Evening star., 1936-09-19
Regatta
Continued From Page B-1.)

high Government officials who are in
terested spectators during the event.
With President Roosevelt a likely
spectator this year. having announced
his intention Of attending at least one
and perhaps more. of the races, the
prospects of the first Chief Executive
since 1880 witnessing a regatta spon-
sored by his office adds to their hopes
of impressing the highest authorities
Of the land.
Wood and johnson have built four
Miss Americas since their near-fatal
crash, with the last. Miss America X.
having achieved speed of nearly l25
miles per hour-l249 to be exact.
Having brought back the Harmsworth
Trophy the year after 1t was taken
abroad for the first time, they stand
ready to accept any challenge that
Kaye Don, the great English driver, or
any other foreigner might make.
Frankly. it is their opinion that the
English could regain the international
trophy originally offered by one of
their countrymen if they wished, but
believe that our British brothers have
no desire to take the Harmsworth Cup
home.
CPEAKING Of Gar Wood, his wife
recently made some pertinent COM
ments on those who compete in one Of
the most hazardous, but thrilling,
sports of all and one in which her
famed husband has led the field. In no
sport, she declares, does such fine
spirit of fellowship and cooperation
exist as among rival drivers.
Nothing Is too much for motor
boat pilot to do to aid rival. whether
it be the loan Of spark plug or jump
ing in to help in the installation of a
motor. Down in the pits before race.
where the smell OF grease and oil
mixes with the saltine taste Of the
briny deep, q rival will work as ear
nestly on your motor as on his own.
Once out in the course. when the start
ing gun has been fred, however, it's
goodby to fraternalism with every man
for himself and the backwash take the
hindmost!
Such sportsmanship is reason for
one Of the most singular aspects Of any
phase of sporting activity-the COM
plete absence of betting In the marine
world.
Unlike other sports. where q wager
upon the outcome Of an event normal
ly adds zest to the sports deyotee. the
yachtsman Is in his game for sheer
love of the sport alone. Prizes and
regulations are not ignored, to be sure,
but first and foremost is the pilet's
love Of the game. Indeed, there are
those who get just as big kick out
of the spray Of conqueror as those
who provide the spray for others,
Gar, himself, won't be here this
week end for the classic, but one who
bids fair to emulate him under the
same name will. For Gar Wood, jr., q
driver who Is earning q reputation
Just like his dad, Is entered. and will
be here, accompanied by his mother.
johnson probably will be his partner,
even as he has been the aide Of the
elder Wood.
But Gar, jr., bearing famous name,
will be but one Of many nationally
known figures who will be here for this
eleventh of Presidents Cup regattas,
now the September mecca for every
motor boat enthusiast in the land.
Herbert L. Mendelsohn Of Detroit,
who won the Presidents Cup with his
Notre Dame in 1885, heads the list Of
those who seek the possession of the
coveted trophy until 1887, but his COM
petition Is keen.
Unless you, as an observer, are we'll
acquainted with the design and color
of . particular boat, you will wait, like
the rest Of the uninformed crowd, until
the amplification system announces 1t
before learning the identity Of . win
ner. Nothing, 1t seems. is to diffcult
to determine as the identity Of boat
or driver, tearing through the water
at close to q hundred miles an hour.
RUT that won't prevent your share
Of thrills. It won't stop you from
watching the boats skidding around
the buoys on one thin edge, Of bounc-
ing across the top Of the water like
some small stone you used to skip
across the surface. And II the water
is the least bit choppy. watch for the
spillsl
There's no time to get set to take
those waves "just right. Either you
ride them safely, or you don't. and II
you dont-well, that's what life belts
are for.
Certainly not all the races win be Of
the hair-raising, spine-splitting type as
you very well know II you ever watched
q sail boat race, now an integral part
Of the regatta. Unless sudden scuall
comes up, Is sometimes happens In our
very water yard, there's little hurry to
the staid, peaceful-appearing white
water angels-or ct least It appear5 so
from the shore. = 81 &.
Aboard. hoyeyer. n ~ eunsts. q