Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-17
IN The FIELD OF SPORT
Omaha High School Foot Ball Players Are
to Warm Up,
HUNTERS HAVING GOOD CHICKEN HUNTING
Gossip of the Base Ball Players-Tnilk
of the PugiIists-Downfau of
Star Pointer, King of the
Harness Races.

There seems to be a very general impress
sion, even among y~achtsmen, that the Amer
ica's cup which is to be raced for in October
always has been an international trophy,
since IL was frst offered. This, however, Is
not the case. The trophy before 1t was won
by the American schooner America was
offered annually near the end of the yacht
ing season, open to all Corners of whatever
rig anu irrespective OF size. No time allow
ance was given. or SO little Importance was
the cup considered prior to its having been
won by the America that no record seems to
have been kept of the previous winners OF
like trophies. The America did not go to
England expressly to race for it; indeed, the
race was not contemplated when the
schooner left this country.
There was a worlds fair in England in
1851 and a syndicate Of New York Yacht club
members decided to build an American yacht
and visit England to show their cousins
what a fast yacht was. Steers Bros, the
Hcrreshoffs Of that day, designed and built
the schooner America at a cost of $50, 600.
Captain Brown was in command and his reg
ular crew consisted OF twelve men. When
It arrived in England 1t raced all the bes,
yachts of the day which could be induced to
sail against Vt, for any stake which the En-
glishmer could be induced to wager, ano
Beat them all. The time soon came when
there were no more worlds to conquer. Nc
one would race the America
Then came the annual race for the cup for
she fastest yacht, and as 1t was open to all,
the American entered. How it was pitted
against thirteen boats, of all rigs, how a
number Of them were larger than it, and how
1t won so easily that the Englishmen de-
clared 1t had some ingenious Yankee device
to accelerate ita gDnpd ara all mattara nf
history. In fact, 1t was not until it was
drydocked and its bottom fully exposed
that this illusion was fully removed.
This race was what first brought the
Swimming dish model and the centerboard
into prominence. Both were known on this
eide OF the water, hut in England they had
nothing but the long, narrow cutter. How
the skimming dish became the distinctive
American model, as against the cutter, and
how, later, the two models were gradually
merged into one very superior to either, are
also matters of history. If the Shamrock's
model is ever made known it would not
be surprising to fluid that 1t more nearly
approached the old American and the
American skimming dish model than the
Columbia does.
Queen Victoria, in the prime of her youth
ana beauty in 1851, was one of the spec
tators Of the americas victory. She attended
the regatta aboard the royal yacht. When
It was thought to be time for the boats to
be in sight her majesty asked the captain
of her yacht.
Are the boats in sight yet, captain"
Eyes. your majesty" was the answer.
(Which is ahead?"
1.-THE American, your majesty"
(which ds second7" asked the queen.
"Ah, your majesty" answered the old
captain, there Is no second"
1t was not until 1863 or 1869 that the
Americas cup became an international tro-
ply. The syndicate which owned the yacht
America presented It to the New York Yacht
club as a perpetual international trophy at
that time. and as soon as England was mott
fed of this faos yachtsmen got together and
decided that the cup, which was English,
could not be allowed TO remain hero. How
they have persevered in their efforts to get
It back and how they have always failed, and
how this cup has become the greatest yacht
ing trophy In the world, are also matters Of
history.
1t has been estimated by a member of Sir
Thomas Lipton's fleet. who has been directly
interested in the last Ave races sailed, and
who has had ample opportunity for compil-
dng the figures on the former races, and
who has had the curiosity to do so, that the
Americas cup races, frst and last, have cost
IL WV ~ cu6dsto VNtT f,VUu,OUU.
This estimate, of course. includes not only
the cost OF building and maintaining the
yachts. both challengers and defenders, but
the expenses incurred in trial races and the
main races; in fact, everything incident to
the races themselves on both sides of the
Atlantic.
And this vast amount for what? A cup,
which in itself Is Of most ordinary, even
slovenly. design, fashioned from 100 ounces
of silver. A cup which, were it's duplicate
offered by the Atlantic or New York Yacht
clubs, in an ordinary regatta, would hardly
draw together half a dozen catboats or half
raters. And yet circumstances have made
this cup the bone of contention between the
yaohtsmen Of the two greatest yachting and
sporting nations Of the world, and II 1t does
60 back to England. bids fair to draw two or
three more great nations into the vortex of
lavish expenditure which has marked Its ex-
lstence thus far.
Verify the destiny Of cups, as we'll as of
men, is beyond comprehension.
The Friend Coursing club will hold it's
fret annual meet October 11-12-13 at Its
park at Friend, Neb. Good, big purses are
hung up for the events and a large number
of entries are already in. with more ex-
pected. All communication should be ad-
dressed to the secretary. W.. G.. Gooden.
BRIEF BASE BALL GOSSIP
Exposition Management Has Put u
Ball Game for Ia Patrons
Ia Afternoon.
Pittsburg gave $1,000 for dts new first bag