1934 National Sweepstakes - Single Engine Class
Speedboat Racers Vie for National Title
Dover and Baltimore Crafts Settle Issue Today; Mishaps Mar Meet
Baltimore, Md., Aug. 11 [1934] — The National Sweepstakes trophy, American speedboat classic prize, hangs in the balance tonight, as two boats fought their way into a deadlock in the first two heats of the race, featuring the second day’s events of the Maryland Yacht Club’s tercentenary [of the settling of Maryland] regatta and silver jubilee [of the founding of the Maryland Yacht Club], today.
They are the Betty V, New Jersey racer, radically constructed 29-foot one-step hydroplane, and Pep III, John Bramble’s fast Baltimore craft.
The feud will reach a climax tomorrow when the third and final heat will be held as the closing day’s feature. Races on the closing day’s program start tomorrow morning, and continue all day.
Albert Schwarzler’s Riptide, New York hydroplane, moved a notch closer to the National championship in the 225 cubic inch hydroplane class in today’s second heat although that event was won by Emancipator II, fast hydroplane from Atlantic city, belonging to S. Mortimer Auerbach, of Atlantic city.
Several Upsets
Upsets, thrills and mishaps of every type marked the second day’s racing today, as two more speed boats upset several outboard drivers joined the "hell-divers" and a series of sensations marked the racing.
Betty V was driven by Melvin Crooks, of Montclair, N.J. and is modeled along the lines of Miss England III. She ran beautifully today in the first heat of the National sweepstakes, to come from behind on the last quarter mile to win the first heat. She was built and designed by Walter Buskee, of Dover, N.J., and is powered with a big Packard 12-cylinder motor.
She was on her way to a conquest in the second heat, holding a fair lead, when she broke down on the second lap of the 15-mile battle, Pep III racing by and covering laps, while Crooks coaxed her around the rest of the 15 mile heat to finish.
At the end of the day Betty V is deadlocked with Pep III at 700 points, each having won one heat and finished second in the other.
Auerbach’s conquest in the national hydroplane championship race for the 225 cubic inch class was unexpected but he has only an outside chance to win the crown against the New York craft Riptide.
However, the victory is a plume in the cap of the Atlantic City sportsman, S. Mortimer Auerbach, who had the wheel of the Emancipator II in the race. The craft recently had alterations made to her stern to make her eligible for the 225 cubic inch class.
Emancipator III Upsets
Just preceding the championship race Auerbach had the wheel of his new boat Emancipator III, which recently won the national championship in the 125 cubic inch class. While holding a fair lead in that event the craft suddenly upset after hitting a log, throwing Auerbach and his mechanic, Al Ludwig, into the churned upwaters of the Patapsco River.
It was wonderful to see him come back in the next race at the wheel of his other boat, Emancipator II, and drive it to a victory.
However, Auerbach stands third on points for the crown, Riptide having a big lead as the result of yesterday’s opening head victory with 700 points, against 525 for Dr. Cecil H. Bagley’s Wilmer III, of Baltimore, standing second. Emancipator II had 400 points, not having started in the first heat yesterday.
As a result of Emancipator’s upset, the 125 hydroplane laurels went to the Guppy, owned by Roy H. Dale, of Washington, which was running second to Auerbach, and won the second heat when the Atlantic City craft swamped.
A thrilling rescue was tagged right under the stern of the cutter Apache, big committee boat, when the runabout Miss Long Point, of Baltimore, driven by Walter Hasslinger, with Miss Laura Sheehan as mechanic, upset near the finish of the Class E-F-G race, and boats rushed from all directions to help the struggling pair from the water.
Miss Codd’s Leg Cut
Miss Maryland Codd, 19 years old, of Towson, Md., outboard driver, suffered a badly cut leg when her outboard Dixie Kid upset this morning on substituted Spring Garden course, and she was brought ashore on a stretcher. She was rushed to a hospital, passing the yacht club just as Mayor Howard
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C. Mulford Scull, of Ventnor won first money in Class C outboards on time, with his outboard Shooting Star V, when he arrived too late for the Class A race. The outboard races were all shifted up to the Spring Garden course where smoother water conditions prevailed. Scull just nose out Fred Jacoby, of North Bergen, NJ, for the money.
C.H. Chart Johnson, of Cranberry Lake, NJ, winner of the Albany to New York marathon, was winner in the Class C amateurs on points beating out Joel Thorne. Points given, Johnson took the first heat and Thorn, the second.
Molly Tyson Loses
Ray Bowers, of Seabright NJ, won the midget race from Miss Molly Tyson of Philadelphia and youthful Byron Shannon of Audubon, in a close battle.
Bob Myer, of Chicago, won the Class A first money, and Henry Shakeshaft, of White Plains NY, the first in the amateurs for A.
Joe Don, of Wilmington, driven by Joe Monigle won the runabouts in Clas A-B-C-D under a combined score of 800 points. Blue Pigeon, of Baltimore, driven by Richard
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National Sweepstakes Trophy Race
National Sweepstakes trophy race, first heat 15 miles—Won by Betty V., Melvin Crooks, Montclair, N.J.; second, Pep III, John Bramble, Baltimore; third, Arctic Tern, Ernie Chase, Baltimore. Time, 15:46:3/5, second time, 15:45.
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National Championships 225 Cubic Inch Hydroplane Class
National Championships 225 cubic inch hydroplane class, second heat 10 miles—Won by Emancipator II, Gene Apel, Atlantic City; second Riptide, A.J. Schwarzler of New York; third, Wilmer III, Dr. Cecil B. Barier, Baltimore. Time, 14:25 2/5, second time,13:20 2/5; third, 13:33 4/5.
(Excerpt reprinted from ?, 1934)