THIS DAY IN HISTORY: AUGUST 18, 1957
The Vancouver Sun has sponsored countless contests and promotional events in its 100year history. But precious few have come close to the popularity of the Sun Free Salmon Derby, a Vancouver tradition from 1940 to 1984. Hundreds, even thousands of boats used to jam Howe Sound for the annual event, which offered prizes to the anglers who caught the biggest fish. The prizes were so good, and the competition so fierce, that people used to cheat: The winner of the 1967 Salmon Derby was thrown in jail for six months after it was found he had purchased his 37- pound salmon at a dock. For most Vancouverites, however, it was just a great day out on the water. The 1957 Derby was held on Sunday, Aug. 18, and offered $ 6,000 in prizes, including a 19- foot Sangstercraft boat with a 35- horsepower Evinrude “Big Twin” motor.
Sun writer Mac Reynolds was dispatched to Horseshoe Bay at 3 a. m. to catch the early birds, and was surprised to arrive to a “bullfrog symphony of gas engines, hacking night air coughs, clunk of oars, and the Chinese wind chime tinkle of colliding spinners.” It was quite a scene. “This was Ahab after the Great White Whale,” Reynolds wrote. “And the reels, they clicked, and the hand pumps swished, and the men, they wore great Cowichan sweaters.” The crowd in the water was estimated to be 25,000 people. The winner was Pat Hadley, who reeled in a 29- pound, 10- ounce salmon at 5: 30 a. m. near Anvil Island. The furniture executive credited his wife with his big catch, because he wanted to move to another location and she convinced him to stay. The couple was featured on the front page, holding the big fish. The runner- up was 13- yearold Rennie Marr, who caught a 29- pound fish that was almost as long as Rennie was tall. He won a 12- foot Northwest Plastics speedboat.