1950 Star Spangled Banner Regatta
Guy Lombardo Takes Power-Boat Race Title
By Louis M. Hatter
Guy Lombardo’s Tempo VI won the feature event at the Maryland Yacht Club’s powerboat regatta yesterday, but only after Lady Luck had dealt adversely with all three boats in the scheduled two-race Gold Cup series at Spring Gardens.
In fact, misfortune plagued the contestants so persistently that none of the entries was able to complete the second heat. And Lombardo's victory in the opening 10-mile race was gained via a bad break that deprived a local driver of a well-deserved triumph.
Victim Of Motor Failure
Owen Cummings, of Dundalk, driving Ernie Chase’s smaller Pep VI, was victim of motor failure on ths final of six laps after he had built up a commanding lead over Lombardos huge Tempo VI, by dint of some daredevil driving on the sharp turns.
The orchestra leader, trailing by more than 500 yards in his 30-foot $100,000 craft, came on to win. He fought off a stirring homestretch bid by Danny Murphy’s Dee-Jay, from Merion, Pa., driven by Norman Lauterbach, of Ventnor, N.J.
Shortly afterward, the three powerful speedboats reappeared for the second six-lap heat.
Encounters Battery Trouble
First, it was Lauterbach, who never succeeded in getting the motor of the big. lumbering Dee-Jay to start. Battery trouble was blamed.
So Lombardo and Cummings roared over the starting line in clouds of spray. Entering the third lap, Lombardo’s Tempo VI, in the lead by 75 yards, suddenly conked out just after passing under Hanover Street bridge. Sea scouts towed him shoreward. Floating debris had broken off part of a propeller blade.
Cummings zoomed into the lead with Pep VI. He had managed to get her started again to finish third in the initial heat and now needed only to complete the course to take home the trophy.
Trouble Again Brewing
Soon, however, it was apparent that trouble again was brewing for the sleek, white runabout. As it passed the committee boat the third time around, there was little pep left in the motor of Pep VI. It sputtered like a string of Fourth of July firecrackers.
Next time around, Pep VI quit completely. Ignition trouble. After a five-minute rules allowance to get her restarted, the second heat was ruled no contest by Al Bauer, American Power Boat Association referee.
Lombardo’s Tempo VI, from Freeport, L I., was declared the trophy victor for winning the opening heat.
Actually, the spotlight was stolen by a driver from Manchester. N.H., making his first competitive appearance in waters of the Chesapeake.
Al Ouellette, at the wheel of a Division I craft named Miss New Hampshire, averaged 69.071 miles per hour, more than ten mph. faster than Tempo VI's winning time, to sweep the open race for 225-cubic-inch hydroplanes.
48-Cu-In. Runabouts
First Heat—Won by Yankee Boy, Bob McAllister, Ventnor, N.J ; second, Pluto, Elliott Wilson. Cambridge. MD . third, June Bug, Oscar Nelson. Jr . Cambridge. Md. Time—7.49.1; speed. 38-363 mph Second Heat—Won bv Yankee Boy second. June Bug; third. Pluto. Time— 7.32.3; speed. 39 270 m.p h.
Points—1. Yankee Boy (800): 2. Pluto (525); 3. June Bug (525). (Tie decided on best elapsed time.)
48-Cu-In. Hydroplanes
First Heat—Won by Jo-Jo III, Earl M. Hildebrand, Arlington. Va.; second, Jo-Jo II Tony Marglo, Harrisburg Pa third, Joy. Amato Tanael. Washington. Time—6 27.3; speed. 46.440 m.p h
Second Heat—Won by Jo-Jo II: second, Jo-Jo III, third. Joy. Time—6.47.2. speed. 44.183 mph
Points—1. Jo-Jo III (700): 2. Jo-Jo ll (700); 3. Joy (450). (Tie decided on best elapsed time )
C Racing Runabouts
First Hear—Won by Doodler, Harry Nichol. York. Pa. (Only finisher). Time: 9.15.2: speed: 32.409 mph.
Second Heat— Won by T M Specia!. Frank Thompson. Edgemere. Ma . second. Doodler. Time—9.11.2; speed. 32.656 mph.
Points—1, Doodler (700) T. M Special (400).
D Racing Runabouts
First Heat—Won by Sagana VllI, Frank Foulke, Essex, Md.; second, My Boy Woody, Elwood Prescott, Cambridge, Md.; third, Char-Pat. Frank Dickinger. Philadelphia. Time—5 56.3. Speed—50.477 mph
Second Heat—Won by Sagana VIII; second. Char-Pat. (Only finishers) Time — 6.42.3. Speed—44.732 mph
Points—First. Sagana VIII (800), second, Char-Pat (525); My Boy Woody (300). -
E Racing Runabouts
First Heat—Won by Hell's Angel, Sherman Critchfield, St. Petersburg, Fla; second, Wee Tommy Tucker, Ed Aleksandrowicz. Edgemere. Md; third, Linky. Harry Link. Baltimore, Time—5 34.4. Speed — 53.763 mph
Second Heat—Won by Wee Tommy Tucker. second. Linky. third. Honker. Key Wallace. Cambridge. Md. Time—5.46 2 Speed — 51 993 mph
Points—First. Wee Tommy Tucker (700i; second. Linky (525*. third. Hell's Angel (400).
B Service Runabouts
First Heat—Won by Honey, Walter Cervenka, Baltimore; second, Topper, Walter Loller, Chestertown. Md. (Only starters) Time—10 03 Speed—29.850 m p.h.
Second Heat—Won by Honey, second. Topper (Only starters.) Time—10.12.3, Speed—29.383 mph
Points—First. Honey (800*. second. Topper (600)
C Service Runabouts
First Heat—Won by Kitty B III. Rodney Brogden. Newport News. Va; second, Skip. Harry M Bickford. Hampton. Va. (Only starters.) Time — 8 412. Speed — 34 523 mph Second Heat—Won by Kitty B III second. Skip (Only starters.) Time—8 42. Speed— 34.482 mph
Points—First. Kitty B III (800*. second. Skip (600)
Gold Cup (Ten Mlles. Six Laps)
First Heat—Won by Tempo VI Guy Lombardo, Freeport, L.I.; second. Dee-Jay V. Norman Lauterbach, Ventnor. N.J; Pep VI, Owen Cummings. Dundalk Md. Time—10 14 1. Speed—58 614 m p.h Second Heat—No boats finished Points—First. Tempo (400): second. Dee Jay V (300*: third. Pep VI (225).
225-Cu.-In. Hydroplanes (Open)
First Heat—Won bv Miss New Hampshire, Al Oulette, Manchester, N H; second, Skedaddle, Jerry Powell, Richmond Va.; third. You-All. Bob Rowland. Norfolk. Va Time—4.24 1. Speed—68.129 mph.
Second Heat—Won by Miss Ne\w Hampshire; second. Copperhead, Earl A Widenhouse, Concord. N.C.; third, You-Ali. Time—4.20.3. Speed—69.071 m.p h.
Points—First. Miss New Hampshire (800); second. Copperhead (469). third Skedaddle (469). (Tie decided on by elapsed time.)
--- August 28, 1950