Water Polo Waterski Board Outboard Course 1931 Article

Water Polo Waterski Board Outboard Course 1931 Article

3 full page (2 actual full pages, page 2 on reverse side of page 1) and 2 partial page pieces as shown

This is a very fun article on a sport that was coming of age in the days of the water regattas all across this country. It is very specific and course layout and dimensions are given.

some text: ......Down at the Top o' Texas in August 1929, a three day outboard motor regatta was held under the auspices of the newly organized Port Isabel Yacht Club, and Mississippi Power Boat Association. In addition to the daily outboard motor races in several classes the program committee was in search of something unusual in the form of water sports to fill each day with a full program...........events such as cat-boat races, swimming and diving contests and surfboard riding exhibitions... there still remained an hour or so with nothing to fill in. Water Polo was suggested by several who had heard of such a game but knew nothing about it.........Four boats were selected from amoung the skiffs belonging to the membership of the club.......A goal was set up on each side of the Yacht Basin, indicated by buoys set 50 to 60 feet apart, made of life preservers. Goals were chosen with two boats on each team. The only rule adopted was to see which team could knock the ball through its respective goal,,,,,,,,,The ball was tossed and they all went into action...They held each other's boats, knocked each other overboard, jerked mallets out of their opponents hands, mallets flew off handles, boats capsized, others were rammed and their sides broken in, motors knocked loose from the boats in 16 feet of water and the yacht basin for an hour was a swirling, churning whirlpool. The audience received a big kick from the contest. They are still talking about the game all over south Texas after the lapse of nearly three years.......After the warm reception given the game, the boys conceived the idea of constructing boats all upon the same model, small inexpensive and easily handled, they constructed five boats......Late in 1930 several of us, realizing the potential possibilities of the game attempted to revive it and set about to give the game some form of regularity............I may be over enthusistic in my estimate of the possibilities of the game....We have planned a series of ten demonstration games in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Texas Coast points with the idea in mind of creating sufficient interest to organize a South Texas League....The inventor of the game of outboard water polo has compiled a very comprehensive set of rules......inventor: Dr. J.A. Hockaday, Port Isabel, Texas..."

A whole new water sport could be started using todays modern equipment and safety gear. What a fun spectator and participant sport that would be!!!!!

mild paper tanning & handling present due to age