Crow Athletics Message Board: Re: STEVIE V. --> BAA awards

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Re: STEVIE V. --> BAA awards - > Historical musings

Posted by B...On prizes.... on July 28, 2007, 8:08 am, in reply to "Re: STEVIE V. --> BAA awards - > Historical musings"

Stevie V...Bob Campbell was in charge of a 10 miler in Portsmouth, N.H. (about)'67..won it & received a FANTASTIC silver tea set..still have it ....N.H. on down, as you know, had quite the prize list for a dollar entry fee...as u say, trophies were huge & durable....B
--Previous Message--
: I've collected a lot of older items for the
: BAA in the past few years. They include
: trophies from various events, meet programs,
: media photos, medals, badges, officials'
: credentials, etc.
:
: While the Boston Athletic Assocation has had
: significant office space for nearly 20 years
: which follows the sponsorship of the John
: Hancock company (their current office is in
: the JH Conference Center across the street
: from the JH Tower), there was a lengthy
: period between the 1930's and 1960's when
: there was no permanent home.
:
: The BAA had an actual clubhouse from its
: inception in the 1880's through the 1930's
: when the Great Depression contributed to
: financial woes. The old clubhouse was in
: the location of the Boston Public Library's
: addition at the marathon finish line (the
: marathon used to turn right on Exeter Street
: and finish infront of the clubhouse doors -
: why some old photos don't seem to match up
: with current geography).
:
: When the clubhouse closed its doors and the
: club headquarters went from a room in the
: Hotel Lenox and then to Jock's massage room
: in Boston Garden, lots of history and basic
: building materials simply disappeared. Not
: theft, not hoarding, simply were tossed out.
: Thus, the current BAA office has a single
: original chair from the reading room, a
: single original plate from the dining room,
: and I found a pickle fork with the unicorn
: logo on eBay recently.
: Lots of trophies and many records may have
: been distributed for "safe
: keeping" 70 years ago, but never
: recollected.
:
: Board of Governors member Gloria Ratti
: became the archivist as the 100th marathon
: approached, and has slowly built a colletion
: of memorabilia. Some items have been
: donated, the BAA purchases some (I get
: reimbursed for some items I find), some are
: on permanent loan. In one case, a guy had
: purchsed 2 trophies from marathon races in
: the 1900's. He came by to visit from out of
: town, and apparently was appalled that the
: BAA was polishing up and cleaning old and
: damaged items; he was a "purist"
: who thought items should be displayed
: "as is", tarnished, water damaged,
: broken. He would not even arrange for
: photos of his trophies.
:
: On to the awards - it is interesting to see
: what
: was in vogue for awards over the years.
: Most of the hardware was from track meets as
: is the one Mary found. Simple cups, 2
: handled cups, 3 legged or 3 handled bowls,
: and the like, in pewter and silver. Medals
: for many track meets (including their big
: high school invitational), and then the
: marathon itself has generally awarded
: versions of the standard "loving
: cup" - in sized up to almost 2 feet
: tall!
:
: The oldest award I've found for them is an
: 1891 silver cup for a handicap mile run.
: Awards such as this were always engraved,
: usually with the winner's name and sometimes
: performance (as seen on this cup). They
: were 3 deep even for the minor events.
: Quite expensive, though remember that there
: were not many events, track or road, held in
: the early part of the century.
:
: In some ways it's ... sad is not quite the
: word ... nostalgic, maybe, to see the
: quality prizes that were awareded for
: hard-earned performances. Now we live in a
: world of generic plastic trophies and
: medals, where race directors are chastised
: if they don't have a full gamut of age group
: awards, where getting a neckfull of ribbons
: won by default (i.e., no one else in the age
: division) is cause for celebrtion, and where
: it's all about the t-shirts and food and
: less about the performance, racing, and
: competition.
:
: Sorry to ramble on. I'll try to post some
: pics of interesting BAA history in the
: coming weeks.
:
: Stevie V
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: Steve,
:
: Very overdue, but here it is!
:
:
:
: It says "Third Prize" on the top
: above the unicorn. Below that it says
: "1000 Yds Run". The line below
: that reads "Mar. 16, 1901." And
: below that "Won by", and below
: that "R.P. Nichols"
:
: Whadayathink?
:
:
:

Message Thread:

STEVIE V. --> BAA award - Mary July 20, 2007, 3:16 pm

Re: STEVIE V. --> BAA award - gary July 20, 2007, 5:33 pm

Re: STEVIE V. --> BAA awards - > Historical musings - Stevie V July 24, 2007, 10:45 am

Re: STEVIE V. --> BAA awards - > Historical musings - B...On prizes.... July 28, 2007, 8:08 am

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--Previous Message-- : Stevie V...Bob Campbell was in charge of a 10 : miler in Portsmouth, N.H. (about)'67..won it : & received a FANTASTIC silver tea : set..still have it ....N.H. on down, as you : know, had quite the prize list for a dollar : entry fee...as u say, trophies were huge : & durable....B : : --Previous Message-- : I've collected a lot of older items for the : BAA in the past few years. They include : trophies from various events, meet programs, : media photos, medals, badges, officials' : credentials, etc. : : While the Boston Athletic Assocation has had : significant office space for nearly 20 years : which follows the sponsorship of the John : Hancock company (their current office is in : the JH Conference Center across the street : from the JH Tower), there was a lengthy : period between the 1930's and 1960's when : there was no permanent home. : : The BAA had an actual clubhouse from its : inception in the 1880's through the 1930's : when the Great Depression contributed to : financial woes. The old clubhouse was in : the location of the Boston Public Library's : addition at the marathon finish line (the : marathon used to turn right on Exeter Street : and finish infront of the clubhouse doors - : why some old photos don't seem to match up : with current geography). : : When the clubhouse closed its doors and the : club headquarters went from a room in the : Hotel Lenox and then to Jock's massage room : in Boston Garden, lots of history and basic : building materials simply disappeared. Not : theft, not hoarding, simply were tossed out. : Thus, the current BAA office has a single : original chair from the reading room, a : single original plate from the dining room, : and I found a pickle fork with the unicorn : logo on eBay recently. : Lots of trophies and many records may have : been distributed for "safe : keeping" 70 years ago, but never : recollected. : : Board of Governors member Gloria Ratti : became the archivist as the 100th marathon : approached, and has slowly built a colletion : of memorabilia. Some items have been : donated, the BAA purchases some (I get : reimbursed for some items I find), some are : on permanent loan. In one case, a guy had : purchsed 2 trophies from marathon races in : the 1900's. He came by to visit from out of : town, and apparently was appalled that the : BAA was polishing up and cleaning old and : damaged items; he was a "purist" : who thought items should be displayed : "as is", tarnished, water damaged, : broken. He would not even arrange for : photos of his trophies. : : On to the awards - it is interesting to see : what : was in vogue for awards over the years. : Most of the hardware was from track meets as : is the one Mary found. Simple cups, 2 : handled cups, 3 legged or 3 handled bowls, : and the like, in pewter and silver. Medals : for many track meets (including their big : high school invitational), and then the : marathon itself has generally awarded : versions of the standard "loving : cup" - in sized up to almost 2 feet : tall! : : The oldest award I've found for them is an : 1891 silver cup for a handicap mile run. : Awards such as this were always engraved, : usually with the winner's name and sometimes : performance (as seen on this cup). They : were 3 deep even for the minor events. : Quite expensive, though remember that there : were not many events, track or road, held in : the early part of the century. : : In some ways it's ... sad is not quite the : word ... nostalgic, maybe, to see the : quality prizes that were awareded for : hard-earned performances. Now we live in a : world of generic plastic trophies and : medals, where race directors are chastised : if they don't have a full gamut of age group : awards, where getting a neckfull of ribbons : won by default (i.e., no one else in the age : division) is cause for celebrtion, and where : it's all about the t-shirts and food and : less about the performance, racing, and : competition. : : Sorry to ramble on. I'll try to post some : pics of interesting BAA history in the : coming weeks. : : Stevie V : : : --Previous Message-- : Steve, : : Very overdue, but here it is! : : : : It says "Third Prize" on the top : above the unicorn. Below that it says : "1000 Yds Run". The line below : that reads "Mar. 16, 1901." And : below that "Won by", and below : that "R.P. Nichols" : : Whadayathink? : : : : :

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