1956 Mapes Mile-High Gold Cup
Shanty I Triumphs In Speedboat Race
Chambers Lodge, July 7 (UP)—Shanty I won the 4th annual Mapes Gold Cup race for unlimited hydroplanes today on Lake Tahoe—but only because Edgar Kaiser’s favored Scooter Too threw a prop in the last heat.
Shanty I, owned by W. T. Waggoner of Phoenix and piloted by Lt. Col. Russ Schleeh of Castle AFB, was running second to Scooter Too in the third and deciding heat when the latter suddenly stopped dead in the water.
Kaiser's second entry, Hawaii Kai III, finished third as Scooter Too had to be towed into the dock.
Scooter Too Impresses
Scooter Too, with Jack Regas of Livermore at the controls, won two of the three heats impressively. It clocked the best speed‘of the day, 84.231 m.p.h. But disaster struck on the final lap of the last heat. The boat’s propeller snapped off the shaft and ripped through the stern planking.
Scooter Too had only to finish the heat to win the trophy on a point basis.
- 225 Cu. In. Hydroplane — Flying Saucer, Richard Hallett, Downey. Cal.
- 135 Cu. In. Hydroplane—Skippy, John Corea, Dos Palos, Cal.
- 136 Cu. In. Hydroplane—Jerky, Bob Boehm, Healdsburg, Cal.
- 48 Cu. In. Hydroplane — Fat Pants III, Vernon Dallman, Daly City, Cal. *
- Ladies Race—Skippy, Betty Galante, Visalia.
- E Racing Runabout — Bouncy Barby III, Ed Brown, Sacramento, Cal.
- B Racing Runabout—Li’l Bee, Ernie Rose, Patterson, Cal.
- Crackerbox — Crazzy, Howard Smith, Long Beach.
--- July 8, 1956
Shanty I Takes Fourth Mapes Gold Cup Boat Race
Winner of the fourth annual Mapes Gold Cup races in the mile-high regatta at Chambers Lodge, Lake Tahoe Saturday afternoon was “Shanty I,” an unlimited hydroplane owned by William T. Waggoner of Phoenix, Ariz. and driven by Lt. Col. Russ Schleeh, stationed at Castle Air Force base near Merced, Calif.
The craft amassed 925 points in three heats to take the race with the fastest heat time of 81.081 mph.
A heartbreaker in the race occurred in the back stretch of the fourth lap of the final heat among the hydroplanes when Edgar Kaiser’s “Scooter Too,” driven by Jack Regas of Livermore, Calif., which had taken two first places in the first two heats, ran into trouble with a split propeller blade, which sheared the underside of the craft, stopping her immediately and throwing her out of action. Although she began to take water, she did not sink, and was hurriedly towed in after the two other contestants finished the last lap and a half of the five-lap. 15-mile course. “Scooter Too” ended third with 800 points.
Lt. Col. Schleeh after the race said. “I am sure sorry we won the race the way we did. but we are happy to be victorious.” Second place in the unlimited division was taken by another Kaiser craft, “Hawaii Kai III” with 825 points and the fastest heat time 81.855 mph. The driver was Howard Gidovlenko of Base La Mirada. Calif.
Points Win Race
Winning the race in this type of sport depends upon a pre-arranged point system which allows 400 points for first place, 300 for second and 225 for third. The winner. “Shanty I” gained third place in the first heat, second place in the second heat and won the third heat. “Hawaii Kai” was second in the first heat, third in the second heat and second in the third heat. “Scooter Too,” which placed first in the first two heats, was leading in the third at the time of the accident and amassed 800 points in only two heats with the fastest time of 84.231.
"Breathless" Out
Another unlimited hydroplane. “Breathless,” owned by J. Philip Murphy and driven by his 19-year-old son, Roger, dropped out of action in the second lap of the first heat when Murphy suddenly cut his ignition and the craft came to a dead halt. It had been second in the race up to that time.
“Hawaii Kai III” was renamed shortly before Saturday’s race, and formerly was known as “Hawaiian Village.”
Next big hydroplane feature will be at “Seafair” in Seattle during the first, week in August. Waggoner announced he will enter “Shanty I” and “Maverick” in the unlimited class. “Maverick” formerly was named “Rebel, Suh.”
Only one injury was reported at the mile-high regatta Saturday. Woody Eldrege of Merced, Calif., was injured in the second heat of the “B” racing runabout class when his “Slide Rule” flipped on a turn. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was found to be suffering from a wrenched back. His craft still placed second in class with 400 points and a fast heat time of 47.282 mph.
Entertainment was provided for boating fans by George Gobel, Hollywood comedian appearing at Cal-Neva and Dave Barry, entertainer currently appearing in Reno. Also on hand was John Derek, screen actor, who was acting commander of the U. S. Coast Guard unit supervising the event.
Mapes Gold Cup (unlimited hydroplanes—Won by Shanty I, owner William T. Waggoner, Phoenix. Ariz.; driver Lt. Col. Russ Schleeh, Castle AFB: 2nd. Hawaii Kai III, owner Edgar Kaiser, Oakland; driver Howard Gidovlenko, La Mirada; 3rd, Scooter Too, owner Edgar Kaiser, Oakland; driver Jack Regas, Livermore.
“B” racing runabouts—Won by Li’l Bee, Ernie Rose, Patterson, Calif.; 2. Slide Rule. Woody Eldredge, Merced; 3. Queen Bee, Dick Overpark, San Leandro; 4. B Bop, George Keene; 5. Pogo, Duane Easton, Lakewood; 6. Buzz Bomb, James Littleton, Northridge: 7. Ruff Stuff, Robert Wacker, Avenal.
“E” racing runabouts — Won by Bouncy Barby II, Ed Brown, Sacramento; 2. Honey-B-Too, Ed Fletchall, La Mirada; 3. E-Bomb, Joe Evich, Oroville.
Crackerboxes—Won by Crazzy, Howard Smith, Long Beach; 2. Wild Oats, Earl John, Bakersfield; 3. Later, Dick Jensen, Oakland; 4. Running Wild, Jack Wells, North Hollywood; 5. Vixen, Ed DeGear, San Francisco; 6. At Last, Terry Frampton, Oakland; 7. Shifless, L. T. McLean, Arcadia; 8. Hot Ice, Carl Maginn, Glendale; 9. Barbara Lynne, Bob Pearce, Pinole.
136 cubic Inch hydroplanes—Won by Jerky, Bob Boehm, Healdburg; 2 White Heat, Stanley Jouanne, San Francisco; 3. Scrappy, Eddie Silva, Hayward; 4. Scatterbrain, Tom Gentry, Berkeley; 5. Sweet Cider, George Kikuchi, Sebastopol; 6. Misty, William Phelps, Long Beach; 7. My Sin, Lloyd DeLozier, San Diego; 8. This-A-Way, Chuck Hickllng, Bellevue. Wash.; 9. Nonchalant, Allan Ford, Oakland; 10. Imwidu, Clark Akin, Bakersfield; 11. Midge, Franklin Jopes, Los Banos; 12. Who Cares, Jim Silva, Tracy; 13. Drone, Max Stierli, Bellflower; 14. Orange Fizz, Harry Arnold, Sacramento; 15. Her-Entions, Earl M Mosbach, Ramona: 16. Pokey, Bud Patnaude, Sacramento.
135-cubic inch hydroplanes—Won by Sklppy, John Corea, Dos Palos; 2. Cloud Seven, Walt Kalben. El Cajon; 3. Cummon Baby II, Jack Salmon, Pico: 4. Joey III, Fred Galante. Visalia; 5. Hot-T-Trot, Allen Grob, Berkeley; 6. Little Miss I, Red Loomis, Monrovia.
48 cubic inch hydroplanes—Won by Fat Pants III, Vernon Dallman, Daly City; 2. Little Jim, Jim Hubbard, Long Beach; 3. Mighty Mouse, Victor Parsley, Los Banos: 4. Two Shoes, Jerry Eschen, Hayward; 5. Little Mixer, Tom Gentry, Berkeley; 6. Mad Atom, Bill Schicora, Lakewood.
225 cubic inch hydroplanes—Won by Flying Saucer, Richard Hallett, Downey; 2. Yo Ho, Kenneth Sprow, Hunting Park; 3. Galloping Gael Jr., Roger Murphy, Piedmont; 4. Double Dare, Harry Ammon, North Sacramento; 5. Firefly, Jesse Wayne, Turlock.
Ladies race—Won by Skippy, Betty Galante, Visalia; 2. My Sin, Joan DeLozier, San Diego.
--- July 9, 1956