1906 Larchmont Gold Cup
Larchmont Harbor, Larchmont, New York, October 12-13, 1906

Gold Cup Race at Larchmont Bitbat Won Gold Cup Bitbat Wins Another Race Editorial

The Larchmont Y.C.'s attempt to hold a series for the cup presented to the club in 1904, by the firms of Smith & Mabley and Hollander & Tangeman, met with dismal failure. At the time the cup was presented the racing of power boats was on a high wane of popularity the the firms mentioned essayed to further the sport and boom their interests by offering the cup, to be emblematic of what the daily press has been stating would be "the blue ribbon contest of the year;" "the American Water Derby;" "the Gold Challenge Cup races" and other high-sounding but misleading titles.

The club has made every effort to hold races for the mug, but has been unsuccessful, and Friday's was the first actual contest, if it may be so called, held for the cup. A race was once held between boats owned by the donors but was not counted.

The first race of the series was scheduled for Friday last at 2.30 p.m., and all of the boats entered but two showed, Bit-Bab, owned by A. J. Stone, of the Larchmont Y.C., and Aero, a supposedly wonderful creation, designed to skim over the surface of the water, but which proved to be more adapted to skimming under the surface.

After a long wait for Aero the Regatta Committee started the fleet, Bit-Bab and Aero, at 4.50 p.m., 2 hr. 20 min. late, the spectators, committee and press representatives meanwhile enjoying the keen bracing breezes. Bit-Bab at once took the lead and finished the thirty miles in 2 hrs. 47 min. and 12 sec. which, if the time and course are correct, works out at the rate of about twelve and one-third miles per hour. This is not her actual running speed as she did not cross the line until some minutes after arriving at the finish line, her engineer having been overcome by the fumes of the gasolene.

Aero ran out of gasolene and did not arrive until very late, after having taken on a supply at Milton Point, some distance from Larchmont Harbor. The next morning it was found that Aero had sunk at the club float and as she could not be put in shape without considerable delay, Chairman Tower called the racing off, but not until the club members had all lent a hand at righting and bailing out the craft.

No blame can be attached to the club or committee for the rotten exhibition, the fault lies with the owners themselves, some of the boats entered have been laid up for weeks. It seems to be the proper caper to enter one's boat, get considerable free advertising and then fluke at the eleventh hour without notice.

The well-known Dixie, owned by E. J. Schroeder, was the challenging boat for the trophy.

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page. —LF]

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