The Cup That Cheers

Many thanks for the great article on the America’s Cup. In the 1920s, at least in New England, reporting on the races was dominated by James B. Connolly. His sailing expertise and his narrative flair made him a renowned writer on the subject, but at least once it got out of hand.

On certain stretches of the contests the crews would lie face down on the decks to minimize wind resistance. As I remember Connolly’s most famous description, it went: “The yachts are both on the starboard tack, their crews lying flat on the decks, their bronze bottoms shining in the sun.”