EAST FAREWELL
NEWS
Thursday, August
23, 1956 Vol. C582
LOCAL
NEWS
1ST SWIM ACROSS THE
LAKE
East Farewell - The first annual Swim Across the Lake took place
on Saturday and was an overwhelming success. When first presented back in June
it was not received with any great enthusiasm by the Town Council. Organizers
Hugh Reston and Frank Dunlap were persistent and worked very hard to bring
their event to reality. Having put
together all the necessary routes paths, nautical clearances and insurance waivers
they went out and setup a sign up system that was almost statewide attracting
almost three hundred potential swimmers. The logistics of the event were
enormous to say the least. Originally Reston and Dunlap, who were collegiate
swimmers and friends wanted to hold a swim around the lake race but that proved
to be impractical as well as being too long, at a total over almost 33 miles,
for most swimmers. Undaunted they revamped their plan and present a swim across
the lake instead. Both Dunlap and Reston are quick to admit that they were
inspired by a young man,
Jake Newburgh, who back in 1951 first swan across the lake solo. Newburgh
moved away from East
Farewell last year but his legacy lives on with the efforts of Dunlap and
Reston.
All their work
paid off on Saturday morning. All along the newly constructed but still unnamed
beach approximately half a mile down from the Fun Pier almost 50 swimmers lined
the shore and at 8:30AM the horn blasted and all the swimmers raced into the
water miraculously not running into one another. They were off along a
carefully marked course, 50 yards wide and lined with buoys all the way across
the lake. The entire route was a total of 2.7 miles and ended on Raleigh Beach
which is owned by the N.U.D.E. organization, the back to nature group that has
built a nudist retreat only five miles down the road. There was some concern
that influx of swimmers, supporters and fans would create a problem with the
nudists. Frank Logan, president of
N.U.D.E. said he had no problem with using the beach for the event and made
sure no one would be offended by the proximity of the campground and its
members.
The swim itself
went off without a hitch and considering there were almost 50 swimmers and
there was almost 3 miles of open water. There were a lot of possible calamities
that could have happened but didn’t. Reston and Dunlap were not in the pack
choosing to monitor the race from a boat that was used to try and keep the
swimmers within the boundaries and also offer any first aid if needed.
Surprisingly, no one needed assistance although some swimmers did not complete
the 2.7 miles instead hitching rides on some of the numerous boats that had
spectators and fans aboard. The winner of the 1956 Swim Across the Lake was Robby
Jenkins, a 19 year old State College student who is captain of his swim
team. He was able to make the swim across the lake in a very impressive 1 hour
and 30 minutes. Of the 50 swimmers that
started 24 made the entire distance. The rest were picked up along the way and
there were no reported injuries.
Jenkins was
followed closely by a female swimmer, Daisy
Forman, a 23 year old accountant from East Farewell. Her time was only
three minutes behind Jenkins. “I was right with him until the end, I got caught
up in a funny current flow and it knocked me off. This was great fun, though. I
can’t wait to try it again,” said Forman on the Raleigh Beach.
“This was great
fun,” said Jenkins as he stood with Forman and they celebrated on the shore.
“This should be a yearly event.”
Reston and
Dunlap were already making plans to bring the event back next year. This was a
slightly strange but very entertaining event.
Robby Jenkins and Daisy Forman and fans on Raleigh Beach
SPORTS
TRAVELERS BACK ON TRACK
Bedford – The Travelers got back on the winning track by besting
the Bedford Bears on Saturday, 5-2. The Bears ‘Howlin’ Frank Fowler lived up to
his nickname by letting out a coyote like howl with each strikeout. He had nine
howls on Saturday much to the delight of his fans who joined him each time.
That was the highlight of the Bears game, though, they were not able to supply
him with much offense and their defense was only adequate. The Travelers were
able to jump on Fowler early, before he settled down, and score three quick runs
in the first with a single by Francis, a double Dunham and then a long home run
by Cloos, the first four batters (Watson sacrificed). Fowler paused after the
blast by Cloos, walked around the mound, set back up and struck out the next
two batters. He went on to keep the Travelers in check for the next seven
innings until the bottom of the order, Brown, Archibald and Sweet were able to
come together and score two more runs. The Bears on the other hand were only
able to generate two individual runs in the fifth and ninth off Travelers ace,
Joe Nagy. It was a positive to see the entire line up produce and Nagy looked
strong matching Fowler with nine strikeouts but Nagy had better offense behind
him. The win puts the Travelers back in third place in the league behind CGW
and Mountain View. The Travelers stay on the road next week and will be out of
town for the Music, Arts and Country Fair and the Golf Classic that are
scheduled for next week. They will come home in two weeks.
NATIONAL
GOP PICKS IKE & NIXON – IRVING BERLIN
PENS NEW TUNES –.VANDERBILT WEDS – KENNEDY LOSE CHILD – WRIGHT STANDS TALL –
MUSIC THIS WEEK
At the Republican National Convention in San Francisco, both President Eisenhower and VP Nixon win renomination. Both said they “were honored and thrilled” to be re-nominated. Nixon then flew back to Southern California to be with his ailing father.
Irving Berlin rolls out yet another song for the Eisenhower campaign. Four years ago, he wrote “I Like Ike” - the official GOP campaign song. His 1956 offering is “Ike - for Four More Years.”
Heiress Gloria Vanderbilt wed Sidney Lumet, a television director. Both are 32. Miss Vanderbilt married twice previously. On her 21st birthday, she inherited $5 million from her father, Reginald Vanderbilt who died when she was an infant.
Mrs. John F. Kennedy loses the baby she was expecting in October. A spokesman at a Newport, RI hospital says she underwent an emergency operation and is in good condition.
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright says he is working on plans for a 510-story mile-high office building he hopes will be built on Chicago’s lakefront. If the structure, which will be called “the Illinois,” ever gets built, it will be the tallest structure in the world.
Pop music this week - “My Prayer” - The Platters,
“Don’t Be Cruel/Hound Dog” – Elvis Presley, “I Almost Lost My Mind” - Pat
Boone, “(Que Sera, Sera) Whatever Will Be Will Be” - Doris Day, “The Flying
Saucers - parts 1 & 2” - Buchanan & Goodman, “Allegheny Moon” – Patti Page,
“Sweet Old Fashioned Girl” – Teresa Brewer, “It Only Hurts For A Little While” –
The Ames Brothers,
Many, many thanks to www.mrpopculture.com for
contributing to this section of the East Farewell News.
