John Glenn, USSR, and the America’s Cup

It’s party time in Fremantle as the city celebrates the 40th anniversary of Australia II’s famous America’s Cup win in 1983 on September 26. Their victory was the first successful challenge of the New York Yacht Club’s 132-year defense of the Cup, ending both the longest winning streak in sporting history and U.S. domination of the racing series.

While it was a gut-punch for Newport, which took over hosting duties from New York City in 1930, historians believe the Australian accomplishment was best for the event. Releasing the trophy was from the shackles of New York Yacht Club allowed it to be truly shared with the world.

This anniversary is reliving not just the event as shared here by Kai Yves:

As a current resident of Boston, I’ve been enjoying reading The Boston Globe’s coverage of the 1983 America’s Cup day-by-day with a 40-year time delay on Newspapers.org this month. Do you or any readers have any information about Tony Chamberlain, who covered the America’s Cup for the Globe that year and in all subsequent editions through 2007?

From an article in 2014, I learned he was that newspaper’s premier outdoor sports writer who had retired several years prior (to 2014), and that his retirement led the Globe to cut back on outdoor sports reporting, including sailing. But there seems to have been no big retrospective article about his retirement and career like many well-known sports journalists get upon retirement. (I also couldn’t find an obituary, so I presume he’s still alive? Maybe?)

Also, it’s pretty cool reading the other stories that shared space with Australia II as they developed in real time. Did you hear John Glenn is running for President and the Soviets have shot down a Korean airliner?