1906 Larchmont Gold Cup

Bitbat Won Gold Cup Race

Aero Was Lost In the Darkness and the Committee Stranded

A. Jackson Stone's Bitbat of the Larchmont Yacht Club won the first race for the Autoboat Gold Challenge Cup on the Sound yesterday. S. Y. Beech's Aero was the only competitor pitted against her, and she was lost in the shuffle.

There were six competitors to start, as originally planned. The two challengers for the cup were E. J. Schroeder's Dixie and George Gillig's XPDNC. Subsequent entries brought in Bernard M. Baruch's Skedaddle and C. C. Wheeler's Buddie II, and the two boats that eventually did start. Skedaddle came in as the result of a much talked of match with Dixie for $10,000 a side, that dwindled down to a side bet of a dinner for twenty persons.

After considerable talk Mr. Schroeder declared that he was not very keen about the match with Skedaddle and Mr. baruch promptly announced that if he felt that way there would be no race. XPDNC withdrew, and the Regatta Committee was doubtful if there would be any competitors at all. The race was scheduled for 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon and there were no boats there, but two finally appeared later, and at 4:30 they were started away.

With a thirty mile course to cover to Eaton's Neck and return there was small chance of finishing by daylight and the speed of the boats proved there was none. Bitbat, steered by Louis J. Spence, did finish but Aero was lost in the dark. The Regatta Committee after various vicissitudes finally reached home after midnight.

(Transcribed from the New York Times, Oct. 13, 1906. )

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page. — LF]