Category:
Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests

Miss Automated Handling

In 1961, the Norfolk Naval Supply Center introduced a half-million-dollar automated system for material handling in order to expedite "the movement of vast quantities of supplies and stores to shore stations and ships all over the world."

As part of the opening ceremonies, Norma Jean Riganto was crowned "Miss Automated Handling."

Adding a light touch to the ceremonies was the presentation of Norma Jean Riganto, a stock recording clerk, who won over 17 other Supply Center beauties for the title of "Miss Automated Handling." Peggy Knight, who works in the Material Department, was the runner-up.

Virginian-Pilot - Oct 13, 1961

Posted By: Alex - Fri Sep 08, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1960s

Miss Union Label

I thought this was fitting for Labor Day Weekend!







Posted By: Paul - Sat Sep 02, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Tradesmen, Manual Laborers, and Skilled Workers, 1950s

Miss Garbage Disposal

Miami News - June 5, 1951



I couldn't find a picture of Mary Gleason as Miss Garbage Disposal, but below is a picture of her from the same month that she gained the title. It looks like the photo was taken at the theater where she was performing.

Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin - June 10, 1951



I also found reports stating that in 1946 Shirley Halloran was named "Miss Automatic Garbage Disposal," but I couldn't find any pictures of her.

Posted By: Alex - Mon Aug 28, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1950s

Miss Jitterbug



Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 25, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1940s, Dance

Gurning

In September, after a three-year break due to Covid, the World Gurning Championships will once again be held at the Egremont Crab Fair in England. The crab fair dates back to 1267, and the gurning contest may be almost as old.

Explanatory text from Yesterday's Country Customs: A History of Traditional English Folklore.



Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 24, 2023 - Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Sports

Miss Juke Box, Revisited

A few months ago, I made a post titled "Miss Juke Box" that involved a song of that name. But now, with more diligent research, I actually find some beauty contest queens under that rubric. Alas, I cannot identify the woman in the first photo.









Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 15, 2023 - Comments (3)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Music, Technology, Twentieth Century

Miss Automatic Gas Range

You can find Irmgard Dawson's IMDB page here.

You can also find some biographical info about her in the text of a 1965 court case, Levitt v. Levitt, in which her former husband, Gene Levitt, was suing to lower his alimony payments to her. The document says that in the late 1950s Dawson had moved back to Germany where her sole source of income was the alimony. Nevertheless, the court agreed to lower the payments to a "token amount."

Gene Levitt was a TV writer best known for creating the Fantasy Island series.

Highland Park News-Herald - Apr 24, 1953



Los Angeles Southwest Wave - May 10, 1953



In 1944, Dawson had also won the title of "Watermelon-Eating Queen of Florida" at a contest in Miami Beach. Note that her crown was carved from a watermelon.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 10, 2023 - Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1950s

Miss Radioactive

In 1955, two women (Jeanne Baird and Sandy Hershey) were separately named "Miss Radioactive." I can't find any evidence of this title being used before or after 1955.

They both seem to be displaying the same type of radiation detector — a scintillometer. If, like me, you weren't aware of the difference between a Geiger counter and a scintillometer, you can read about it here.

Los Angeles Evening Citizen News - Feb 14, 1955



Casper Star Tribune - June 24, 1955

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 28, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1950s

Miss Crustacean

In 1951, Meta Justice became the first "Miss Crustacean." She was awarded the title at the annual crab derby in Crisfield, Maryland. She died last year (2022), and her obituary mentions the title. So it must have been something she was proud of.

Salisbury Daily Times - Aug 27, 1951



Baltimore Sun - Aug 27, 1951



In 1952, the festival committee decided to change the title from "Miss Crustacean" to "Miss Hard Crab Derby." They explained that Miss Crustacean "turned out to be altogether too cryptic, with people in general not understanding what it meant."

However, in subsequent years the title reverted to being "Miss Crustacean." Evidently that was less cryptic than "Miss Hard Crab Derby."

Baltimore Evening Sun - Sep 1, 1953



The annual tradition of bestowing the title of "Miss Crustacean" on a young woman continues to this day in Crisfield. Check out the highlights of the 2019 competition below.

More info: National Hard Crab Derby

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jul 21, 2023 - Comments (3)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1950s

The Perfect Back Contest

Several different organizations conducted contests for "The Perfect Back." (Why no males were ever invited escapes me.) But the National Chiropractic Association version seems the longest-running and most-publicized. The fellow enjoying himself is one Dr. Charles Wood.









Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 21, 2023 - Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Body, Medicine, Twentieth Century

Page 4 of 23 pages ‹ First  < 2 3 4 5 6 >  Last ›




weird universe thumbnail
Who We Are
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
Monthly Archives
March 2024 •  February 2024 •  January 2024

December 2023 •  November 2023 •  October 2023 •  September 2023 •  August 2023 •  July 2023 •  June 2023 •  May 2023 •  April 2023 •  March 2023 •  February 2023 •  January 2023

December 2022 •  November 2022 •  October 2022 •  September 2022 •  August 2022 •  July 2022 •  June 2022 •  May 2022 •  April 2022 •  March 2022 •  February 2022 •  January 2022

December 2021 •  November 2021 •  October 2021 •  September 2021 •  August 2021 •  July 2021 •  June 2021 •  May 2021 •  April 2021 •  March 2021 •  February 2021 •  January 2021

December 2020 •  November 2020 •  October 2020 •  September 2020 •  August 2020 •  July 2020 •  June 2020 •  May 2020 •  April 2020 •  March 2020 •  February 2020 •  January 2020

December 2019 •  November 2019 •  October 2019 •  September 2019 •  August 2019 •  July 2019 •  June 2019 •  May 2019 •  April 2019 •  March 2019 •  February 2019 •  January 2019

December 2018 •  November 2018 •  October 2018 •  September 2018 •  August 2018 •  July 2018 •  June 2018 •  May 2018 •  April 2018 •  March 2018 •  February 2018 •  January 2018

December 2017 •  November 2017 •  October 2017 •  September 2017 •  August 2017 •  July 2017 •  June 2017 •  May 2017 •  April 2017 •  March 2017 •  February 2017 •  January 2017

December 2016 •  November 2016 •  October 2016 •  September 2016 •  August 2016 •  July 2016 •  June 2016 •  May 2016 •  April 2016 •  March 2016 •  February 2016 •  January 2016

December 2015 •  November 2015 •  October 2015 •  September 2015 •  August 2015 •  July 2015 •  June 2015 •  May 2015 •  April 2015 •  March 2015 •  February 2015 •  January 2015

December 2014 •  November 2014 •  October 2014 •  September 2014 •  August 2014 •  July 2014 •  June 2014 •  May 2014 •  April 2014 •  March 2014 •  February 2014 •  January 2014

December 2013 •  November 2013 •  October 2013 •  September 2013 •  August 2013 •  July 2013 •  June 2013 •  May 2013 •  April 2013 •  March 2013 •  February 2013 •  January 2013

December 2012 •  November 2012 •  October 2012 •  September 2012 •  August 2012 •  July 2012 •  June 2012 •  May 2012 •  April 2012 •  March 2012 •  February 2012 •  January 2012

December 2011 •  November 2011 •  October 2011 •  September 2011 •  August 2011 •  July 2011 •  June 2011 •  May 2011 •  April 2011 •  March 2011 •  February 2011 •  January 2011

December 2010 •  November 2010 •  October 2010 •  September 2010 •  August 2010 •  July 2010 •  June 2010 •  May 2010 •  April 2010 •  March 2010 •  February 2010 •  January 2010

December 2009 •  November 2009 •  October 2009 •  September 2009 •  August 2009 •  July 2009 •  June 2009 •  May 2009 •  April 2009 •  March 2009 •  February 2009 •  January 2009

December 2008 •  November 2008 •  October 2008 •  September 2008 •  August 2008 •  July 2008 •