The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-09-15
TODANS SPORTAPAEADE. kRa&{atfba.
BY HENRY McLEMORE
Press Stan Correspondent

Limited Press StaH COrrespOnuent)
 Newport, R. l., Sept. 1o.-(UP)' - do not wish to aisillusion you prajrie schooner sailors out west, buf the course over which Rainbow and Endeayor will sail today Is the most disappointing race track l ever saw. It's nothing-just lot or wet water, surrounded by a lot more wet water.
 went around it yesterday, to sort of familiarize myself with It, and today 1 couldn't tell you one corner from the next. There isn any third base. There isn't any home stretch. There isn't any left field. There isn't such thing as bleachers, goal-posts, or basketball baskets.
 And if you think it's hard to find the Polo grounds. just try to reach Brenton's reef and the starting mark of the Americas cup races. You can't catch subway, or a train, or a street car. You've got to hire a fellow whose been before the mast for thirty years. sailed around Cape Horn in row boat' and has longer whiskers than Zaro Agha's.
 The nautical gent who took me around, I picked up down by a wharf. He had a greasy little ol motorboat with which it is his daily custom-and I might add, his daily bread-to go out hunting the vicious shrimp. As we progressed to sea, he unfolded to me, in his salty way, some of the hardships Of shrimp hunting. Bitter cold. Biting wind. No horseradish.@ No tomato sauce, with which to smother the hardy shrimp once he has been snared. He told me how many years he had practiced in his own back yard, hurling harpoon into shrimp.
 But to get back to the course. Suddenly Captain Driggs shouted: "We are here" looked around men. "Where?" I said.
 Here" he said.
 Here, where?' I said.
 "Here, here." said Captain Driggs peak halyards.
 Here, here. here, here" said I beating him by two. Where in the hell are we?"
 The cap'n spat on his hands, took
  way the moss lay on the mast. Ther he took quadrant, sextant ana 8 quintuplet, which he happened to find in his ditty box. He blaZed wave. He wet his finger and thrust it aloft. He made some fire by rubbing two sticks. He pulled out his merit badge.
 We are APO north and 71.2O west" he said. This is where En- deavor and Rainbow will take off. ,
 How long, cap'n." sez l, twill 1t take them to around the course? ?" Y" Bout four or five hours, mebbe. !" he said.
 And how long will 1t take us to run around 1t in your small pardon, mean in your luxurious Ghrimp boat?"
 ~Oh, I'd hazard a guess, maybe m hour and a half or maybe two hours. Once did it in an hour fiat when I was ridin' back of a killer shrimp"
 ssCap'n," I said, "I think you're nometfing of prevaricator.
 No, indeed, never went around fho Horn, but I kin navigate as rood as the next one in these here waters, he allowed.
 tsYou don't get my point cap'n, :" I Says. .sBut what's this got to do with the yacht races?"
 ssNofhing, except you owe me 1I0.50 for this trip"
 eGood God" said, 'how much I5 &his boat worth 2"
 1T paid $116 for it. sixteen years 1Eo,r he said.
 ssAnd 1t cost Sopwith and van- derbiIt two million dollars to run afo3lnd this course in four hours ! sald, fainting dead away and be- Iur aroused only when Cap'D Urixrs waved live killer or "tiger" .hrir1p directly benfath my nose.