Derby Downs

The 1936 and 1937 All-American Soap Box Derbies

Ronald Reed was first introduced to the Soap Box Derby in 1949 when the then seven-year-old attended his first race with his uncle and father. As he excitedly watched the Akron champ win his first heat by a large margin, there was no question Reed was hooked. In this second installment of his Soap Box Derby series, Reed covers the events of 1936 and 1937 as the All-American Soap Box Derby became an American tradition and found a permanent home.

Reed, who has witnessed sixty-four of the seventy-seven All-American races, begins by chronicling world events in 1936 as a formal rule book for the Soap Box Derby was introduced, tickets and programs were printed, and the Derby found its home in a new racing facility in Akron, Ohio. As Reed details the first race announced by legends Ted Husing, Graham McNamee, and Tom Manning, he expertly captures the excitement through preliminary heats and five rounds until Herbert Muench of St. Louis, Missouri, coasted to a decisive victory. Included is a follow-up history of the winners as well as a chronicling of events of 1937 as a new race began and over one hundred boys anxiously awaited their chance at fame.

Derby Downs continues the fascinating story of the All-American Soap Box Derby during 1936 and 1937 as it became an American institution.