Applesauce Activities

Start of the April 1962 Applesauce Regatta on the Clinch River under the L&N Truss Bridge near Elza Gate

The APPLESAUCE LEAGUE and the APPLESAUCE REGATTA

The Melton Hill Lake rowing venue along Melton Hill Drive in Oak Ridge has become a favorite course for regional and national regattas since its beginning in the late1970s. The true origin of rowing in this area, however, dates back to April of 1962 and the First Annual Applesauce Regatta held on what was then the Clinch River along River Road (now known as Melton Lake Drive). The Applesauce Regatta was a venture of the Applesauce League.

The Applesauce League formed at Oak Ridge High School in the early 1960s as an unofficial, loosely organized group of students for the purpose of … good question. The League was open to anyone admitting being associated with it (which was very few at first). It had a chance beginning in Coach Bordinger’s boys gym class when coach had the class fall in line alphabetically and count off, 1-2-3-4. First-in-line David Alspaugh shouted out “1”, and so it went to randomly select four teams for some sport, perhaps softball. After the count-off, Bordinger instructed all the number 1s to go with “Applesauce”, understandably avoiding an attempt at pronouncing the name “Alspaugh”. Hence, the first Applesauce Team was formed and the name “Applesauce” stuck on Alspaugh for the remainder of his high school days and to some extent beyond.

The Applesauce “Team” somehow morphed into the Applesauce “League”. Maybe it was because the high school girls had sorority groups and activities, it’s unclear why, but some of these guys decided to join together with like-minded pinheads to plan different kinds of activities. The A-League had no formal organization – no president or secretary and certainly no treasurer. They did, however, have some imagination and creativity and a few ideas--some good, some so-so. One, for instance, was the Applesauce League Toilet Bowl tackle football game on Blankenship Field in 10-inches of snow with everyone heavily bundled up so there was no risk of injury (or damage to the field). They staged an Applesauce Track Meet and similar other sporting events. The League held their one-and-only Annual Winter Formal on New Year’s Eve at the homes of Hank Cole and Tucker Arnold.

Their crowning event, however, was the Applesauce Regatta.

On a beautiful spring day in 1962, splendid watercraft put in under the L&N Truss Bridge near Elza Gate and “raced” to the Solway Bridge. The current on the Clinch was about 8 miles an hour but somehow most of the boats went slower. Craft and oarsmen were pelted along the way with eggs and cans of (what else) applesauce, especially while crossing under the old Edgemoor Bridge. All participants, however, survived and most navigated the entire course.

Specifications for building these vessels and participating were very strict as evidenced by the guidelines (below) submitted in a letter to participants of the upcoming Second Annual Applesauce Regatta (and published in the Oak Ridger newspaper).

BUILDING THE APPLESAUCE REGATTA YACHT

Basic Steps

1. Get a couple or three inner tubes.

2. Build framework – ladder, A-frame, washtub, picket fence, ironing board, etc.

3. Attach inner tubes to frame. (Tying was used in most cases despite attempts by Jimmy Blanco to nail his tubes on.)

4. Pump up tubes and try ‘er out. The traditional method is to launch from the L&N Bridge (see L&N Station for schedule, lest launching of craft and freight crossing bridge coincide).

5. Should the craft float, pull it out and install seats. If crew doesn’t fit seats, alter crew.

6. Decorate yacht – this is where your craft gains personality. You will need:

Paint -- florescent red, canary yellow, pea green, crude grey, Muldoon lavender

Paddles and Rudders -- brooms, 2x4s, pole vault poles – if going Mike Fink style

Name – “Francis X Tishman,” “No John,” “Bad Banana,” “Hon. Ross Barnett,” “Bad News,” “Baby Huey,” “AppleCrap 7,” “Busch Bavarian Special”

Chairs -- JFK rocker, Class of ’61 marble bench, barstools

Optional -- Babes, sun-tan oil, umbrellas, garbage can lids (to fend off eggs), egg shooters, flingers and slingers (e.g. bicycle tubes) – don’t just sit there – Fight Back!!!

7. Provisions: one gross U.S. Grade A Large Eggs – these ain’t to eat, fifteen moon pies per crew member, RC Cola (one case per crew member), pizza mix, Blue Circle hamburgers (optional)

The letter was allegedly signed by David Alspaugh, Bill Somers, Howard Hay, Willy Welton, Mike Craft, Ronnie Graham, Larry Thirloway, Anne Murray, and Tucker Arnold.

The First Annual Applesauce Regatta was won by the “Francis X Tishman” vessel with St. George Tucker Arnold II and Ronnie “Frog” Graham aboard. owever an official protest was filed - which has yet to be settled - claiming the Francis X used illegal oars (see evidence in picture below, front left). But, as they say, a grand time was had by all.

The Applesauce Regatta was held for at least 2 years, maybe more. The 1963 completion of Melton Hill Dam and Lake, however, drastically slowed the river current and made rowing more challenging.

The Applesauce League and its regatta have been the subject of a number of articles and letters in the Oak Ridger, mostly in the 1960s. The above description is based on my recollections and some of those articles. Other surviving A-Leaguers likely have different recollections.

David Alspaugh aka “Applesauce”, ORHS Class of ‘62