1946 Biscayne Bay Regatta
Biscayne Bay Regatta Set For March 2-3-4
Officials Are Selected; Lombardo To Compete
By Herb Kelly, Sr. (Miami Daily News Boating Editor)
Dates, officials and other details of the world-famed Biscayne bay regatta were announced today by Capt. Ted Houser, chairman of region 5 of the American Power Boat association.
Charles F. Chapman of New York, editor of Motor Boating and pioneer in speedboat racing, again will be honorary chairman and has made reservations to be here to preside at the three-day regatta, March 2, 3 and 4.
General chairman will be Bill McCarty of the Junior Chamber of Commerce which will sponsor the race again this year. Capt. Houser, who has been identified with this event for 33 years, will be chairman of the race committee and Dan Conroy, secretary.
Other officials follow:
Timers -- Lynn S. Nichols and Rene Andre
Referee -- Chapman
Measures committee -- J. Frank Knorr, chairman
Starters -- Hal Mitchell, flag; Lynn S. Nichols, gunner
Official inspector -- Charles Orr
Fire prevention -- Chief Henry Chase
Grounds committee -- Boy Scouts
Scorers -- Roy B. Wolfe, chairman
Prize committee -- Dorothy Riggers, Forest E. Johnson
Hospital boat -- Capt. Roy Compton
Course patrol -- Coast Guard
Entries committee -- Henry Pohl, chairman; Knorr, diaries Gafflin, Johnson, P. D. Daniel, Jack Pugh and Red Crisse
Course and buoys -- E. K. Sharlow, chairman; CoL George E. Brown.
Surveyor -- Ray Williams
Close to 100 drivers, many of them famed speeders, will be in Miami for this event, considered the greatest speedboat regatta in the country. Guy Lombardo noted orchestra leader who plays those dreamy tunes, will be here and in no mood for slow time. Lombardo and his wife will fly to Palm Beach Feb. 22 for the races there. Mrs. Lombardo will continue to Miami where reservations have been made at the President Madison hotel, Miami Beach. Guy will return by plane to New York for his radio program and then fly back to Miami Friday, March 1.
Tempo To Be Shipped
His speedboat Tempo VI will be shipped down here earlier and he will take part in the 225-cubic inch inboard races Sunday, March 3, and probably the mile runs on Monday, March 4.
Joe Van Blerck of Canton, Ohio, in AlJo -- the former Viper, Tommy Chatfield's boat -- will take part in the races, as will Pop Cooper, the oldtimer from Kansas City in Tops.
Bill Bourne of New York also has informed Houser that he will enter.
Drivers from New York, Chicago, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland and Pennsylvania have sent word that they will send their boats down for the regatta and the Florida grapefruit boat-racing circuit.
In addition, Miami will furnish such drivers as Buddy Galatis, Al Coffey, Forest Johnson, Harry Santana, Ted Ganyard, Wild Bill Carmichael, D. C. Kiesacker and other well-known inboard and outboard enthusiasts.
The Biscayne Bay regatta is the oldest event of its kind in the world, having been started here 33 years ago. It was held continuously until 1942 when the war intervened, but American Power Boat association officials ruled that its continuity could continue. Most of the officials of this year's regatta have been identified with this event for from 10 to 18 years.
Jacksonville First Event Florida's power boat racing season starts at Jacksonville Feb. 16-17; then comes Palm Beach, Feb. 22-23, with the sailing regatta Feb. 24. Following the Miami races, the drivers will move on to St. Petersburg for events March 9-10; Lakeland, March 16-17, and Tampa, March 22-23.
(The Miami News, Fri. February 1, 1946)