| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'srowing | ||
Representingthe United States | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 | 1936 Berlin | Eight |
Robert Gaston Moch (June 20, 1914 – January 18, 2005) was an Americancoxswain who won Olympic gold at the1936 Summer Olympics.[1]
Moch was born and raised inMontesano, Washington. He was the class valedictorian at Montesano High in 1932. His father, Gaston Moch, was aJewish immigrant watchmaker and jeweler fromSwitzerland.[2]
He coxed theUniversity of Washington senior varsity eight which won US nationalIntercollegiate Rowing Association titles in 1936.[2] At the1936 Olympics, he won the gold medal ascoxswain of the American boat in the eights competition.[3] His role as a coxswain for theUniversity of Washington and Olympic crew is explored in the 2013 non-fiction book by author Daniel James Brown,The Boys in the Boat.[2]
After college, Moch signed on as assistant crew coach at theUniversity of Washington, under his old coach. Moch later went on to become the head crew coach at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and earned his law degree fromHarvard Law School. Moch became a successful lawyer in Seattle and won a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.[2]
