was a 20-year-old rookie on the National Team and had no idea what to expect. Bill took me under his wing and told me "You earned the right to be here...now go race like we do in Philly"! Those words from an icon like Bill were life changing for me.
Bill would drive from King of Prussia to Boathouse Row Monday to Friday, row his single full pressure up to Connelly Containers and back (12 miles), then ride his bike to Center City to work at the bank. After work he'd ride the bike back to the boathouse, get in his car and drive home. Once home he would do 30' of jump rope (non-stop) and 30' of "Beldens" (if you ever rowed in Philly you know what they are!)
I feel so blessed and fortunate to have had Bill as a mentor and a friend. In so many ways he gave us a blueprint on how to live a successful life. He was a true gentleman who led by example. A loving husband and father, a true and loyal friend and a life well lived!
Much Love and Respect, Mike Teti
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