Hoisting Schooners Together Launches a People’s Challenge

The America’s Cup is associated with the wealthy and influential. Some of the most exclusive yacht clubs in the world compete for the sport’s biggest prize, mounting challenges backed by wealthy industrialists.

Iain Murray wants to change that and is seeking large numbers of fellow Australians to join in his Spirit of Australia’s challenge off San Diego next year.

The Darling Harbor Yacht Club, Murray’s home base, was established especially for the challenge. It is basically a one-boat club operating from portable buildings near the Sydney aquarium. A converted corner of the nearby Convention Center acts as the lifeblood of a yacht club--the bar.

Membership is open to all at $100 for two years, which entitles one to club souvenirs, bar privileges and the satisfaction of being part of the challenge.

Trivia time: Who fought in the first coast-to-coast televised fight?

Takes one to know one: Brooks Robinson won 16 Gold Gloves, so he should know what he is talking about when he says he can’t believe the Orioles’ Cal Ripken Jr. didn’t win one last year.

“It’s incomprehensible to me that he could play every day and make three errors and not win the Gold Glove,” Robinson said. “And that’s not meant to take anything away from Ozzie Guillen (who won the award), because he’s a very good shortstop.

“Cal is not as dazzling, not as spectacular, but nobody plays the position like he does. Nobody puts as much thought into playing the position. He’s the best I’ve ever seen when it comes to playing the hitters, and I think that’s the reason his defense is overlooked.”

What is golf?: Women and minorities won’t have to wait for special tee times and find certain rooms off-limits at Michigan country clubs if the state House accepts a civil rights bill passed by the Senate, but Sen. Jackie Vaughn of Detroit doesn’t think it will be all that significant.

If the bill passes, golf clubs could not restrict tee times and access to facilities based on sex, age, race, religion and several other considerations. If they did, the state could pull their liquor license.

“Before we shout hooray, my district will say, ‘What’s a country club?’ ” Vaughn said. “The struggle continues. It is a drop in the ocean.”

Trivia answer: Bobo Olson won a decision over Dave Sands in a 10-round middleweight bout on Oct. 3, 1951, in the first New York-to-Los Angeles televised bout.

Quotebook: Former Formula One champion Alan Jones, commenting to Mario Andretti about racing against Mario’s sons: “It’s tougher and tougher with all these young kids coming along, and now you’ve got to breed them.”