All American Soap Box Derby (1934)

[Music] [Music] oh [Music] friendly competition a desire to win enthusiasm that knows no bounds that's the spirit the spirit of Young America from coast to coast in everything from sand lots to stadiums you will find red blooded American boys full of that old grit and determination that makes winners and champions and when the shouting and the laughter of the sand lot grows dim there's a reason it's because the Great American boy is hard at work inventing creating building something the energy that is forever behind both the competitive Sports of Youth and the desire to build and create new things is the energy that develops industrious Dependable citizens of Tomorrow Every Spring in thousands of attics garages and basements throughout the country thousands of Young Americans set to work building their entries for the allamerican Soapbox Derby the allamerican is the greatest amateur sporting event in the world because it combines both the Ingenuity and creative Spirit of Young America with the natural racing and sporting instincts of boys of all ages every boy everywhere between the ages of 9 and 15 is eligible for this great race sponsored jointly by the leading newspapers and America's leading manuf ufacturer of automobiles local Derbies are run in 116 different cities throughout the country each of these local Champs is already the proud possessor of the me Coil trophy the place akan Ohio the time the morning of August 16th the excitement the All American and international Soapbox Derby finals today Ain is a city filled to overflowing with a big welcome for the thousands who have come from from every state in the Union to witness the big event for the racers first comes registration and entry planks then sweaters shirts and all the other official regalia thousands of Spectators are Milling about the Champions cars getting a good close-up look every one of these cars represents many long hard hours of thought and building in every one can be seen the inventive and creative Ingenuity of our American boys each entry gets his car weighed in and an official sticker shows that the car has been checked by the technical committee and complies with all the rules the medals and trophy Awards and other prizes too share the Limelight there are 249 of them in all and here are 116 all- American boys that have won their local deres and have come to akan to compete for the coveted title allamerican soap box derby Champion for 1936 a few of the Champions are taking time out for a sightseeing tour of the city but most of them are going direct to the track too excited to think of anything but the big race the thousands of Spectators begin to fill the grandstand and line the sides of soap Fox Derby [Music] Downs no racetrack in the world is more colorful than this and yet it's just for boys all American boys at the top of the hill are the racing pits where the cars are given the final going over for the big race here they are all set for the first heat there will be 39 Heats run off first then the winners of these will be grouped and eliminated until only five boys are left the technical committee stands ready on the bridge here they go look at those cars travel it's going to be close here's the finish what a race but that's only the beginning from now on they're going to follow one right after the other maybe you'd like a ride down the track all right let's [Music] go [Music] hey looks like we got off that one just in time guess we'd better stick to the sidelines here are Graham magnam and Tom Manning getting ready to broadcast over a great Nationwide hookup and millions of people all over the country are listening behind the Roar of the crowd is the clickety clack of the typewriters and Telegraph Keys stories of the race flashing over the wires pictures too both for the newspapers and news reels arry Harts and Wild Bill Cummings famous race drivers officiated at the finish line here goes another heat look at the body English on that start but then everything's Fair as long as he doesn't get off and push three boys straining with every muscle living in one minute the climax to all the h hopes and Ambitions of months of preparation what a story there is behind every boy and his racer and now the last preliminary Heats are over only five boys remain to fight it out for the coveted honor of being ha the new Champion onto the truck they go for the trip back up the hill away go the first three Herbert Mitch of St Louis is the winner and back at the starting point the other two boys get underway Harold Hansen of White Plains New York is the other winner back at the starting line Herbert and Harold are ready for the flag one will be the new All-American Soapbox Derby Champion there they go a new national champion Herbert MCH of St Louis crosses the line the winner but Herbert can't rest on his Laurels as yet now both boys go back to the top of the hill and get set for the International race racing against the champion from Over the Ocean Norman yman of South Africa they're off Herbert mches first Harold Hansen second Norman Newman of Pretoria South Africa third Mr em Coy presents the first place trophy to the International Champion while the other boys look on as a fitting climax to a great day there comes the big banquet and awarding of prizes here every boy is a winner for every driver in the All-American race gets his racing diploma and among other prizes a beautiful wristwatch with the Derby emblem embossed on the dial a constant reminder of this great day in arra but the high spot of the banquet is the awarding of the prizes medals and trophies to the All-American and international winners and to you Herbert Minch Jr of St Louis it is my pleasure to present to you the first award in the All-American Soap Box Derby a 4-year scholarship in any state university that you might select and now to Harold Hansen of White Plains New York Harold I have a letter here which entitles you to get your new car as second prize in the All-American so Fox Derby thank you very much Harold Hanson also received receives the second place trophy for the International race unto you Robert Richards of Lima Ohio as a third award in the all- American Soapbox Derby I hand you here a letter in which it entitles you to take or to receive rather a standard coach of any color or description John tabber of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania is awarded the Charles F ketering trophy for the best car Norman Newman from Petoria South Africa who traveled over 8,000 M for just this one race receives the third place trophy for the International Event but even now the other boys are working out plans for that 1937 entry perhaps a complete change in design maybe more complete streamlining or any of many other things a boy's mind can develop it's a problem all right but all American boys these boys of ours are just the boys to solve it the American boy will be hard at wor from now until the starting gun is fired and he'll be in there fighting for all his worth fighting with that same old spirit that is building the Americans of [Music] tomorrow oh