Background
McKinlay was born in Detroit, Michigan and was the twin brother of oarsman Art McKinlay. Both were 1950 graduates of Cooley High School.
McKinlay was born in Detroit, Michigan and was the twin brother of oarsman Art McKinlay. Both were 1950 graduates of Cooley High School.
The McKinlays were the only twins to compete in the 1956 Olympics. John McKinlay also made the semifinals of the Thames Cup at the Royal Henley Regatta in Great Britain in 1962. McKinlay retired from rowing in 1963 after a 13-year career.
He attended and graduated from Boston University where he was captain of the crew.
He was inducted into the Boston University Athletic"s Hall of fame in 1985. In 1956 the Detroit Boat Club coached by Walter M. Hoover placed seven members on the United States Olympic Rowing Team and are known as the " DBC Seven." The "DBC Seven" brought home 2 silver medals.
John McKinlay quote: "My brother Art and I met Coach Hoover in 1949. Coach Hoover told us we could be champions and we believed him, we believed in ourselves, we believed we would be champions.. and we were.".
John McKinlay was also a member of the 1952 United States Olympic Rowing Team (Helsinki, Finland). He and the other members of the 1956 Olympic Four were inducted into the United States National Rowing Hall of Fame in 1980. The 7th member of the DBC Seven is Walter Hoover Junior.
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