Evening star., 1939-08-12
Shrieking Sirens
Welcome Soap Box
Champ 10 Akron
Police Brigade Whisks
Cederstrund and Fellow
Racers to Hotel
BY GEORGE HADDOCK,
Star Stan Correspondent.


AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 12.-The
nearly deafening shrieks Of police
sirens furnished Carl Cederstrands
first introduction to Akron this
morning as the 1899 Washington
Soap Box Derby champion whizzed
through the streets behind q motor
cycle escort.
Carl took in stride the hearty well
come given to all incoming city
champions, but he and the young
sters representing Richmond. Va,
and Raleigh, N. c., whom he met on
the train, could not ignore the fast
ride, and they yelled denghtedly as
they wheeled around corners and
buzzed through stoplights at the
heels of the motorcycle brigade.
Carl swung into the routine as
soon as the party arrived at the
Mayflower Hotel, headquarters for
the ia youngsters entered in the
race
He was fitted for a steel, racing
drivers helmet. given two ALL
American Derby shirts and an over
seas cap and assigned to a room, all
within minutes of his arrival.
Bunks With UniontOwn Boy.
The Washington champion was
assigned to bunk with Jimmy
Zack, IA, of Uniontown, Pa, on the
14th floor of the hotel Carl and his
new friend are members of Squad
IA, which includes the champions
from Tuscon, Ariz.; White Plains,
N. Y; Wichita. Kans,, and Belle
vile and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Following meeting this morn
ing, when the young racers were to
be given instructions on the run
ming Of the Derby, Carl and the
other champions were to 60 to
Derby Downs at pm, where each
boy will make test run down the
course.
At 6 pm. the champions are to
have a dinner at the hotel, after
which they will be taken to the
baseball park, where they will see
the Akron Yankees play the Ports
mouth Red Birds. Then back home
to bed to rest for the race tomor-
row.
Before the race begins all the
young entrants will parade down
the course and then back to the top
of the hill, to 60 down in their
homemade racers. The boys will
race in heats of three cars each, and
the eliminations are to start at 2
pm.
Big Event Tomorrow.
Many of the champions from
other cities arrived in Akron yes
terday and spent the day investi-
eating the city and getting acquaint-
ed with their quarters on the four
teenth and fifteenth floors of the
May1ower Hotel, where all the city
champions will stay.
While the big event is not sched-
uled until tomorrow, the formal
program begins this morning, and
every waking hour of the young
sters' time is provided for in ad-
vance. The All-American Soap Box
Derby gives Akron an excellent ex-
cuse to celebrate, and business is
virtually suspended while every one
turns out to welcome the youthful
contestants.
Carl's racer has been stored at
O'Neil's Department Store along
with the cars of the other cham
pions. This afternoon when he
goes out to Derby Downs, where
the Derby has been held since 1896,
he'll find his white speedster tuned
up and ready for the trial spin re-
quired of each contestant.
From the way his homemade
coaster racer performs on the
smoothly paved track will rest his
hopes for the big race tomorrow.
Crowds in excess Of 100000 per-
sons usually line the sides of the
course for this annual amateur spec
tacle, and tomorrow's throng is ex-
pected to be as great.
Finals to be Broadcast.
Washingtonians. as we'll as Derby
fans in other sections of the coun-
try, will be able to hear a descrip-
ton Of the All-American finals and
the international race even if they
can't see it. The finals will be
broadcast by the Columbia Broad
casting System and the blue net
work of the National Broadcasting
Co. from S to $50 pm. Sunday.
After the race the program for
the boys will not be over until the
annual Derby banquet is held at
Akron's huge armory. There the
top winners will receive their prizes
and every youngster entered in the
race will receive an award.
Winners Of the first six places will
receive the big prizes, but, in addi-
tion each entrant will get a gold
wrist watch and an official drivers
certificate. Special awards include
the c. F. Kettering trophy for the
best designed car, Chevrolet trophies
for the best upholstered car and
the cars with the best designed
brakes and that which records the
fastest heat.
Every effort has been made to
provide the most fun for every boy
Officials have provided, too, for the
maximum of safety. A doctor and
nurse will be on call at the hotel
but past experience has showed
that their chief duties have been
to restrain the excessive enthusiasm
OF the healthy young champions.
Officials at the course have pro-
vided fencing along the 1,183-foot
course and skirt boards to protect
the young drivers if their cars &c
out OF control. At the bottom Of
the course an adequate runway il
provided to insure each driver plen.
ty OF space IN which to stop.