1947 Red Bank Gold Cup
15th Sweepstakes Regatta Draws Outstanding Entries
(Press Teletype)
Red Bank. — Speed records established by sturdy pre-war power boats will, weather permitting, fall like ten pins next weekend with running of the 15th annual National Sweepstakes Regatta on the Navesink River, Regatta Commodore Joseph C. Irwin predicted last night.
Red Banks' famed two and a half mile land locked course, ideal for hydroplanes and small motor craft alike, will be in perfect condition for the two day meeting, Mr. Irwin reported. Crowds surpassing previous audiences and perhaps totaling 60,000 for both days, are expected.
Greater pre-race interest has been shown this year than any other Mr. Irwin said. He listed a number of the metropolitan racing experts and photographers who have made reservations to be on hand for what is hoped to be a revival of the Gold Cup battle held last week off Long Island, in the three heat 45 mile National Sweepstakes.
Guy Lombardo has assured officials his defending champion Tempo VI will be here if repairs to its motor which failed in the Gold Cup fight can be made. Danny Foster is expected to bring his Gold Cup winner Miss Peps V and Dan Arena, his Notre Dame.
Albin Fallon, owner of the Miss Great Lakes, Howard Hughes' Dukie, and Henry Slocum's Trudy, the former Hotsy Totsy, winner of the first Sweepstakes, are also listed as starters.
Lou Fageol has entered his So Long and So Long, Jr., both Gold Cup boats, tho neither took part in this year's championship run. Jack "Pop" Cooper will have Pop Tops Speedliner and Jack Wood is expected to run his Miss Detroiter.
Altho main interest will be centered on the Sweepstakes and on the one heat 10 mile free-for-all, the Red Bank Gold Cup, open to all inboards as the concluding feature. Mr. Irwin pointed out that behind the controls of the high-geared hydroplanes and at the wheel of the inboards a predominantly younger class of racers will be found.
New equipment and new men will feature the regatta, he said, and in them, in their quest for greater speed, hopes for new records hinge.
Guest of the regatta committee will be Ed and Pegeen Fitzgerald, radio breakfasters, who will do their Sunday broadcast from the Molly Pitcher hotel. Mayor Charles R. English has named a list of honorary judges which includes all of the state's ranking Republicans commanders of the county's military installations, and a group of Mexican dignitaries, and Msgr. Joseph T. Casey, a former navy chaplin of both wars.
Mexican General Manuel Avila Comacho, and Col. Jose Garcia Valseca have again this year offered good will trophies. Their interest has been skilled by Vice Commodore Alfred Lipman.
Sunday morning's program will be devoted to sailing races sponsored by the Monmouth Boat Club. More than 100 lightnings, comets and sneak boxes from Central Jersey have entered, Alonzo S. Mac Veagh, chairman, reported.
Replacing the annual race ball at the Molly Pitcher Saturday night will be the Sweepstakes Shipwreck dance, under auspices of the Monmouth Boat club auxiliary. Mrs. Marjory Moore Brooks is chairman.
(Reprinted from the Asbury Park Press, August 17, 1947)