Head Of The Charles Regatta 2017 HOCR Program | Page 35

natural problem solver and collaborator,
Bakey evaluated his options instead of
immediately towing everyone parked
in the field on that day in 1972. Accord-
ing to Bakey: “Number one, I don’t like
towing people’s cars. Number 2, there’s
just too many. Number three, they’ll just
refill.” So the vehicles stayed put and he
used the opportunity to collect data and
compile a report to hire more staff for
the event in future years.
According to Regatta Director Fred
Schoch, “Jack Bakey is nothing short of a
Regatta treasure. His commitment to the
event, over all these many years, is simply
exemplary. He has been a constant voice
of reason in our ranks and a devoted
ambassador for over five decades!”
Throughout the 70’s, Bakey
continued to support the Regatta
while progressing through the MDC
Police ranks. By the late 70’s, Jack was
made Lieutenant and while stationed
in South Boston, he continued to staff
the HOCR. By the early 80’s, the event
OPPOSITE PAGE
Many thousands have enjoyed the Regatta for
over 50 years under Jack’s watch.
had grown to over 3,000 participants
and our many seasoned competitors
may remember this period in HOCR as
“Party City.”
Act Two: The Trojan Sofa
By the mid 80’s, the Head Of The
Charles was one of the greatest parties
in the city. Spectators were burying kegs
in the river banks with
spigots emerging from
the ground in preferred
viewing locations. In 1978,
the Trojan Sofa made its
appearance at the Weeks
Footbridge. Some clever
local undergraduates
turned a pull-out sofa into
an ice chest. Unfortunate-
ly for them, as they car-
ried the sofa across Memorial Drive, beer
cans started clanking down on the road,
falling out from the interior. Jack’s own
daughter remembers those Regattas
fondly. “She lit into me like a tiger” when
the event cracked down on alcohol.
Jack and his team tempered the crowds,
pouring out beer and throwing cases
of beer into large “alcohol reclamation”
trucks while managing rowdy crowds.
Throughout it all, Jack is proud to say
that not a single arrest was made.
But as the Regatta continued to ex-
pand and gain in popularity, safety con-
cerns mounted. So, when security costs
rose alarmingly, Jack helped spearhead
a public safety line item in the Mass
State budget for municipal funding and
Many thousands have
enjoyed the Regatta
for over 50 years under
Jack’s watch.
in 1988, the Regatta received its first
state funding. Formal staffing of the
event began with fencing, lane closures,
and all alcohol was banned from the
banks of the river. In 1988, the staffing
increased to almost 150 officers, up from
6 just a few years earlier.
Ed Smith, former chairman of the
HOCR Board and longtime volunteer
6 1 7. 5 7 6 . 1 1 1 1
PIZZA (FOR HUMANS)
At Cambridge, 1. we craft authentic
thin crust, charcoal-grilled pizzas along
with soups, salads and pasta for those
seeking a comfortable place to eat,
drink and relax in the heart of
Harvard Square.
2 7 C H U R C H S T R E E T, H A R VA R D S Q U A R E
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION
W W W. C A M B R I D G E 1 . U S
FIFTY-THIRD HEAD OF THE CHARLES REGATTA
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