Dr. Otto. L. Schmidt Memorial Trophy

The Dr. Otto L. Schmidt Memorial Trophy race is an event for Class A established in 1936 to honor Dr. Otto Schmidt (1863-1935), who contributed throughout his life to the Yacht Club’s well-being as a trustee for many decades, commodore from 1907 to 1909, and club historian. He was president of the Inland Lake Yachting Association for 22 years. Dr. Schmidt’s successes on the water include the Class A title at the 1913 ILYA Annual Regatta and eight Sheridan Prizes in his A-boats Black Point and Senta. The perpetual trophy, donated to LGYC by members and friends, is a handsome sterling silver urn that has a double-tiered wood base with silver bands embossed with shields for the winners’ names. The names of winners from 1964 to 2004 are engraved on the back of the trophy, and the names of the winners since then are engraved on a plaque that the winner retains for the year. A Memorial Resolution honoring Dr. Schmidt is included in the minutes of the LGYC Annual Meeting of August 31, 1935. “To the sport he loved,” it says in part, “he brought a rare quality of leadership; giving unselfishly of his energy and resources; carrying on where others faltered.” Before the inaugural race on July 4, 1936, Bruce E. Adams, Memorial Committee Chairman, presented the new trophy to the club secretary Ernst C. Schmidt, Dr. Schmidt’s son. At that meeting a motion was made and passed that the course for the Schmidt Memorial Trophy race would be from the Yacht Club to Buttons Bay, Fontana, and return, or vice versa, with races starting to windward if possible. In 2011, the Board amended the criteria, and the trophy is now awarded to the best-scoring boat in four races held over two scheduled Series A race days, with a third scheduled Series A race day as a makeup. The first four completed races on the scheduled days are scored for the trophy. A minimum of three races must be completed. The skipper and crew of the winning boat receive commemorative pins.

  • 1936 H. N. Gifford/John Perrigo, skipper
  • 1937 H. N. Gifford/John Perrigo, skipper
  • 1938 Ernst C. Schmidt
  • 1939 A. F. Gartz Jr.
  • 1940 Jack Vilas Jr.
  • 1941 Jack Vilas Jr.
  • 1942 H. N. Gifford
  • 1943 Jack Vilas Jr.
  • 1944 Melville C. Jones
  • 1945 Melville C. Jones
  • 1946 John Perrigo and William Perrigo
  • 1947 Melville C. Jones
  • 1948 Jack Vilas Jr./Harry Melges, skipper
  • 1949 Melville C. Jones
  • 1950 Harry Melges/William C. Grunow Jr., skipper
  • 1951 Melville C. Jones
  • 1952 William C. Grunow Jr.
  • 1953 Ernst C. Schmidt
  • 1954 Ernst C. Schmidt
  • 1955 William C. Grunow Jr.
  • 1956 William C. Grunow Jr.
  • 1957 Perrigo Brothers
  • 1958 Ernst C. Schmidt
  • 1959 Ernst C. Schmidt
  • 1960 E. W. Simon and Donald P. Frankel
  • 1961 No race
  • 1962 E. W. Simon and Donald P. Frankel
  • 1963 No race
  • 1964 Ron Schloemer
  • 1965 E. W. Simon and Donald P. Frankel
  • 1966 E. W. Simon and Donald P. Frankel
  • 1967 No race
  • 1968 William H. Sills III
  • 1969 William H. Sills III
  • 1970 Gerald Schloemer
  • 1971 William H. Sills III
  • 1972 William H. Sills III/George Beukema, skipper
  • 1973 William H. Sills III/ Melville C. Jones, skipper
  • 1974 William H. Sills III/Melville C. Jones, skipper
  • 1975 No race
  • 1976 No race
  • 1977 No race
  • 1978 No race
  • 1979 Martin Ford and Dennis Menasco
  • 1980 Gene Trepte/John Porter, skipper
  • 1981 Gene Trepte/John Porter, skipper
  • 1982 William Freytag Jr.
  • 1983 Gene Trepte/John Porter, skipper
  • 1984 Bud Wallen and Peter Nauert
  • 1985 Buddy Melges
  • 1986 Melville C. Jones
  • 1987 No race
  • 1988 No race
  • 1989 No race
  • 1990 Gene Trepte/John Porter, skipper
  • 1991 No race
  • 1992 No race
  • 1993 No race
  • 1994 No race
  • 1995 No race
  • 1996 William Koch/ Buddy Melges, skipper
  • 1997 No race
  • 1998 John Porter
  • 1999 No race
  • 2000 No race
  • 2001 Erich Schloemer
  • 2002 John Porter
  • 2003 No race
  • 2004 John Anderson/Buddy Melges, skipper
  • 2005 John Anderson/Buddy Melges and Tom Freytag, skippers
  • 2006 John Porter
  • 2007 Ken Wruk and Tom Freytag
  • 2008 F. Terrence Blanchard/Andy Burdick
  • 2009 No race
  • 2010 F. Terrence Blanchard/Andy Burdick
  • 2011 F. Terrence Blanchard/Andy Burdick, skipper
  • 2012 John Anderson/Vincent Porter, skipper
  • 2013 Eagle, John R. Anderson/Vincent Porter, skipper
  • 2014 Eagle, Ryan Fitzgerald /Vincent Porter, skipper
  • 2015 Eagle, Ryan Fitzgerald/Vincent Porter, skipper
  • 2016 Eagle, Ryan Fitzgerald/Vincent Porter, skipper
  • 2017 Mad Cap, Thomas Freytag
  • 2018 Mad Cap, Thomas Freytag
  • 2019 Mad Cap, Thomas Freytag
  • 2020 White Heat, Hans Melges
  • 2021 Red Sky, Paul Reilly
  • 2022 Red Sky, Paul Reilly
  • 2023 Full Throttle, Vincent Porter
  • 2024 Crews Control, Michael Lynch