The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-07-11

story Of two guys who helped make
| the july Fourth and July Fifth OUT
board motor boat races at Mara
| thon i memorable success. There
are others, including the contest
ants, who did niue iltO aid Ameri-
can Legion Post Isl in presenting
thorough, crowd pleasing July
Fourth Weekend Festival. However,
Paul Herrick Of the Key West Out.
board Club, and Chef Tingler. Com.
Imod0re az the Marathon Yacht Club
/ which sponsored Saturdays races.
and Trophy Chairman Of the Lee
gion Post, prepared and spanked
the successful activities.
Despite his wifess illness, Tingler
dashed about making Marathon
preparations, selecting trophies and
tying in all the loose ends at meet
Iings at Key West. A nationally
famous cupboard racer, Tingler
climaxed his activities BY stellar
performances every time he took
to the wafer in his speedy craft.
Saturdays Key West to Marathon
50 mile ocean going outhoard rae
es, are considered to be the first
and only ones Of their type in out
board racing history. Five Mara
thon and IL Key West Outboard
Club entrants made the epochal
| dash to fame. Fortunately the wea-
ther was ideal and the sea calm.
OF the II starters at the Key West
OutbCard Club Dock area, Is ar
rives at the finish line, offsh0re in
the Marathon Chamber Of Com
merce Gulf waters.
Paul Herrick reports . record
crowd of spectators was on hand
at the Key West OutboaTd Docks
to see the contestants off. Many Of
the spectators had never been
seen at cupboard races IN Key West
before, and Herrick learned that
they had turned out as q result of
the preceding days story about the
races they had read in the Key
West Citizen. Similarly, at Mara.
thon, an unprecedented crowd
cheered the racing crews in to
shore and willing hands were plen-
tiful to help the racers haul their
boats onto the beach.
Tall, rangy, soft spoken, Paul
Herrick Is Race Committee Chair
man for the Key West Cupboard
Club. His was case on Saturday,
Of practically having to be in two
places at one time. Arranging for
preliminaries and serving as Start
er Of the four racing classes at
Key West was part of the job.
PauI's gun started the Class B
contestants at 2 p. M. Class G and
D.I at 2:O5, and the Unlimited
Class at 30 p. m. Then, pressed
for time to the extent that he
/ couldn't stop for his wife and
/ family. Herrick covered the 50
miles on the Overseas Highway,
from Key West to Marathon, in
/ obviously record time. He checked
the buoys and yellow markers des-
| ignating the finish line at Cham
Der Of Commerce Beach area and
set up shop as official Timer and
Judge of the races. His stock in
trade here was a stop watch, .
pencil and d large Cupboard with
sheafs Of paper attached.
There was familiar note In
Paul's manner Of handling the clip
board, and the way he went about
the business Of recording names,
Tipping sheets Of paper over the
board, and the mere handling Of
what reminded us Of an army ros-
| ter. Sure enough, It developed that
Paul had only recently been re-
LEASED from active army duty. He
was called back into the Army IN
1851, after World War II service In
the Navy. In the Army, with an
Anti Aircraft outfit, he had serv-
ed as q LIST Sergeant. His most re-
| cent training was most evident In
the stacato way with which he
/ rattled off the names Of the con.
testants who manned the boats and
their crew members, as they ar
i rived.
Looking at Paul, most recent
| 1st Sergeant, got US TO thinking
how the Army has gained in sta.
ture since our first introduction to
an Army Ist Sergeant, back in the
IPre-peari Harbor days OF March,
1871. It's q far cry from wobbly
four foot six inches tall Sgt. Ram.
sey Of the 9th Engineers 70 SIX
foot. plus, Paul Herrick. Our LIST
Sergeant Id those days also carried
that symbolic orninous weapon. 2
Cupboard with q duty roster az.
tached. The only difference then
was that he pronounced il duty
rooster. Z Which was highIighted By
/ the day We hustled out Of our bar
racks for fire drill formation. !.
and the grating voice Of Ramsey
doomed out Of his short frame
| with. !. Hey, Pooch, dat dere
adistinguisher, amt supposed TO-
! be used for fires. If says on the
front. for ''incinderaries" only. "
.Pooch. I as Ramsey misprO-