The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-10-13
SPORTSMAN BACKS
BYRD'S ADVENTURE
WITHF|NANC|AL AID
Hopes Rear Admiral Will Find
Some Sort of Life in Little
America
BASE SHIP NAMED FOR HIM
Took Great Pleasure in Packing
1000 Cases Of Beer
for Men
BASE SHIP NAMED FOR HIM
By PAUL HARRISON

New York, Oct. 13.-When the sec
md Byrd Expedition into the An
tarctic found itself hard up in the
matter of hard cash, some Of its lead
erS turned for aid to grlzzled old
sportsman who has the knack Of be-
ing able to enjoy, vicariously, but to
the limit, the thrills and adventures
of other men,
It has always been that way with
Col. Jacob Rupert. AS a yOungster
lie was too busy working to concern
himself with sand-lot games. In
stead of going to college and lending
his powerful physique to the glory OF
the gridiron. he tackled kegs and bags
Ut grain in his fathers brewery. He
never bothered about learning to ride,
nut his money financed a famous
racing stable. He knew little about
the inner workings of big league base
ball, but he bought the New York
Yankees and gleefully watched them
win seven pennants. He declined 10
lake time out for travel. but delighted
in gathering men-Of-the-W world and
explorers about him. Most OF the
great adventures and flyers-among
them Admiral Byrd--are his friends.
+ X X
So Colone, Rupert is a sportsman
by proxy. He doesn't, he declared.
give whoop whether there IS an ice
covered inland sea at the south pole.
Or whether the geological formations
resemble those Of South America. II
there's no life, other than little spid-
trs, ON the Antarctic Continent. that's
all right with Colonel Jake. He
doesn't want to start Little Amer
ica baseball league, nor yet store beer
on the Ross Ice Shelf. He is con-
cerned with this expedition because it
IS a blood stirring adventure. a
sporting encounter with the grimmest
Of odds.
He is proud, of course, that Byrd's
base ship has been re-christened the
Jacob RUPERT. He hopes 1t Will
prove staunch. He also hopes the 70
men enjoy the 1000 cases Of beer he
has put aboard. Colonel Jake had
lot of fun figuring out how to pack
that beer. III special boxes lined with
10 inches of felt. SO it can Withstand
temperatures of 80 degrees below zero.
He also can reflect pleasurably that
Ills money went long way toward
making the expedition possible.
X X \
It was a large sum. but on the Col
snels insistence the amount is not to
be announced. He likes to spend a
lNS sc l,;. YV@ 1O1E
when he bought the New York YAM
KEGS in partnership with Col. Tilling-
hast lHommedieu Huston, he gam
bled at least two millions. Later he
bought out his partner. and found
himself the sole owner Of a $4,000, 900
paying enterprise. For Babe Ruth
alone, Colonel Jake paid 100000 and
made loan Of s25O0OO to the Bos-
ton Americans. He now spends some
thing like 100000 a year to scour the
nations sandlots. high schools. COL
leges and minor leagues for baseball
talent And he maintains three mi
nor league teams as laboratories for
the development of young players.
For several years he was the lead
ing breeder of st. Bernard dogs, and
spent a moderate fortune on the KEN
nels at his country home in Garrison,
N. Y. But Rupert sold the dogs
when he found they We're keeping him
away from his office too much.
X X *
Not the least expensive OF his hob
bles is art. His 12-room Fifth Az
enuc apartment and his country
rouse arc cluttered With rare Jade
and Chinese porcelains. At Garrison
too, he has the nations finest assOrt-
nent of small monkeys. Live ones
Colonel Jake says they amuse him.
He was born IS years ago in the
German section of Manhattan called
Yorkville. His parents were German