The Royal St. John's Regatta is the oldest annual sporting event in North America. The first recorded event was held in 1826, although the city hosted regattas prior to that. Today, it is one of the most important events on Newfoundland's sporting and social calendars, drawing crowds in excess of 50,000 each August to Qidi Vidi Lake. The regatta hosts a series of races in what is the world premier fixed-seat rowing competition. For nearly 60 years this Newfoundland tradition boasted an institution of its own: Levi "Shotty" Rogers. Nicknamed as a youngster for the way in which "he was always going 'round like a shot," Rogers first competed at the Royal St. John's in 1905. It was to be the first of 58 straight years in which he would appear on the Qidi Vidi course. For the first five of those regattas he was an oarsman. But it was as a coxswain over the next 53 years that the 5' 4", 120-pound Rogers established himself as a Newfoundland sporting legend. Over more than half a century, Rogers steered more than 300 crews to victory at the Royal St. John's Regatta. In his last appearance at Qidi Vidi Lake, in 1962, he coxed William Summers, Jr.'s crew to victory at age 75. He passed away the next year, perhaps not surprisingly during Regatta month in St. John's. Besides his competitive career, Rogers was a long-time rowing coach. He was the first Newfoundlander inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.