The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-31
BROOKLYN WINS OVER REDS. g.
Allen Hurls Bears To 60 Win Over Pirates
Past Casting Records Recalled
On Eve OF Clubs Tournament


The New Hanover Fishing clubs
annual casting tournament will be
held at the northern extension OF
Wrightsville Beach Sunday after
noon at 3 o'clock.
In connection with the tourney it
is interesting to compare past cast
ing performances with those of the
present.
The first Casting tournament in
this section was promoted by the
Topsail Inlet Fishing club and was
held at Wrightsville Beach in Au-
gust 1914 and the longest cast of
ESQ feet was made by T. G. Empie.
The following year the New Han
over Fishing club promoted the
tournament, the longest cast was
again made by Mr.. Empie, 245
feet. The tournament that year
took place in front of Lumina with
a strong cross wind blowing from
the east.
The following year there was a
great improvement in the casting,
four participants doing better han
285 feet, and T. G. Empie again
made the longest cast, 3O4 and 4
inches, being the first member OF
the Fishing Club and SO far as
known, the first person in this Sec
ton of the country to exceed 300
feet. This was excellent casting
as it was done with a standard
surf rod and reel. At that time
the worlds record was about $50
feet, so our casters were entitled
for several years following 1916,
to a very good rating nationally.
there were restrictions on the size
of line and type of equipment used.
AS an example, contestants were
prohibited from using free spool
reels, the reason being that reels
of this type were very costly and
few members of the club could
afford them. There was a great
falling off in interest and it was
only in 1886 that enthusiasm re-
vived. That year the tournament
was held at Kure's Beach a n d
was won by Pete Plakas, with a
cast of 275 feet. Pete was using
an Is line. In 1887 Calcutta cane
poles first came on the market in
this territory, and with their use d
revival in casting interests began.
In 1887, E. A. Jones was the first
to officially break the record es-
tablished by Empie, way back in
1916. He made a cast of 1874 feet
nine inches, using a 13-foot Cal
cutta cane pole, and No. 9 line. He
won the club championship with
an average of 312 feet for his six
best out of eight tries. Durina
the second round of casting a.. 50
we're westerly thunder squall can,
up and the tournament was aban-
doned before the round of ten
casts each had been completed.
Jones again broke the record in
1888, with a long cast of $50 feet,
2 inches, and won the club cham
pionship with an average of 355
feet, 6 inches for six best out of
ten tries. In this tournament Jones
also completed all ten of his casts
for an average of 322 feet, and this
is the only time in the history of
the club that a finalist has gotten
all ten casts within the lane. The
casting is done in a V shaped
lane, measuring 80 feet wide at
the starting line, and 1873 feet wide
at the 400 foot mark, with the
sides extending on at the same
angle. In the 1888 tournament any
cast over 200 feet within the side
lines was counted, but in the tourn-
ament for 1899, this distance was
increased to $50 feet. Any cast
short of this or outside of the lane
scoring zero. In the 80 tourna-
ment the old record of 800 feet
was broken five times. Harry Huff
ham, making the longest single
cast 400 feet five inches, which is
the present club record. The cham
pionship was won by George Cana
dy with an average distance Of
327 feet, for his six best out of ten
In the tournament to be held on
Sunday the minimum distance to
score has been increased 275 feet,
and the casters will be shooting
against the championship record
of Jones, which still stands at 355
feet, six inch average and the sin
gle cast record of Huffman, 400
feet, 5 inches. The club is putting
up a special prize of $500 worn
of equipment, if the longest single
cast exceeds 500 feet. The other
prizes will be as follows:
l. Club championship, best 6 out
of 10-$15.00.
2. Runner-up next best 6 out OF
10.-$10.0 90.
3. Longest single cast-$1O.O 90.
4. Next longest single cast.-7.50.
5. Next longest single cast.-$5.
8. Consistency, highest percent
age inside the lane.-$7.50.
7. First consolation.-$5.OO.
=. Second consolation.-$3.00.
-PrI7nc ~ 1o-,k. Z ----I---