“Rowing is the only sport that originated as capital punishment”

“Rowing is the only sport that originated as a form of capital punishment” refers to the history of galley slaves. The popular rowing aphorism has been cited in print since at least 2002.
 
 
Urban Dictionary
rowing
Rowing is the only sport to originate as a form of capital punishment. I still can’t figure out why I like it so much.
Vikings: Slaves and criminals would do the rowing, not the Vikings because they knew how much it sucked.
by get_some Dec 24, 2005
   
Google Groups: rec.sport.rowing
alexorig
Jul 25 2002
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Rowing is the only sport that originated as a form of capital punishment.
 
smallme2
Remember: rowing is the only sport that originated as a form of capital punishment
Posted 10/8/2004 11:16 AM
 
GoErie.com
College Connection: Bethany Brun, Mercyhurst College
Posted by Matt Martin on October 10, 2008 12:15 PM
Mercyhurst College sophomore rower Bethany Brun blogs occasionally as part of the College Connection project. Her fifth entry:
 
“Rowing is the only sport you can win sitting on your rear end going backwards.”
“Rowers do more before 8:00 am than most people do all day.”
“Rowing is the only sport that originated as a form of capital punishment.”
 
The Signal (Fort Gordon, GA)
2009-08-21 / Sports
Occupational therapy assists in healing process
Charmain Z. Brackett Correspondent
(...)
Before they tried out training equipment, George Fry of the Augusta Rowing Club gave them a little history behind the sport.
 
“Rowing is the only sport that can trace its history to capital punishment,” said Fry.
 
The Harvard Independent
Is Crew Overrated?: Counterpoint (10/20)
December 26, 2011 By Meghan Brooks
An argument for the defense.
It’s the only sport that originated as a form of capital punishment. It’s eight people, pulling faster and faster, knees bent, back straight, oar blades gliding in and out of water against the sun, the wind, and the rain. It’s six a.m. practices and vomiting after erg sessions. It’s crazy; and yet, those who choose rowing—or as those pesky North Americans call it, crew—just love it.
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COMMENTS
Steven M-M•6 months ago−
“Corporal punishment”? Rowers have died in the act, but as a form of “capital punishment” rowing would be costly and time consuming.
 
NorthJersey.com
Overpeck Park hosts rowers
Sunday, April 8, 2012   Last updated: Sunday April 8, 2012, 9:36 AM
BY MELISSA HAYES
STAFF WRITER
The Record
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COMMENTS
Stephen Mosca · Works at Jet Aviation Teterboro
Today was a great day at the Overpeck. Lot of sun and rowing. Did you know that this is the only sport which started out as Capital Punishment?
April 14 at 4:51pm