America's Cup

Uncle Sam, with a feather in his hat labeled “Victory,” holds America’s Cup labeled “Yachting Champion,” a cricket bat labeled “Cricket Champion,” and a medal labeled “Athletic Champion.” Other awards labeled “Chess Champion, Bicycle Champion, [and] Boxing Champion” are pinned to his coat, and a paper extends from his pocket labeled “Fastest R.R. Time.” He is standing on a beach next to a dejected John Bull who is holding a doll labeled “Dunraven,” a reference to the 4th Earl of Dunraven, Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, a co-owner of the Valkyrie II and Valkyrie III yachts that competed for the America’s Cup. Caption: Uncle Sam–Say, John, is there any game you can beat me at? – If there is, trot it out!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-10-09

Uncle Sam sits back in a chair on the beach next to America’s Cup festooned with laurel branches and the names of American yachts and the year they won the Cup, “America 1851, Magic 1870, Columbia 1871, Sappho 1874, Madeleine 1876, Mischief 1881, Puritan 1885, Mayflower 1886, Volunte[er] 1887, [and] Vigilant 1893.” There is a telescope on the ground beside him. A British sailor, wearing a hat with ribbon labeled “Valkyrie III,” is standing before Uncle Sam, looking at the Cup. Caption: Uncle Sam–Wa-al, old feller, you’ve got another chance to look at it, anyhow, even if you can’t win it!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-09-04

Uncle Sam shakes hands with John Bull who is holding a yacht labeled “Valkyrie.” Between them is the America’s Cup on a pedestal labeled with the names of American yachts and the year they won the Cup, “America 1851, Magic 1870, Columbia 1871, Sappho 1871 [i.e. 1874], Madeleine 1876, Mischief 1881, Puritan 1885, Mayflower 1886, [and] Volu[nteer] 1887.” A ribbon labeled “Vigilant 1893” is tied to the Cup. In the background is a building with a banner that states “Finishing School for Incomplete Yachtsmen.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1893-10-25

An American yachtsman shakes hands with Thomas Johnstone Lipton, with the America’s Cup between them. Caption: The American Sportsman — If we can not keep both, we would rather lose the cup than lose you, Sir Thomas.

Comments and Context

Sir Thomas Lipton, a Scotsman of Irish parentage, was an entrepreneurial whirlwind, with a product line of teas, grocery stores, and racing yachts his primary interests. He frequently entered his yachts in America’s Cup races, never to win, but he endeared himself to the American public. In 1903 his entry was named The Shamrock, hence the design of his vest. The “American Sportsman” in Keppler’s cartoon appears to be a generic fellow.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Thomas Lipton checks the pulse of an animated feminine America’s Cup labeled “America 1851.” Caption: Dr. Lipton – Your condition, of course, is not alarming; but a trip abroad would do you a world of good.

Comments and Context

In 1903, Sir Thomas Lipton dreamed yet again of capturing the America’s Cup. The 1902 competition, in New York Harbor, had attracted major attention — three constituent races; the United States’s entry of bold new design; J. P. Morgan’s recent interest as an owner and fan… and Lipton’s British entry defeated, not even finishing.

Despite his flirtatious ways with the buxom America’s Cup depicted in Ehrhart’s cartoon, America in 1903 continued its unbroken string of victories. It was commented at the time that Sir Thomas might have been happier confining himself to his Lipton Tea business.

A bulldog wearing black tie and formal naval dress sits on the shore with the America’s Cup behind him. A yacht labeled “Shamrock III” sails just offshore.

Comments and Context

The country took such interest in the America’s Cup yacht races, which America never had lost, that when Sir Thomas Lipton registered his Shamrock III a full four months before the 1903 competition, it merited a cover cartoon in Puck. The American entry was the radically designed (by Nathaniel Herreshoff) Reliance, owned by the Cornelius Vanderbilt syndicate. Held in New York Harbor, the best of five competition was won in three races by Reliant, with Lipton’s ship not even bothering to sail to the finish line of the third race. J. P. Morgan, an avid yachtsman, watched the race with guests aboard his Corsair.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Thomas W. Lawson, with his America’s Cup entry “Independence,” and Nathanael G. Herreshoff with his America’s Cup entry “Constitution,” console each other after their yachts initially were denied entry in the America’s Cup challenge in 1901.

Comments and Context

Thomas W. Lawson was a wealthy American financier born into poverty and, ironically, lived in poverty when he died. One of his passions was yacht racing. He balked at the requirement to join the New York Yacht Club in order to race his yacht “Independence” in the 1901 America’s Cup. Several years after this cartoon, the rebellious Lawson wrote a series of magazine articles, “Frenzied Finance,” discussing corruption among the business class “from the inside,” and became one of the early Muckrakers. This cartoon is a snapshot in time: Nathaniel Greene Herreshoff built the yacht “Constitution” for J. P. Morgan. It encountered initial problems in registering for the race, but eventually the “Constitution” was ratified, raced, and won the America’s Cup in 1901, the second cup for a boat designed and built by Herreshoff.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Uncle Sam stands with a chip on his shoulder labeled “Championship” and clutches to his chest the “America’s Cup.” A small yacht is at his feet, in the foreground, with a list of the years the United States has won the Cup. Thomas Johnstone Lipton is standing behind Uncle Sam, on a slip of land labeled “England.” He is trying to knock the chip off Uncle Sam’s shoulder with a long staff labeled “Challenge.” Caption: The Champion. — You’ll always find the chip there, my boy!

Comments and Context

Sir Thomas Lipton, an Irishman of Scottish birth, was a commoner who rose to knighthood by establishing a grocery empire, a brand of tea with worldwide reach, and competing as a yachtsman, most notably in America’s Cup events. Although his name is associated with America’s Cup, he competed in only five between 1899 and 1930 and never won. Yet his good-natured personality attracted attention to the sport that was dominated by the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs