Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests
Miss Christmas Lighting
Long Beach Independent - Dec 8, 1960
Posted By: Alex - Fri Dec 24, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1960s, Christmas
Miss Heat Pump of 1957
As far as I can tell, Ann Brueggemann was the only young woman ever crowned 'Miss Heat Pump'.I like how her ideas for her costume all look like elegant dresses, whereas I'm sure that the company's idea was to put her in a giant heat pump costume.
Detroit Free Press - Mar 24, 1957
Posted By: Alex - Fri Dec 10, 2021 -
Comments (5)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1950s
Miss Drumsticks
The Miss Drumsticks contest began as a companion to the Arkansas Turkey Trot festival which, in turn, is famous for the tradition (now discontinued) of hurling live turkeys out of a plane.Contestants concealed their upper half behind a picture of a turkey so they could be judged on their 'drumsticks' alone.
I believe the contest continues to this day.
image source: Google arts and culture
Posted By: Alex - Thu Dec 02, 2021 -
Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests
Miss Lovely Eyes
"Contestants in the Miss Lovely Eyes beauty pageant in Florida wearing masks to obscure the rest of their faces, circa 1930."
Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 01, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, 1930s, Face and Facial Expressions
The Golden Mermaid Beauty Trophy
I wish the contest had continued with the mermaid theme.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 27, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Cryptozoology, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1920s
Miss Spirit World of 1960
In our ongoing exploration of strange beauty titles, this may be the strangest one yet. To be considered for this title, a contestant had to be dead.In 1960, the editors of Psychic Observer magazine asked their readers to send in "pictures of departed beauties taken by spirit photographers." A photo of the contestant while alive was also requested. The readers of the magazine would then vote to determine the winner.
Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to track down any pictures of the Miss Spirit World contestants. Only a few issues of Psychic Observer are archived online. Nor are there back copies in a library near me.
Carlsbad Current-Argus - Feb 9, 1960
Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 19, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Death, 1960s
Miss Chicken of Tomorrow
Two "Chicken of Tomorrow" contests were held. The first in 1948, and the second in 1951. Their purpose was to encourage farmers to breed meatier chickens. And they apparently succeeded. Modern Farmer magazine reports that, "Some of the champions of these competitions became the major genetics suppliers of today's poultry."Of course, at the time one couldn't hold such a major competition without simultaneously holding a beauty contest to find a young woman to be its queen. So, Nancy Magee became the first "Chicken of Tomorrow Queen" and Joan Walters was the second. Joan got quite a bit more publicity. She was paraded around the country as "Miss Chicken of Tomorrow."
For more info, check out this old documentary on YouTube about the 1948 contest.
Nancy Magee, the 1948 Chicken of Tomorrow Queen
"Miss Joan Walters of Rogers, Ark., 18-year-old brunette beauty, was crowned Chicken-of-Tomorrow Queen here last Friday night in a ceremony at the University of Arkansas field house."--The Madison County Record - Apr 12, 1951
"Miss Joan Walters of Rogers, Ark., was recently named National Chicken-of-Tomorrow Queen." Image source: Arkansas Land and Life - Spring/Summer 2004
San Bernardino County Sun - Apr 8, 1951
Orlando Evening Star - May 25, 1951
Posted By: Alex - Tue Nov 02, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Farming, 1940s, 1950s
Miss Kickback
At the end of each year, South Carolina would reward "kickbacks" of surplus state funds to the counties. In honor of this annual event, in 1962 and '63 the Columbia, SC Chamber of Commerce decided to hold a "Miss Kickback" beauty contest.The winner for 1962 was Jayne Arnold, and in 1963 Ann Warr was awarded the title.
The Columbia Record - Jan 10, 1962
The Columbia Record - Jan 9, 1963
Posted By: Alex - Mon Oct 11, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Politics, 1960s
Miss Albinism of Kenya, 2018
BBC coverage here.
I cannot find any evidence that the contest continued in subsequent years.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Oct 10, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Human Marvels, Africa
The Arctic Venus
Helmar Leiderman was the first Miss Alaska. Not really one of of our "oddball beauty titles." Except that when she was disqualified on a technicality during the Miss America contest, she sued and was later arrested.
Article source: The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) 01 Nov 1925, Sun Page 140
Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 08, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Lawsuits, 1920s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |