THE LONG HAPPY RACE

e [Music] the ingredients are as simple as apple pie first you chunk out some wood from the tall trees then you take a little steel to give it strength and make it trim add four wheels and you have yourself a raser coat it with pretty paint or fiberglass now take your stubborn greens and back them up with all your willful determination season it with a generosity of grown men and it with a little fun and laughter music and patent rate put it on a hill and let her roll 25 years of boys following this simple recipe has made the long happy race this is the first Soapbox Derby it was held on Big Hill Road in Dayton Ohio in 1934 these boys were the original cockeyed optimists 40,000 people laughed cheered and jumped out of the way as Lads just like yourself rolled down the hill in a wide variety of Contraptions of their own invention 25 races later the soap boox Derby has spread its color and joy all over the globe it has sprouted from a minor league local Affair to a major sporting event known the world over big and little 183 towns picked a champion in 1962 you take this track it's scratched out of the Lonely Flatlands outside Laro Texas it's there because a wide awake Community knew they had to have a hill they couldn't find one so they bulldozed one out of the Prairie and called it Derby Hill Hill 1,800 Mi to the North in Mission City Canada there's no shortage of Hills the boys inhale the fresh air and work on their races with snowcapped mountains in the background a shake of the hips and we're on a tropical island [Music] this race looks like any other but we call it the pineapple Derby it's the Hawaiian version of a race held around the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] world the sight of a marching band in West Germany tells us that it's Derby Day in D you might say their breath is coming in short pants well anyway first the celebrities show them the most exciting oil can Derby since last year's acon event winners of 108 local races are ready to roll [Music] [Music] now the crowd is ready for the final run down the Magnificent track [Music] [Applause] the winner wears a ring of gold Al Vita Z see you in Acron remember that every racist starts with a plan and the plan becomes a reality once a boy learns the rules and gets going here's how they start in Laredo come on over here in uh see wall this is yours in it Wally yes sir you got your front and back all cut out ready to glue to the floorboard yes sir it's you use Oak to get weight into the car how long can it be sir it can be up to 80 in not over 80 in Long if you were in Laredo you'd soon find that the Derby race coincides with local fun and festivities two Nations have their borders in the Rio Grand and when they throw a party for the Soapbox Derby boys it reflects the traditions of both Mexican and American culture the two-day celebration is big enough to attract former Texas governor price Daniels and many high Mexican officials there's a soap boox Derby float that is one of the big events in this part of our country because here in Texas not only do the boys take a big part in the soap box derby from Texas but uh from over on your side too the uh Mexican boys and their uh Texans here have a great time in this soap box derby it very beautiful float isn't it it certainly beautiful it has uh a big part in the Good Neighbor relations here with the competition here in the Soapbox Derby let us hope that this type of competitions will continue because it brings closer friendship among our boys both sides of the border and they will make it that way better S the future [Music] right later in the evening the celebration moves into a Spanish Courtyard where local high school kids show the Derby boys the fine points of Mexican dancing if you've never seen a bull fight here's your chance keep in mind the fighting pool can beat any racehorse in the world for the first 100 yards he's big and mean and tough but most of all he's [Music] [Applause] fast the Meador is determined to show the bull whose boss and vice [Applause] versa when the fight is over well the Matador extends a salute to the derby boys on the sunny side of the Ring their moment of proof has yet to come in Laredo they've learned to run their race at nighttime in the Summer sun the thermometer goes well over 100 but in the evening it cools right down to 98° each downhill run is called a heat and in this case it's well named as the Heats are runoff Spectators from both Nations become foot sore and voice weary it's not hard to figure out there can be only one winner in each heat Laredo will produce only one Champion but the byproducts of the Derby are [Music] many each boy has an opportunity to win a battle within himself to show how he can start and finish a difficult job these two border towns participating in the Laredo event have found common ground for better understanding the sporting determination of the individual boys proves that International cooperation is just a matter of better understanding [Music] this year Lara's champ is Poncho casso he has earned the right to compete against 182 other Champions at Akron Ohio two of the future Champions are in this crowd of Derby boys at the World's Fair in [Music] Seattle one group hails from Tacoma Washington other boys journeyed down from Mission City Canada the trip to the fair is part of a big party planned by interested Tacoma [Music] citizens Tacoma Boys play host to the foreign visitors International differences disappear as boys from two Nations drink in the SES the best place to see the fair is from a top the famous Space Needle a finger in the sky that affords the boys a long range view of the fairgrounds and the surrounding country that so typifies the Pacific Northwest Earthbound again the boys learn to understand the other fellow's Viewpoint as they visit the Canadian exhibit sometime later the whole party moves across the way to the beautiful building known as the USA exhibit but the boys are naturally curious and time finds them at the Philippines building finally they get an intimate look at the Indian exhibit but here comes a Pied Piper leading a marching band remember this is the year of the twist the band from the US exhibit leads the way this this is a dance the American and Canadian both understand it's too bad that outings like this have to end but remember that each city has a local Derby [Music] celebration the event at Mission city in Canada is typified by The Familiar costume and sounds of the bag pipes the spirit and determination of the boys follows a pattern of exuberance well established in Six Nations but the town's people bring special touches to the local party mothers and fathers devote long hours to making the event a success and Hungry Boys make the effort well worthwhile while the boys Chow Down a fireboat from Puget Sound puts on an unusual display of equipment once the pre-race festivities have ended 9 five boys from all over western Canada race down the hill to choose a champion who will represent the city in the final event at Acron [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] the Derby develops a singleness of purpose so closely identified with the event that we can find little difference between the crowds in Canada and those in Laredo Texas in Tacoma Watford Gary said he worked nearly a th000 hours on his bullet-shaped card next stop Arron Ohio [Music] wo [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] 183 Champions come roaring into acon the whole town begins to vibrate with their [Applause] presence this is the silver anniversary the Derby is bigger than ever 183 towns have their own celebrations but no matter where you've been or where you're going Derby week in Acron leaves an unforgettable mark on your heart the champ from Laredo brings a little bit of Mexico with him he has seen bull fights Mexican dancing and fiestas but Acron is something new Jared kamaru lends a Hawaiian touch to the affair he has seen Diamond Head and the beach of Wy Kei but Akron is different Akron is something else Champion Edgar deer comes from deep in the heart of Southwest Germany he's seeing America as only a derby champ ever sees it Arron is wonderbar from around the world they come and where they stop everybody knows this is the home of Champions and here only the brave deserve the fair during their 3-day stay in Acron the boys bunk down at Derby town in the beginning they give each other the once over however after a couple of meals this group has its own special identity they are 1962 Champs the geography of their background is lost in the derby spirit that binds them together forever top side at Derby Downs gives each boy a closer look at the competition he'll face when he sees his own racer lined up with 182 other winners perhaps his confidence is a little shaken but each boy has only to remember that the others are looking over his racer with the same wary eye Acron inspection facilities are precise and Acron standards are of necessity unbending before he's permitted to race a Derby Downs each boy must weigh in his car the officials make sure that boy and racer combined do not go over 250 lb ground clearances are checked for safety and uniformity overall length cannot exceed 80 in local Derby officials should remember that Acron rules must be followed everywhere it's the only fair way to run the race brakes must be carefully checked and each car receives a new set of silver anniversary wheels for the championship race when the cars are fully inspected the racer receives the official stamp of approval then each boy is allowed one trial run down the hill at Derby Downs oh this is a lonely moment now there is only a boy a racer and a 975 ft Hill inless Le than half a minute it's over and confidence Soares downtown Acron August 3rd 1962 on the Bonanza show we're used to Big happenings but we never saw a bonanza like this one let me say here and now I know how a champion feels when he comes to Aron that's me inching my way down Main Street at the height of the celebration [Applause] oh man I'll tell you something I was completely overwhelmed can you blame [Applause] me here comes a king-sized Cowboy everyone recognizes his High Ground hat and on the show we just call him Hoss Hoss said just one word [Music] [Applause] wow the young fellow with the curly locks is called Little Joe I might add that he's not as little as his name we all agree we'd sooner handle a cattle stamped than this excited [Applause] crowd meanwhile back at Derby Town Akron Civic leaders and Chevrolet Executives greet each Champion every boy receives a special letter and an official Derby watch next day the big long happy race 12:30 p.m. on Saturday here comes the parade 55 units each more colorful than the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] next the Champions proudly carry the banner of their own hometown next time they come down that Hill they'll be [Music] [Applause] [Music] racing the 25th anniversary Derby attracts the biggest crowd in history I guess it would have to be called the noisiest crowd too before the Big Race there's a little event called the oil can Derby this year all the entries are from the Ponderosa Ranch hos needs plenty of help in getting into his racer he tries to use that weight to Advantage in going down the hill [Music] [Applause] but when the race is over age and experience win over Youth and size now here's the first heat of the big event boys from Salem Oregon Elwood Pennsylvania and Chicago Illinois start down the [Music] hill after that it's two races per minute 2/3 of the boys are eliminated in round [Applause] one the Laredo champ listens carefully as trck officials give him last minute instructions here son he'll give you seconds ready to go just run your own race try and run it as straight as you can okay champ all right 10 seconds good luck to you [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] son at the end of the second round it becomes obvious that the Ohio boys are going to do well in the 5 th anniversary event the local Spectators go wild in a Canadian Elimination race the Mission City boy earns the right to represent all of Canada in the United States guest run and here is the race for guests of the United States boys from the Philippines Puerto Rico Germany Canada Venezuela and okanawa are all eligible for a special trophy but the final foreign winner is Mario Enriquez of the Philippines when the field has been reduced to nine the boys from Ohio are still in the running and the acon towns folk are out of their seats get ready here's where we decide the national champ Lane one Teddy Maro of Lancaster Ohio lane two David man of Gary Indiana Lane three Mark Cordon of akan Ohio [Music] 27.7 n seconds later David man of Gary Indiana is the 25th anniversary Champion he's interviewed in The Winner Circle by Seaman e buy nen general manager of Chevrolet David congratulations on driving a terrific race building this wonderful car in behalf of Chevrolet I want to present to you the world 1962 world championship trophy [Applause] that evening at the banquet the national champ receives a $7,500 college scholarship award and the rest of the eight winners receive scholarship prizes ranging from $5,000 to $1,000 it's heartwarming to note that the boy from Hawaii receives a Ninth Place award although it's only the second time that the 50th state entered a champion Mr K E Staley Vice President of General Motors expresses the spirit the intent and the high purpose of the Derby reading an essay called what is a boy a boy is a person who is going to carry on what you have started he's going to sit right where you are City and when you're gone he'll attend to those things you think are important you may adopt all of the policies you please but how they're carried out depends on him even if you make treaties and leagues he'll have to manage them he's going to sit at your desk in Congress and occupy your place on the Supreme Court bench he will assume control of your cities states and Nations he's going to move in and take over your churches schools universities and corporations all your books are going to be judged praised or condemned by him all your work for him and the fate of the Nations and human humanity is in his hands so it might be well to pay him some attention [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]