In an earlier recollection, "Weequahic
Park as a Sports Site", I talked about the various sporting
events I had covered for the Ledger/Star-Ledger, including boat
races on Weequahic Park Lake.
The event was the New Jersey Canoe Regatta, held Saturday, June
13, 1938. Participants included area boat club racing teams including
several from New York City.
As I would be covering the event for the Newark Ledger (It didn't
become the Star-Ledger until 1939), I telegraphed a Press Query
to The New York Times from the Ledger offices at 80 Bank Street
on the day before the races and asked them if they wanted coverage
of the New York teams entered in the races the following morning.
The New York Times responded positively that Friday night that
they did want coverage. The Times telegram was addressed to:
NAT G BODIAN, HOLD FOR ARRIVAL SODA FOUNTAIN IN BOATHOUSE WEEQUAHIC
PARK.
I retrieved the telegram early Saturday morning when I arrived
at the boathouse, which was also the headquarters for the boating
event and filed my Times story through the Western Union telegraph
operator based at the Ledger, after I had first written my story
for the Ledger.
I still have that
Boathouse telegram.
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