{{Short description|American entrepreneur (1908–1987)}} {{Infobox sailor | name= Harry Gale Nye Jr. | image=harrynye 001.jpg | imagesize= | caption = Harry Nye (bottom right) and crew after winning the [[Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race]] in 1948 | fullname = Harry Gale Nye | nicknames = | nationality = {{USA}} | classes = [[Star (keelboat)|Star]] | club = | collegeteam = | birth_date = {{birth date|1908|02|12}} | birth_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] | death_date = {{death date and age|1987|9|11|1908|2|12}} | death_place = [[Newport Beach]], [[California]] | height = | weight = | retired = | medaltemplates= {{MedalSport|[[Sailing at the Summer Olympics|Sailing]]}} {{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships}} {{MedalGold|[[Star World Championship|1942 Lake Michigan]]|Star class}} {{MedalGold|[[Star World Championship|1949 Chicago]]|Star class}} {{MedalSilver|[[Star World Championship|1938 San Diego]]|Star class}} {{MedalSilver|[[Star World Championship|1941 Los Angeles]]|Star class}} }}
'''Harry Gale Nye Jr.''' (February 12, 1908 – September 11, 1987) was a [[Chicago]]-born American industrialist, entrepreneur, and world champion sailor. He graduated from the [[Berkshire School]] and joined the class of 1933 at [[Yale University]] where he was a member of the Society of [[Book and Snake]]. Nye, a descendant of the Yale family whose gift founded the university,<ref>Sons of the American Revolution (1918), National Year Book, Washington, D.C.: Sons of the American Revolution, p. 380.</ref> left Yale prior to his graduation upon his father's death in order to return home to Chicago to become president of the Nye Tool and Machine Works. The Nye Tool had been the plaintiff in a patent infringement case heard by the [[United States Supreme Court]] in 1923.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=261&invol=24 |title=FindLaw | Cases and Codes |publisher=Caselaw.lp.findlaw.com |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref>
In 1933, Mr. Nye together with Jim Murphy founded Murphy & Nye Sailmakers,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://brand.murphynye.com/storia.php |title=Murphy & nye |access-date=2012-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122045202/http://brand.murphynye.com/storia.php |archive-date=2012-01-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a business which is today a prominent Italian fashion apparel company and frequent sponsor of and supplier to [[Louis Vuitton Cup]] and [[America's Cup]] campaigns<ref>{{cite web | url=http://32nd.americascup.com/en/scripts/print/popup_print.php?idRubrique=35&idContent=25000&lang=en | title=Murphy and Nye: Fashion and the America's Cup | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713103515/http://32nd.americascup.com/en/scripts/print/popup_print.php?idRubrique=35&idContent=25000&lang=en | archive-date=2012-07-13 }}</ref> such as [[United Internet Team Germany]] and Emirates [[Team New Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://valenciasailing.blogspot.com/2006/03/murphynye-to-supply-clothing-of-united.html |title=Valencia Sailing: Murphy&Nye to supply clothing of United Internet Team Germany |publisher=Valenciasailing.blogspot.com |date=2006-03-23 |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sfilate.it/20949/i-capi-tecnici-di-murphynye-a-bordo-di-azzurra-al-louis-vuitton-trophy-auckland |title=Murphy&Nye Crew and Azzurra jointly at the Louis Vuitton Trophy |publisher=Fashionandrunway.com |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref>
Nye was widely regarded as one of the nation's most respected yachtsmen.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/09/22/harry-g-nye-champion-yachtsman/ | work=Chicago Tribune | first=Kenan | last=Heise | title=Harry G. Nye, Champion Yachtsman | date=September 22, 1987}}</ref> Nye's yachts aptly donned the family name, ''Gale''. He twice won the [[Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac]] in 1950 and 1951<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/%5Cattachments%5CRaceResults%5C20100824084227Mac-Trophy-Winner-List-Short-Version.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.chicagoyachtclub.org |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725163325/http://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/%5Cattachments%5CRaceResults%5C20100824084227Mac-Trophy-Winner-List-Short-Version.pdf |archive-date=25 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and twice won the [[Star World Championship]] in the [[Star (keelboat)|Star]] class in 1942 and 1949.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.starclass.org/history/worlds.htm|title = Star Class | History}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starclass.org/history/1949worlds.htm |title=1949 World Championship Report |publisher=Starclass.org |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref>
Nye won many other international sailing competitions including the [[Bacardi Cup]] (in 1938, 1940 and 1941), a regatta which was started by the [[Bacardi]] (rum) family and held in [[Havana, Cuba]] in the pre-[[Fidel Castro]] era.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starclass.org/history/bacardi.htm |title=Bacardi Cup History |publisher=Star Class |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref>
In 1946, Nye served with [[New York Yacht Club]] Commodores [[Harold Stirling Vanderbilt]] and W.A.W. Stewart on a subcommittee of the North American Yacht Racing Union (now known as [[US Sailing]]) to write the revised International Yacht Racing Rules, originally codified by Vanderbilt in 1934.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_I1AQAAMAAJ&dq=harold+s+vanderbilt+international+yacht+racing+rules+harry+nye&pg=RA5-PA120 ''Motor Boating''] (January 1946), p. 120. Retrieved 2015-12-06.</ref>
Nye's commitment to the Star Class continued beyond his own active sailing career. He served as Commodore of the International Star Class Yacht Racing Association from 1955 to 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starclass.org/officers.htm |title=Officers of the ISCYRA |publisher=Starclass.org |date=2010-12-31 |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref> Following his death, the Harry Nye Trophy was established and is awarded to individuals whose extraordinary efforts contributed significantly to the success of the Star Class.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starclass.org/artman/publish/article_334.shtml |title=2007 Harry Nye Trophy |publisher=Starclass.org |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref> The winner of the fourth race in the Star World Championship is also awarded the Harry G. Nye Trophy, in honor of Nye's dedication and service to the Star Class.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starclass.org/history/1980worlds.htm |title=1980 World Championship – Regatta Report |publisher=Starclass.org |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref>
Nye founded and was president of North American Hydrofoils which designed and built the U.S.'s first commuter [[hydrofoil]]s, named ''Enterprise'' and ''Endeavour'', in 1961. These two prototype vessels were commissioned to shuttle commuters from [[Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey]] to [[Wall Street]] in [[Manhattan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foils.org/gallery/enterpr.htm |title=Enterprise |publisher=Foils.org |access-date=2011-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100428050743/http://www.foils.org/gallery/enterpr.htm |archive-date=2010-04-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.app.com/article/20010517/NEWS/70830089 |title=Atlantic Highlands, Highlands and Sandy Hook: A brief history | The Asbury Park Press |publisher=APP.com |date=2007-08-30 |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref>
The Nye family is one of America's oldest. The [[Benjamin Nye Homestead]] stands as a museum in [[East Sandwich, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyefamily.org/ |title=www.nyefamily.org |publisher=www.nyefamily.org |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref> Harry Nye was descended from [[Mayflower]] passenger [[Thomas Rogers (Mayflower Pilgrim)|Thomas Rogers]].<ref>Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants (1925), The Mayflower Descendant, Volume XXVII, Boston: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, p. 143.</ref>
Harry Nye's oldest child, Julia Gale (Judy) Nye,<ref>{{cite web|date=|title=Interview with Judy and Phil Hallisy|url=http://sdhistoricalsociety.net/oralhistory/interviews/JUDY-PHILLIP-HALLISY.htm|access-date=15 July 2021|website=Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society}}</ref> was married to media mogul [[Ted Turner]].<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974622-2,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417043244/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974622-2,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=April 17, 2008 | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | first=Priscilla | last=Painton | title=The Taming of Ted Turner | date=January 6, 1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kenauletta.com/2001_04_23_thelosttycoon.html |title=Articles – The Lost Tycoon (Ted Turner) |publisher=Ken Auletta |access-date=2011-08-13}}</ref>
Harry Gale Nye Jr. died at Newport Beach, California on September 11, 1987, at the age of 79.
Nye has been nominated posthumously for induction into the [[National Sailing Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nshof.org/nominees/nye-harry/ |title=Nominees Harry Nye |publisher=nshof.org |date=2021-12-30 |access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref>
==See also== * [[List of World Championships medalists in sailing (keelboat classes)]] ==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://mobius.mysticseaport.org/detail.php?module=objects&type=related&kv=419049 Commodore Raphael Posso presenting the Cuba Trophy to Harry G. Nye Jr. and Wally Etzbach] * [http://mobius.mysticseaport.org/detail.php?module=objects&type=related&kv=419052 Harry Nye Jr. and Lewis Gilbert under sail in International Star Class "GALE"] * [http://mobius.mysticseaport.org/detail.php?module=objects&type=related&kv=419051 Commodore Rafael Posso presents Cuba Cup to Harry Nye]. * Leeds Mitchell and Harry Nye, Cuba, 1938 [http://mobius.mysticseaport.org/detail.php?module=objects&type=related&kv=331725] * [https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,850699,00.html Sport: Star of Stars], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', September 1, 1941 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713181956/http://lakemagazine.com/magazine/article.asp?articleid=LID-64-S6ZXQ-20085355 "Into the Wind"], ''Lake Magazine'', July 2008. Article about Judy Nye. * {{cite news |title=Nye's Yacht Gale Wins Bacardi Cup |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/01/31/archives/nyes-yacht-gale-wins-bacardi-cup-southern-lake-michigan-boat-adds.html |date=January 31, 1940}} * {{cite magazine |title=Ice Yachting |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,883602-1,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103034135/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,883602-1,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |date=February 8, 1937}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100923013102/http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/pdf/Mac-history.pdf History of the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac], p. 11. * [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19630713&id=qkE0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=DeoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1125,3812953 "Huge Miami-Built Boat Flies".]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''[[The Miami News]]''. July 13, 1963. * [https://books.google.com/books?id=4jyu00Z9JBAC&dq=hydrofoil+nye+enterprise&pg=PA113 "Tomorrow's Hulls: On Wings and Wind"]. ''Motor Boating''. February 1965. {{Footer World Champions Star}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nye, Harry Gale Jr.}} [[Category:Businesspeople from Chicago]] [[Category:Yale University alumni]] [[Category:Berkshire School alumni]] [[Category:1908 births]] [[Category:1987 deaths]] [[Category:Star class world champions]] [[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]] [[Category:World champions in sailing for the United States]] [[Category:Star class sailors]]