During the three years Eakins was abroad, competitive rowing
on the Schuylkill River, which runs through Philadelphia, had
become the city’s leading sport. In England, rowing had long
been regarded as the exclusive activity of gentlemen, but in
Philadelphia anyone could take part, since rowing clubs made
the expensive equipment available to all. Those who chose not
to participate could gather on the banks of the river to cheer
the oarsmen on, and rowing competitions became some of 
the most popular sporting events of the century. Eakins was 
an enthusiastic rower himself, but after his time in Paris he
regarded the activity less as a form of recreation than a fertile
source of subject matter that combined his dedication to modern life with his interest in anatomy. Even before he embarked
on a classical European education that involved drawing from
the nude, Eakins had studied human anatomy as part of his
artistic training. Fascinated by the mechanics of movement, he
was naturally drawn to athletes in action. 


http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/downloads/pdfs/Resource_Guide_Chapters/PictAmer_Resource_Book_Chapter_11A.pdf