1949 National Sweepstakes
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Cantrell Captures National Sweepstakes Speed-Boat Title with My Sweetie
Louisville Driver Sets Heat Record
Cantrell Pilots My Sweetie at 87.464 mph as He Wins the Sweepstakes Crown
Sarant Next With Etta Feature Winner Also Annexes Red Bank "Gold Cup"
By Clarence E. Lovejoy
Wild Bill Cantrell, right, of Louisville, Ky.. receives the Mexican trophy from Governor Alfred E. Driscoll of New Jersey, after winning the National Sweepstakes title for 1949 and the Red Bank Gold Cup race with "My Sweetie”, in the annual regatta on tha North Shrewsbury River at Red Bank. At left is Dr. Jose Lelo Larrea, Mexican Consul General in New York.
RED BANK, N.J., Aug 14— Skimming past some of the fastest boats in the country and even lapping them as if they were tied to mooring buoys, the amazing combination of Wild Bill Cantrell behind the steering wheel of My Sweetie captured the National Sweepstakes title for 1949 on a flat, fast, perfect North Shrewsbury River regatta course today.
This Louisville business man who, when he can’t find a speed boat to drive, spends his hobby time racing autos at Indianapolis and elsewhere, was sensational. In blanketing the final sweepstakes 10-mile heat he shot the heat record up to a dizzy 87.464 miles an hour to erase the 9-year-old speed mark of 76.14 m.p.h., set here in 1940 by Dan Arena in Notre Dame. On his third lap the timers gave him a speed of 89.108.
Today’s victory, added to the runner-up place he earned yesterday when he was penalized an extra 2½-mile lap, gave Cantrell 700 points to 625 for George Sarant of Freeport. L.I., who won yesterday’s fluky heat and finished third today in his Etta.
Third honors in the sweepstakes field of seven starters went to Harry Lynn of Lake Hopatcong, N.J., in Lahala. After flying over the finish, Lynn found his motor compartment on fire and had to steer sharply inside the racing oval while Coast Guard patrol craft converged from several directions to smother the blaze and prevent an explosion.
Eager for More Triumphs
Cantrell was still eager for more conquests as the afternoon wore on. The final event on the two-day program was the so-called Red Bank “Gold Cup,” a free-for-all that brought out from the pits fourteen assorted speed ships, from the super-powered expensive unlimiteds and Gold Cuppers down to the lowly Jersey sea skiffs. By now Governor Alfred E. Driscoll of New Jersey, Dr. Jose Lelo Larrea, Mexican Consul General in New York, and other dignitaries were among the 50,000 spectators: ashore and on anchored yachts.
Again it was Cantrell in My Sweetie who led from the start, tearing around ten miles at a speed of 82.08 m.p.m.
Few speedboat daredevils have matched the thrills that came both yesterday and again today to Sid Street of Kansas City, Mo. Hoisting a new world record for the 225-cubic-inch class on Saturday to 75.122 m.p.h. in his Z-Z-Zip, Street this afternoon found still more revolutions in his highly timed motor and was clocked at a new high of 76.524.
Later Street had a lucky break in the 135 Class final heat, coasting across the line when his motor conked near the finish to take second place, which, with his first heat triumph of yesterday, gave him the event on point score.
General Aids in Rescue
Maj. Gen. Francis H. Lanahan Jr., commanding near-by Fort Monmouth and chief signal officer for Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower in the ETO during World War II, played a part in a rescue today when AI Beard of St. Petersburg, Fla., capsized in his Class C inboard runabout Cyclone. Commodore Joseph C. Irwin of the sweepstakes committee was taking General Lanahan and a party of Britishers for a tour of the regatta course in an official launch when the accident occurred and all hands helped in hauling Beard on board and putting a line on his sinking craft.
Others in the group were Col. John J. Duvier of the British Military Mission to Washington and Col. Dean Drumman of the British Royal Signal School at Catterick, Yorkshire.
Les Trafton of St. Petersburg, Fla., made a record but will not receive official recognition for another world record in his Tornado. Although clocked at 56.998 m.p.h., which betters his own mark of 52.386 made at St Petersburg on April 24, 1948, this will not be accepted because fewer than the requisite four starters competed in this Class C inboard racing runabouts event.
THE SUMMARIES
CLASS B OUTBOARDS
First Heat, Five Miles
1. Les Buckman, Baldwin, L.I.; 2. Nick Alien Jr., Newport News, Va.; 3. Ben Jankowski, Glen Head, L.I.; 4. Joe Stager, Flushing, L.I.; 5. George Andrews, Jackson Heights, L.I.; 6. Joe Frins, Brooklyn. N.Y.; 7. Phil Smith, Fair Lawn, N.J.; 8. Frank Desmond, Bernardsville, N.J.: 9. Robert Sollday. Middlesex. N.J.: 10. Rudolph Reisert. Bronx; 11. Dick Bowers. Falls Church. Va. George Shevlin, Middle Village, L.I., and Vic Scott, Levittown, L.I.. did not finish.
Second Heat, Five Miles
1. Jankowski; 2. Stager; 3. Frins; 4 Scott; 5. Smith; 6. Bowers; 7. Reisert; S. George Shevlin, Middle Village, L.I., 9. Hans Behr, Sandy Hook, Conn. Time—6:05.0, Speed—59.315 m.p.h. Total point score—Jankowski, 625; Stager, 469; Buckman 00.
CLASS F OUTBOARDS
First Heat, Five Miles
1. Ben Jankowski; 2. Vic Scott; 3. Emil Mayer Jr., College Point, L.I.; 4. Henry Shakeshaft Jr., White Plains, N.Y.; 5. Harper Chance, Merchantsville, N.J.; 6. J.B. Broaddus, Fredericksburg, Va.; 7. Hershey W. Irwin. Boothwyn, Pa.; 8. Hudson Moses, Washington; 9. Ray shilling Jr.. Philadelphia. George E. Shevlin. Middle Village. L. I.. Byron C. Shannon. Audi bon. S. J. and Harry Dennis, Waverly. N. Y.. did not finish. Time—5:29.4. Speed— 54.579 m.p.h.
Second Heat, Five Miles
1. Shakeshaft; 2. Shannon; 3. Scott; 4. Joe Stager, Flushing; 5. Irwin; 6. Moses; 7. Chance; 8. Shilling; 9. Dennis; Time—5:13.1. Speed—52.448 m.p.h
Total point score—Shakeshaft, 569: Scott, 525: Jankowski, 400
225 CUBIC-INCH HYDROPLANES (DIV. I)
Second Heat, Five Miles
1. Z-Z-Zip, Sid Street, Kansas City, Mo.; 2. Barracuda, Lou Butler, Zanesville, Ohio; 3 Blitz II, John M. Bogie, Saranac Lake, N.Y.; 4. Sunshine Baby, Ray Gassner, St. Petersburg, Fla.; 5. Goo Goo II, P.J. Henn, Murphy, N.C.; 6. Lyndora, Bob Rowland, South Norfolk, Va. Blitz III, Robert A. Bogie, Saranac Lake, N.Y., did not finish. Time 3:55, Speed 76.524 m.p.h. Total point score—Street, 800; Butler, 525; Bogie, 525; Gassner, 296. Butler takes second place on faster elapsed time.
225 CUBIC-INCH HYDROPLANES. DIV. II
Second heat, five miles
1. Whizz, Sid Street, Kansas City, Mo.; 2 Skedaddle, J. D. Powell, Richmond, Va. Time—1:03.5, speed 73.9215 m.p.h.
Total point score—Powell. 700: Street. 400.
135 CUBIC-INCH HYDROPLANES
Second Heat, Five Miles
Skedoodle, Jerome Powell, Richmond, Va.; 2. Gee Whiz, Sid Street; 3. Shooting Star, C. Mulford Scull, Ventnor, N.J.; 4. Spot Cash, Al Sunshine, Freeport. L I. Shirl II, Clarence H. Collins, Norfolk, Va.; Bon Bon, Edward Fairbanks, Massapequa, L.I., Zip II, Curtis Martins, Hampton, Va. did not finish. Time—4;50.4. Speed—61.898 m.p.h.
Total point score—Street, 700; Powell, 625; Scull, 525.
NATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES
Second Heat, Ten Miles
My Sweetie, William E. Cantrell, Louisville, Ky.; La Ha La, Harry Lynn, Lake Hopatcong, N.J.; 3. Etta, George E. Sarant, Freeport. L.I.; 4. Sunshine Baby, Ray Gassner, St. Petersburg, Fla.; 5. Mercury, Oliver M. Elam Jr., Ashland, Ky.; 6. Spot Cash, Al Sunshine. Aljo, Joe Van Blerck, Freeport, L.I., did not finish. Time—6:31.3. Speed 87.464 m.p.h. Total point score: Cantrell, 700; Sarant, 625; Lynn 525
A B AND C INBOARD RUNABOUTS
First Heat, Five Miles
1. Tornado, Les Trafton, St. Petersburg, Fla.; 2. Baby Eagle, Edison Hedges, Atlantic City, N.J.: 3. Pixie, H Barclay Stevenson, Torresdale, Pa. T.M. Special, Edmund Thompson Jr., Dundalk, Md., did not finish. Cyclone, John A. Beard, St. Petersburg Fla. capsized. Time—3:15.4, Speed—56.998 m.p.h.
Second Heat, Five Miles
1. Trafton; 2. Stevenson; 3 Hedges. Time—8:23.3, Speed—0:35.742 m.p.h. (Stevenson, 15:54.4; Hedges, 15:55.5.) Total point score—Trafton, 800; Stevenson, 525; Hedges, 525.
7 LITRE CLASS
Second Heat, Five Miles
1. Alio, Joe Van Blerck, Jr., Freeport, L.I.; 2. Thunderbird, Harry BIrdsall, Jr., Hartsdale, N.Y.; 3. So-Long, Lou Fageol, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; 4. Dee-Jay IV, D. J Murphy, Merion, Pa.; 5. Mercury, Oliver M. Elam Jr., Ashland, Ky. Time—4:33.4, Speed—65.471 m.p.h.
Total point score—Fageol, 625: BIrdsall, 525; Elam. 427.
D AND E INBOARD RUNABOUTS
First Heat, Five Miles
1. Hell's Angel, Sherman Crichfield. St. Petersburg, Fla.; 2. Wild Oats, George Trlmper, Buffalo. N. Y.; 3. Cupcake, Charles Jefferson, Philadelphia. Time—5:00.3. Speed—0:56.496 m.p.h. Can Do, Julius E. Jensen, Freeport, L.I., did not finish.
Second Heat. Five Miles
1. Crichfield; 2. Trlmper; 3. Jefferson. Time—5:00.3, Speed—63.247 m.p.h.
Total point score—Crichfield, 800; Trlmper, 600; Jefferson, 450.
48 CUBIC-INCH CLASS
First Heat, Five Miles
Y Boats (hydroplanes): 1. Jack Van Deman, Philadelphia; 2. H. Starkey McKenney, Solomons, Md.
Z Boats Runabouts: 1. Sheila Boyd, St, Michaels, Md.; 2. Stanley H. Jones, St. Michaels, Md.; 3. Olive E. Cohee, St. Michaels, Md.; 4. Francis E. Vintschger, Morristown, N.J.; 5. Edward H. Boyd, St. Michaels. Md.; 6, Edward D. Campanella. Rumson. N.J.; 7. William Van Winkle, Little Silver, N.J.; 8. Walter Helmig, Cynwyd, Pa.; 9. Myrl D. Russ, Lynnhaven, Va.; 10. Joseph Rayman, Baltimore.
Y Boats: Time—7:01.1. Speed— 42.755 m.p.h. Z Boats: Tlme-7:49-2. Speed -38.347 m.p.h.
Second Heat Five Mlles
Y Boats: 1. Van Deman; 2, Jim Crudden, Philadelphia. McKenny did not finish.
Z Boats: 1. Cohee; 2. Jones; 3. Boyd; 4. Van Winkle; 5. Campanella; 6. Helmig; 7. Vintschger.
Y Boats: Time—7:23.0. Speed—40.178 m.p.h. Z Boats: Time—8:08.2. Speed—36.855 m.p.h.
Total Point Score—Y Boats: Van Deman, 800; Crudden, 300. Z Boats: Cohee 625; Jones 600; Boyd 400.
RED BANK GOLD CUP
One Heat, Ten Miles
1. My Sweetie, William E. Cantrell, Louisville; 2. Z-Z-Zlp, Sid Street, Kansas City; 3. Etta, George E, Sarant, Freeport, L.I.; 4. Tempo VI, Guy Lombardo, Freeport; 5, Aljo, Joe Van Blerck Jr., Freeport: 6. Blitz II, John M. Bogie, Saranac Lake, N.Y.; 7. Sunshine Baby, Ray Gassner, St. Petersburg, Fla. Bon Bon, Frank Dubeshter, Bayside, L.I.; Barracuda, Lou Butler, Zanesville, Ohio, La Ha La, Harry Lynn, Lake Hopatcong and So Long, L. J. Fageol, Cuyahoga Falls, did not finish. Time —7:18.3. Speed—82.080 m.p.h.
Total Point Score: Cantrell, 400; Street, 300; Sarant, 225.
--- New York Times, Aug 15, 1949