A Most Beautiful Thing: The True Story of America's First All-Black High School Rowing Team

In Chapter 4, Cooper discusses his growing relationship with his reformed mother, his growing infatuation with Grace, and his growing interest in rowing. Although his older brother, Shaundell, has moved out of the house because of their mother’s rules against hanging in the streets, Cooper assures her that she is doing a good job and that her reformation has influenced other members of the extended family who were involved with drugs and gangs. According to Cooper, only three things can make him excited about school: “a class trip, a home basketball game against a rival, or a girl” (38). In this case, he is excited because he is going to walk Grace to her bus stop before rowing practice. During their walk, she asks him about the rowing team, and he explains to her that he thinks it is a “white sport” because “black sports are the ones that are cheap to play” while “[w]hite sports cost a lot and require boats, ergs, or horses” (39).

At practice, Alpart introduces the team to the program’s co-sponsor, Mike O’Gorman, who is also a national team coach, and tells them more about himself. He says he’s an options and futures trader and that he started a foundation dedicated to working with West Side kids not only in sports but also through a weekly entrepreneurship class he teaches.