The Indianapolis times., 1931-10-03
King of SportSmen to Be
Buried in His Native
Scotland Wednesday.
ROSE FROM POVERTY
Upton Won Fame, Respect
With Efforts to Take
Blooming Mug.'
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY
United Press staff Correspondent

J LEl lldblO14dl Ns2bNGAA4s ttbSNAAAt ~@No
win that blooming old mug"
Sir Thomas will be buried in his
native Scotland. Plans for the fu-
neral of the noted business and
yachtsman who died Friday night
! at the age of 81 were made today.
/ Services will be at 2:30 p. m.
! wednesday at the Southern Necrop-
oils in Glasgow
Without the advantages Of edu-
cation and financial backing,
Tommy" Upton, as he liked to be
/ called, started his business career as
a messenger boy at the age of IL
and the salary of about 80 cents a
week.
Caught Spirit of Travel
On rare holidays Tommy Upton
sailed small boats on the Clyde. His
often futile efforts as a barefoot boy
to make faultily constructed craft
sail attracted his interest to ships
that brought him eventual recognl-
ton as the greatest living yachts
man.
In 1869, Tommy Upton caught the
spirit of travel and saw the Oppor-
tunity for advancement in a then
far-away haven, the United States.
With his meager savings he travelled
to America as a steerage passenger
and got his first glimpse of the
country where he arrived years later
aboard his luxurious steam yacht
Erin to prepare for the arrival of
his Shamrock V to compete for the
Americas cup.
Sir Thomas called the cup that
bloomin' old mug" and was not dis
couraged by his unsuccessful at
tempts to win it. He had plans for
the construction of a Shamrock VI
when he died.
Worked in South
Official recognition Of his yacht
ing activities came late in his life
in England, for he was elected to
membership in the exclusive Royal
Yacht Club Squadron after he
passed his eighty-frst birthday.
Young Upton worked as a gro
GERS clerk and as "a street car mo-
torman in New Orleans when he
came to the United States. He
worked on plantations in South
Carolina until he had saved about
$500, and then went back to Scot
land to start a grocery shop in
which hung huge sign, Work Is
Fun"
He formed certain business poll
cies early in life and never deviated
from them. He resolved never to
take a partner, always to decline
loans and never to sign bill. III
though some of his policies would
not be termed good principles in
present. day business, they we're sue
cessful for Tommy Upton.
Was Temperance Man
Speaking of service and courtesy
he once wrote; The twenty shil-
lings in a ship workers pocket are
Just as good in my till as the pound
in the landlords pigskin purse. The
working mans wife with the basket
on her arm is entitled to as much
respect as the lady who comes to
the store in her plush lined motor
car"
Sir Thomas had very definite
views about drinking.
Young men should beware of
strong drink" he said. "Corkscrews
have sunk more people than cork
jackets ever will save. I never drink
anything stronger than lemonade
and my smoking is confined to
smoking hams and bacons, which
bring. good returns
He was an ardent exponent OF
hard work Find the work that
suits you and put your whole heart
into it. Back up ambitions with
backaches," was Sir Thomas motto.
Small Store Chain Spread
The second Upton shop was
opened at q High street, Glasgow.
The small store chain spread over
the British Isles and was followed
by purchase of coffee, tea and
cocoa plantations in Ceylon and the
creation of the worldwide Upton
business.
Sir Thomas seemed able to forget
the defeat of his yachts by Yankee
craft by philosophic contemplation
Of his amazing victory over life it
self. 1t was a matter of eternal
amazement to himself that he,
Tommy Upton, a poor boy who
never had a toy, should be able to
toss away $4,000, 900 on little yacht.
After the defeat Of the Shamrock
Y in 1890. Sir Thomas appeared
downcaSt for the first time in his
life. He had not watched the finish
Of the race from the bridge of his
yacht, as was his custom. Newspa-
per men found him in his cabin,
telling stories of when I was a boy
in New Orleans"
Flying Royal Pennant
II am afraid that is the last, boys,
I may never race again" he said.
But that was only temporary. Be
fore he returned TO England he had
promised to challenge again.
Sir Thomas lived to triumph over
British conservatism-on might
say snobtishness. He was elected to
the Royal Yacht Club, so exclusive
that some dukes have not gained
entrance.
And Shamrock Y won the Kings
cup at Cowes, Haunting proudly at
her peak the royal pennant of the
Royal Yacht Squadron. denied to
the worlds greatest yachtsman for
years because he was Tin trade