1940 Governor's Trophy (New Jersey)

Schrafft In Front In Jersey Regatta

Takes First and Second Places in His 225 on Lake Hopatcong and Scores 700 Points

FAVORED TO WIN FEATURE

Governor's Trophy Speed Boat Race to Be Staged Today—Storm Curtails Program

By Clarence E. Lovejoy

LAKE HOPATCONG, N. J., July 12 [1940]—Although a late afternoon rain squall, roaring down from the Kittatinny Mountains and bringing with it black clouds and choppy white-capped waves, halted the Lake Hopatcong speed boat regatta before the day's program was finished, the pit experts found it easy to establish George Schrafft as the favorite for the third annual Governor's Trophy feature.

One heat of this event was scheduled today and two more on the Sabbath, but Race Chairman Roy S. Foyle postponed further skirmishes with the weather just before the initial five-mile test because the lake was far too dangerous for frail racing hydroplanes. All three heats for the fifteen miles, therefore, will be fitted into tomorrow's schedule.

Schrafft, former Harvard student, with homes in Newton, Mass., and Westbury. L. I., came back into prominence today by leading the point-scoring in two heats of the 225 Class. Two years ago he was the national champion.

Clocked at 60.688 M.P.H.

In the first heat he was clocked at a speed of 60.688 miles an hour to lead home Francis E. Vintschger, Gibson Bradfield and Jack Cooper. An hour later in the second heats Bradfield, an Ohioan, tore across the starting line in his Bad News and managed to stay out in front until the end, with Schrafft, in his cream-and-red Chrissie IV, closing in to take the runner-up place.

This performance gave Schrafft a point score of 700 to 625 for Bradfield and 394 for Cooper, and if he keeps going in the third heat tomorrow the 225 honors should be his with ease. Inasmuch as the 225’s are the largest boats in the regatta, this gives Schrafft a commanding advantage in the Governor's Trophy event.

The up-and-coming 135-cubic-inch class pilots had an insult leveled at them this afternoon and couldn't do anything about it. In the first of their three heats the diminutive Top's Pup, a tiny 91 class craft driven by Cooper, was permitted to race with the larger boats, and Cooper held the lead from the start to win handily, his 60 horsepower actually giving wash to the 80 horsepower of the 135s. The second and third heats will be raced tomorrow.

World Record Disallowed

In the initial heat for racing runabouts today Tom Ehrhart of York, Pa., coaxed 46.784 miles an hour out of his Class D boat, Doris III, which would have been a world record except for an infraction of the rules. The old record is 36.671, made by Ray Heider at Washington last Fall. Referee Melvin Crook disqualified Ehrhart for zigzagging onto the course instead of starting behind the 500-foot buoy.

Early this morning, however, in special one-mile time trials Ehrhart's Doris III was clocked at 44.357 m.p.h. to supplant the straightaway mark of 44.117 made by Frank Alderman Jr. at Lake-land, Fla.

THE SUMMARIES

RACING RUNABOUTS

First Heat, Five Miles—Won by Lady Gen VI, David Gerli, Northport. N. Y. (Class K); second, Jim Jam, Bill Glazier, Philadelphia (Class A); third, Gooch, Dr. Martin Haman, Philadelphia (Class A) ; fourth, Dragon XV, Sam Crooks, Rumson, N. J. (Class B); fifth, Senori, Louis Burke, Philadelphia (Class A); sixth, Babe, H. Barclay Stevenson, Torresdale, Pa. (Class D); seventh, Imp, Jim Eckman, Baltimore (Class A).

(Doris III, Thomas Ehrhart, York, Pa., disqualified for cutting in at start.)

Winner's Time—5:49 4/5

Speed—50.028 m, p. h.

135-CUBIC-INCH HYDROPLANES

First Heat, Five Miles—Won by Top's Pup, Jack Cooper, Kansas City. Mo.; second, Eight Ball III, Henry Davis, Grandee, Del.; third, Cannonball, Frank Baker, Saranac Lake, N.Y.; fourth; Ali Baba, Norman Frey, Lancaster, Pa.: fifth, Gypsy Lass, John Hyde, Washington, D. C.; sixth. Ho Hum, Lou Eppel, Rutherford, N. J.

Time—6:07 4/5.

Speed—48.943 m. p. h.

225-CUBIC-INCH HYDROPLANES

First Heat, Five Miles—Won by Chrissie IV, George Schrafft, Newton, Mass.; second, Tortuga II, F. E. Vintschger, Morristown, N. J.; third, Bad News, Gibson Bradfield, Barnesville, Ohio; fourth, Tops III, Jack Cooper, Kansas City, Mo.; fifth. Meadowmere III, Frank Ripp, Rockville Center, L. L; sixth, Tempo, Guy Lombardo, Freeport. L. I.; seventh, Seabiscuit. Al Brinkman, Grand Island, N. Y.; eighth, Sally Ann Jr., Leston Cloak, New York City; ninth, Voodoo, Jack O'Mara, New York.

Second Heat—Won by Bad News; second, Chrissie IV; third, Tops III; fourth, Tortuga II; fifth, Tempo; sixth, Meadowmere III; seventh. Seabiscuit, eighth; Voodoo; ninth, Sally Ann Jr.

Time—5:00 4-5.

Speed—59.840 M. P. H.

91-CUBIC-INCH HYDROPLANES

First Heat, Five Miles—Won by Top's Pup, Jack Cooper. Kansas City, Mo.; second, Bombs, Charles Ruth Jr., Arlington, Va.; third, Rustle, Barney Russell, Long Branch, N. J.: fourth, Fury, Dr. R. E. Wolf. Ulrichsville. Ohio. (Tra-Mar, Tracy Johnson, Philadelphia, did not finish).

Time—7:06 2/5.

Speed—42.412 M. P. H.

Second Heat—Won by Top's Pup; second, Bombs; third, Fury; fourth, Rustle.

Time -7:24 2-5. Speed—40.412 M. P. M.

INBOARD RUNABOUTS
110 Horsepower

One Heat, Five Miles—Won by Sookie II, Al Holzo, Maplewood, N. J.; second, No-name, Donald Pezzoto, Irvington. N. J.

Time—9:00.

Speed—33.333 M. P. H.

UNLIMITED INBOARD RUNABOUTS

First Heat, Five Miles—Won by Minerva, Ralph Osmon, Lake Hopatcong. N. J.; second. Bobby Jo II, Charles Pulis, Lake Hopatcong; third. Noname, John Petterson, Lake Hopatcong; fourth, Gypsy III, Al Holzo, Maplewood N. J.

Time—7:28.

Speed—40.178 M. P. H.

(Reprinted from the New York Times, July 13, 1940)