A Look Back
By Fred Miller
One hundred years ago, Aug. 1, 1924, Atlantic City Beach Patrol’s Harry Yates and Jack Woodworth across the finish line three second ahead of Ocean City’s Charles Schock and Joe Tomlin to win the first South Jersey Lifeguard Championship. The tournament was to be an annual event, but it was only held in 1924, 1925, 1926, 1936 and 1937.
After Ocean City’s Jack Kelly Jr. won the 1944 OCBP’s doubles rowing championship with Joe Regan. he wanted more competitions. He persuaded his father and OCBP Captain Tom Williams to sponsor a South Jersey doubles rowing race.
Lifeguards from Atlantic and Cape May counties had not competed against each other since 1937.
On Sept. 1, 1944, on the 10th Street, the OCBP hosted the sixth South Jersey Lifeguard Championship. The rough ocean and strong wind made the trip to the half-mile flag buoys very difficult for the ten crews. A couple of lifeboats capsized, including Ocean City’s second team of Jim Sharkey and Chick Bramble.
Kelly and Regan had a hard time getting through the surf and were the third boat to reach the half-way point, but on the inward journey they stepped up their stroke and forged to the front. They crossed the finish line in 11 minutes and 58 seconds, 17 seconds ahead of the Atlantic City crew of Tom Detweiler and Joe Broome Jr.
The South Jersey Lifeguard Championship has been held every year (except 1948 and 2020) and is the most prestigious of all the lifeguard tournaments held in Atlantic and Cape May counties. The Ocean City Beach Patrol has won the team title a record 34 times.
This year the South Jersey Lifeguard Championship will be held on August 9 on the 16th Street beach in Brigantine. The doubles rowing race will begin at 6:30 p. m.
