1950 Calvert Trophy
My Darling Wins Calvert Trophy
Mercury Is Nipped at Finish By Boat’s Length on Ohio
By Larry Boeck
The hairpin turns of the Calvert Trophy Course helped make for a hairsbreadth finish yesterday, with My Darling a scant boat-length victor over the Mercury.
Behind once by almost a half-lap in the 10-mile feature of the Ohio River Regatta, Andy Marcy applied a heavy foot in the stretch. His rocket-like drive of around 100 miles-per-hour down the straightaway stole almost certain victory and the handsome Calvert Trophy from Oliver Elam.
My Darling, sister-ship to My Sweetie, last year’s Calvert Trophy winner, appeared to be out of it after the second two and one-half mile lap. Powered by a P-38 airplane engine, the big Springfield, Ill., craft had trouble negotiating the steep turns. That, coupled with a poor start, gave the speedy and more maneuverable Mercury, a seven-litre class boat from Ashland, Ky., a substantial lead.
Mercury Seems Cinch
The two other entries in the four-boat race—Al Brinkman’s Seabiscuit and Bob Smith's Little Colonel—conked out in the first lap.
So that left it to My Darling and Mercury. Actually, there didn't seem to be much of a choice, with Elam zooming the smaller Mercury to what seemed to be a cinch-winning lead in the second lap.
The heavy My Darling had speed in the straightaway. But it lost ground around the difficult turns, and once almost hit the Kentucky bank. Marcy skillfully got it out of that and quenched a small fire.
My Darling began to make up ground—or water, if you prefer— late in the third lap. And, with Marcy now gambling on those turns, My Darling began to challenge in the fourth lap.
Around the final turn of the four-lap race, My Darling went within striking distance of the Mercury. Down the final straightaway, Marcy had her wide-open in the thrilling finish. He slipped past the Mercury just yards from the finish and won by a boat's length.
Reward For 4,000
It was a thrilling finish, and an exciting reward for the rain-haunted crowds strung along the Indiana and Kentucky shores near Arctic Springs Park and Pastime Boat Club. Some 4,000 all told, according to Commodore Jimmy Noonan of the sponsoring Fall Cities Motor Boat Racing Association, saw the regatta despite poor weather.
Rain fell before the regatta, and gloomy, threatening skies hung low over the river all afternoon. Occassionally, the sun broke through, but it drizzled several times, too.
The Calvert trophy run just got under the wire before a heavy downpour.
Street Is Victor
Sid Street, the driving demon from Kansas City, Mo., took honors with his Gee-Whizz in the 135-cubic inch class. But Al Brinkman of Buffalo, had tough luck with Seabiscuit, formerly Street’s record-breaking Z-Z-Zip. Mechanical trouble ailed her in the 225-Division I spins and forced her out of the big race.
Smith Drives Winner
Bob Smith of Louisville, who showed himself to be one of the city’s top drivers, took the 225-Division I race with his fast Little Colonel. He won two heats handily and was forced out of a third by mechanical failure.
Division II winner was Stormy Weather, owned by Glenn Parrish, Covington, Ky.
It was a well run regatta, packed with top boats and it clicked along its schedule with precision. The association did a splendid job.
The Results
Calvert Trophy
1. My Darling, Andy Marcy of Springfield. Ill.;
2. Mercury Oliver Elam of Ashland, Ky
* * *
135 cublc Inch
First heat:
1. Gee Whizz, Sid Street. Kansas City. Mo (69.124 MPH ):
2. Miami Boy, Bob Lueckenhoff. Detroit;
3. Texan, Fred Steed, Tyler Texas.
Second heat:
1. Miami Boy (68.441 M.P.H );
2. Gee Whizz;
3. Skid-Do-Zit, John Cramer, Dayton Ohio
Third heat:
1 Gee-Whizz (64.470 M.P.H.).
2. Miami Boy:
3. Texan.
Race Winner—Gee-Whizz; Miami Boy 2d. Texan
* * *
Division I—225—First heat:
1. Little Coionel, Bob Smith, Louisville (75.85 M.P.H.);
2. Wild Goose, Phil Rothenbusch, Cincinnati;
3. Gandy, Doug Brockman. Cincinnati.
Second heat:
1. Wild Goose (71 56 M.P.H.);
2. Seabiscuit, driven by Sid Street, owned by Al Brinkman, of Buffalo. N. Y.;
3. Gandy,
Third heat.
1. Little Colonel (74.751 M.P.H.:)
2. Seabiscuit, driven by Brinkman:
3. Gandy, Race
Winner—Wild Goose; Little Colonel, second; Gandy third.
* * *
Division II—225
First heat:
1. Stormy Weather (65.88 M.PH.) Glenn Parrish, Covington. Ky.:
2. Miss Delhi Hills, Don Campbell, Cincinnati;
3. Geronimo, Bill Hill, Madison. Ind
Second heat;
1. Stormy Weather (61.643 M.P.H.);
2. Stinger, Ray Smith, St. Louis;
3. Geronimo, Marion Cooper driving.
Third heat:
1. Stinger (65 886 M.P.H.):
2. Miss Delhi Hills:
3. Rig-A-Mortis. Mac Wiefering
Race Winner—Stormy Weather; Miss Delhi Hills, second; Stinger, third.
* * *
Class B Service Runabouts—Winner: Tom Madox, Louisville.
Free-For-All Service Runabouts, outboards—Winner: Maddox.
Inboard Service Runabouts—Winner: B C. Gerber,
Free-For-All Inboards—Winner: Davy Jones.
--- September 11, 1950