Illman Award

On Saturday, June 14th, 2014 Mitch Budman became the 54th recipient of the prestigious Illman Award presented by Malta Boat Club for his lifetime contributions to rowing.

Mitch, a 28 year member of University Barge Club, Philadelphia made numerous contributions to rowing.

• He has served as assistant coach at Monsignor Bonner High School, with his Varsity Four winning the Stotesbury Cup Regatta.
• He is an assistant coach at Philadelphia University.
• He has held leadership positions at University Barge Club serving for over 13 years as Treasurer, Vice-President and President.
• For over 27 years, he served as Treasurer for the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, one of the premier fall Head Races.

An active Masters Competitor, Mitch has won numerous medals at National and International competitions including Masters World Championships.

One of Mitch’s proudest accomplishments is the establishment of the Athlete Health Organization. Along with a colleague, Mitch, set up this program to provide free health examinations to inner city high school athletes, both boys and girls, from public and parochial schools. He helped assemble a team of over 40 physicians, 200 medical students and volunteers to provide exams to over 1,700 athletes including all of the rower participating in the Philadelphia City Rowing program. The Athlete Health Organization has been in existence for 11 years and is looking to expand to other cities.

Business-wise, Mitch has been involved in a wide array of business ventures. What Mitch has done is take his entrepreneurial and organizational skills that he had honed over these many business ventures and focused them to help the rowing community. For this we are all very grateful.

On November 14, 2021, Chuck Patterson, Chairman of the Award Committee for Malta Boat Club, presented their most prestigious award, The Dr. George Morton Illman Award, to James (Jim) Barker. The award seeks to recognize individuals whose efforts behind the scenes make rowing events possible along Philadelphia’s nationally renowned Schuylkill river.

Mr. Barker, better known as Jim or Coach along the Row, was The Haverford School’s Crew coach for over 40 years, and his crews won over 150 City Championships, 100 Stotesbury Cup titles, and 100 National Championships. Thirty-five of his Haverford oarsmen went on to compete at the international level, and many more have gone on to row nationally at highly recognized programs. Jim coached Irish Olympic sculler and 3- time Diamond Sculls winner Sean Drea, and US Champion and Lightweight World Champion, Bill Belden. As a competitor, Jim won over 24 National Championships.

Jim is a member of the US Rowing Hall of Fame, the Roxborough Hall of Fame, and the Haverford School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jim’s impact along our river is immeasurable. The young people he influenced by sharing his knowledge and passion for rowing won’t just have a love for our sport but will carry a superpower of understanding how hard work can bring strength and accomplishment in life.

For this and many other reasons, Jim is well-deserving of the Dr. George Morton Illman Award.

The Dr. George Morton Illman Award Committee and the members of Malta Boat Club recognize and congratulate James J. Barker for his lifelong contributions to rowing with the The Dr. George Morton Illman Award.

2012 Illman Award

On June 1st, 2013 Malta Boat club was pleased to present the Doctor George Morton Illman Award to Jay Hill, for his contributions to the sport of rowing.

Rowing Biography

James Hill, (better known a “J”) began his rowing career in 1962 at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia. After rowing under Coaches Tibor McCann and Joe Brennan, J graduated and continued his rowing career at St. Joseph’s College. In 1969, J was awarded an English Speaking Union scholarship to study in England; that was the beginning of his long-standing connection with Caius College, Cambridge and its boat club. Although J did not participate in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race he did find time to row and punt on the River Cam.

After a tour of duty in the US Navy specializing in Russian Language Intelligence, J resumed his rowing career in 1985 at the urging of his friend Paul Laskow. In 1992, a fellow University Barge Club member, Christopher Blackwall encouraged J to consider becoming a US Rowing Judge/Referee.

During J’s Referee apprenticeship, he studied under two very colorful characters on the Schuylkill River, Matt Ledwith and Mike Bergen. It was after J passed his Referee Exam in 1994 that he began a nearly 20 year contribution to rowing, both on and off the water that continues today.

J is best recognized by his Pith Helmut, bow tie and “GQ” attire as he serves as Referee on the water. J has been the Chief Referee for the Philadelphia Scholastic Regattas in the spring and can be seen most weekends officiating at Ivy Leagues, Collegiate, Scholastic and Cub Regattas throughout the rowing season.

Unbeknown to most, J is a generous benefactor to rowing off the water. He supports his Alma Maters’ boat clubs, The Philadelphia Catholic League and aspiring Olympic hopefuls among others.

Throughout his rowing activities J has been supported by Pam, his wife of 37 years and his children, Peter and Emily.

J’s greatest joy of rowing is to row his single, before dawn, on the Schuylkill. He also enjoys the opportunity to meet many of the fine coaches along Boat House Row, like Fred Duling and the young athletes training for spots on the US National and International teams.