Bruce Goldsmith
1936-2007

Sailors all over the world lost a friend yesterday with the Passing of Bruce Goldsmith. How do you describe the indescribable? Somehow, "You had to be there" comes closest.

Bruce won World Championships, North American Championships, National Championships and 2 Pan American Games Gold medals. He was second in the 1972 Olympic Trials to Buddy Melges.

His legend far exceeds the time he spent in sailing alone. But in a sport where sailors spend many an evening around boat parks discussing the greatest ever, Bruce stands in a very small group.

Those who have a heavy heart today, might want to train your mind's eye and fill in the blank:
Bruce is:___________

Two-time Lightning World Champion.
1960 Thistle Class National Champion.
Winning the Soling practice race at the 1972 Olympics by 5 minutes.
Late.
Missing a third crew.
Almost a leg ahead.
Sailing another blue boat called Snoopy.
Winning a North American title while not considering pouring out the case of beer someone hid under his foredeck.
Crossing the fleet on Port from the pin.
Setting up the model boat races.
Giving away 9 used jibs on the lawn.
Reinforcing a broken mast with a butter knife.
Winning another Pan American Games Medal.
Launched.

Yesterday, I tried to describe Bruce to my wife, who isn't an active sailor. I told her that you could take the 5 best sailors in the world in any era, put them on a starting line and he could (after leaving his boat in the water the three previous nights) beat any of them. She said, "Wow…and you were friends with him?" I paused awhile, considering how terrible simply changing one word from 'are' feels right now. "We all were" I said.

We all were.

Because he encouraged us. He hung out with us. He helped us get faster. He asked us to come along. He came along when we asked him. He finished in front of us but he made sure we never felt beaten.

He was the Bruin.

And today is just the first day of the forever when he'll be remembered.

by: Bill Faude