slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

By Buhl Cummings; Athens, GA...from Reminisce Magazine

One of the last soapbox derbies held during WWII took place in my hometown, Scottdale, Pennsylvania. Wheels were were donated 18 boys by local merchants. My friend Dan Casini and I built the racer at school in our wood-shop as a class project, permitted b our teacher, Mr. Moon.

We finished working on it by the end of the school year, in May of 1943. The race was coming up quick...Monday, July 5th. I practiced driving on several little hills near where I lived.

The derby was held on Pittsburgh Street, one of the main streets downtown. The course, a good hill for racing, was about half a mile long.

A large crowd came out to view the big event. Two racers competed at a time, with the loser being eliminated. The final race came down to three, and it was decided to race all at once, since the street was wide enough. All three finalists...Bill Eicher, Russ Anderson, and I...were good friends and in the same Sunday school class.

We drew straws for position, and I drew the middle. I knew I would have to keep Flash (the name Dan and I gave our car) under control. It was a very close race, and I pulled ahead about 20 yards from the finish line and went on to win. What a thrill! My 1st-Place prize was $1. I will never forget that day. I'm glad they took the picture...I still have it on the wall in my office, with other special photos.

It was only a couple of years later that I joined the U.S. Navy during WWII. Sometimes at night, before I fell asleep in the 1st Division sleeping quarters, I reminisced about the "big race on Pittsburgh Street."

Dr. Evil Loc: In Your Face

Participated in at least 3 in Watertown, So. Dak, my last year I won best constructed car, the following year my brother took my car and won the right to go to Akron, Oh, the big dance, quite the memory!

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

As a kid, I never missed the National Soap Box Derby Finals being broadcast on national TV I am fairly certain it was a feature of that week's 'ABC's Wide World Of Sports,' sponsored by Firestone. It was as big as the Little League World Series

Dr. Evil Loc: In Your Face

So true, wish I could relive those good times.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

I do, often, in my mind...especially after reading such recollections from others.

woodchuck

Are there no more Soap Box Derbies? If not, why not?

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

History of the Soap Box Derby, through 2011, I believe...from Wikipedia.

In the wake of the first car races, local youth auto races took place in the US at a very early stage. In 1914 the motion picture Kid Auto Races at Venice starring Charlie Chaplin was shown in the cinemas.

In 1933 Myron Scott, a photographer for Dayton, Ohio newspaper Dayton Daily News, put together an impromptu race for 19 boys. There was so much interest that Scott arranged a bigger race, with prize money for August 19. "An amazing crowd of 362 kids showed up with homemade cars built of orange crates, sheet tin, wagon and baby-buggy wheels...."

The following year, the first All-American race was held on August 19. The national winner was Robert Turner of Muncie, IN, who made his car from the wood of a saloon bar.

In 1935 the race was moved from Dayton to Akron because of its central location and hilly terrain. An accident in 1935 captured the public's interest, and boosted the event's profile. A car went off the track and struck NBC's top commentator and sportscaster Graham McNamee while he was broadcasting live on the air. Despite a concussion and other injuries (which resulted in a two-week hospital stay), McNamee described the collision to his listeners and finished his broadcast.

In 1936, Akron civic leaders recognized the need for a permanent track site for the youth racing classic and, through the efforts of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Derby Downs became a reality.

In 1946, the town of Mission, British Columbia acquired the rights to the Western Canada Soapbox Derby Championships and the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce, previously named the Mission City & District Board of Trade, organized the event annually until 1973.[5]

During the All American Soapbox Derby's heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, when Chevrolet was a sponsor and famous TV and movie stars made guest appearances, as many as 70,000 people gathered in August to eat snow cones and cheer hundreds of youthful racer/builders (boys only in early years) ages 11–15 who were the champions of local races around the nation and from several foreign countries. In 1947, actor James Stewart was appearing in the Broadway play Harvey; in order to attend the event, he cancelled a weekend's worth of performances and refunds were issued to ticket-holders. At its peak, the Derby was one of the top five sporting events in terms of attendance.

Starting in 1993, the All-American Soap Box derby began the Rally World Championship. The Rally derby is a grand prix style of race in which each district, ten in all, sends back a number of champions based on number of racers and races in each district.

Today there are broader categories that extend the age range to younger racers and permit adults to assist in construction. This is especially helpful for younger children who cannot use power tools, as well as to provide an outlet for adults.

badbobby Loc: texas

"and permit adults to assist in construction"
It was the kids own engineering prowess that would win most of these races
now its just another" participation award"
no wonder we have so many young people
unable to help themselves
and the need they have for "safe places"


sorry for the rant
enjoyed the post

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

"Rant" on, BB. You're always a pleasure to read. ...and, thanks.

boatbob2

When I was stationed in okinawa,they had soap box derbies in Kadena air base,.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

I didn't know that, but was only in Okinawa long enough for processing back home from 'Nam. My older brother spent about two years there.

boatbob2

I was in Okinawa for total of 7 1/2 years (2 tours) very good duty. Back then,a large beer downtown,was 50 cents,on post (PX) was only 17 cents.