particularly for current Am Cup hiearchy--and trash tabloid aficionodes alike .
A Full Cup: Sir Thomas Lipton's Extraordinary Life and His Quest for the America's Cup Paperback by Michael D'Antonio (Author) Today Lipton means tea. However, in his time Sir Thomas Lipton was known for much more than the Lipton tea empire. Raised in desperate poverty, he would build a global empire of markets, factories, plantations, and stockyards. But his epic pursuit of the America’s Cup—a yachting trophy and the ultimate in international sport—made him a beloved figure on both sides of the Atlantic.
More than a story of innovation and achievement, A Full Cup also explores Lipton’s most intriguing creation: his public persona, formed by a burgeoning mass media and a shameless self-promotion that made him one of the most recognizable figures of his time. Michael D’Antonio brings to life the surprising careers of this intrepid sailor, gregarious showman, and ingenious self-made millionaire—the world’s very first celebrity CEO.
Queen Victoria knighted Lipton for his commercial success as well as his philanthropy. During the Spanish-American war, and later during WWI, Lipton gave money and services to aid the wounded. A keen yachtsman, Lipton first challenged for the America's Cup in 1899, with his yacht, Shamrock. He made five attempts to win the cup, but never won. However, he earned a reputation as "the world's best loser,” and was presented with a gold cup by the people of America for his good sportsmanship in 1930. Although he tired of being the perennial good loser, he did not lose enthusiasm for the event which consumed so much of his life. "It has kept me young, eager, buoyant and hopeful. It has brought me health and splendid friends," he remarked shortly before his death. Lipton died in London in 1931. He had no heirs, and left much of his fortune to the city of Glasgow, to aid the poor, and to build hospitals. His tea companies in North America remained, and have since expanded into many areas of food production, to be leaders in the industry. Much of his fortune was spent unsuccessfully competing for the Americas Cup, the premier sailing trophy.
