Category:
Contests, Races and Other Competitions

The May Queen of the Pennsylvania College for Women




Flanked by her attendants, May Queen Anna Negley '27, sits on her seashell throne. By the mid-1920s, Pennsylvania College for Women held a May Day pageant every other year. The 1927 pageant had an undersea theme and featured a magic throne, pirates, Neptune, Davy Jones, mermaids, and other sea people. Titled, “Deep Sea Caverns,” the festival was written by Helen Gordon ’28 and Ethel Hamilton ’28 (Hamilton passed away before graduating.). Vanda Kerst once again directed the production and designed the costumes.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 02, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, 1920s, Universities, Colleges, Private Schools and Academia

The Bosom Battle of Mesquite

April 1988: In Mesquite, Texas, two women came to blows at a truck stop while arguing over which of them had the biggest bosom.

Witnesses told police the two women had been arguing earlier over citizens band radio and, about 2 a.m., agreed to meet at the truck stop to compare bosoms.

Abilene Reporter News - Apr 21, 1988



About a year later, a reporter tried to track down more info about this incident. He was able to speak with both the police officer who investigated the case and an employee at the truck stop, both of whom remembered the incident very well. But no record remained of who these women were, or which of them won the size contest.

Clarion Ledger - Sep 26, 1989

Posted By: Alex - Thu Feb 03, 2022 - Comments (9)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, 1980s

Miss Riviera

Why would this lovely Mademoiselle, perhaps hailing from Cannes or Nice and crowned "Miss Riviera," be posing in what looks like a furniture showroom, instead of at the beach or casino?

Because she is Miss Riviera Manufacturing of 1956.



"Mrs. Grace Boeckmann is fast acquiring beauty titles. She is Miss Riviera (chosen by the Riviera Manufacturing Co.), Miss Sun Valley and Miss San Fernando Valley. She now is representing the Valley as a contestant in the California finals of the Miss Universe competition."


Source.



"A huge expansion sale is under way at both of the Valley locations of the Riviera Manufacturing Co., maker of sofa beds. Shown above is the North Hollywood location at 11015 Magnolia Blvd., where a new annex is being constructed. The other location is in Reseda."


Source.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Jan 11, 2022 - Comments (2)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Domestic, 1950s

Virta Warrens, From Miss Portland 1930 to the Racetrack

Somewhat in our line of Weird Beauty Queens: her title as a queen wasn't weird, but maybe her subsequent career was--for the times!



Source of article below.

Read a short charming memoir written by Virta's daughter here.



Posted By: Paul - Wed Nov 24, 2021 - Comments (0)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, 1930s, Cars

Pageant Planet

I just stumbled across this website, which curates all the ongoing beauty pageants everywhere. It ties in of course with our WU quest for odd beauty contests. But it's almost too rich, like shooting fish in a barrel. Of course, it doesn't cover great historical items, like best housewife or Miss Atomic Bomb. Nonetheless, you might like to wander its pages.

Miss Gamecock.



Miss Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo Beauty Contest

Posted By: Paul - Tue Nov 09, 2021 - Comments (3)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, World

Japanese Encoffiner Contest 2016

I had no more luck than Alex in searching for "Miss Metallic Casket." But I did find a Japanese competition for "encoffiners."

Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 23, 2021 - Comments (3)
Category: Body, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Conventions, Death, Asia

Bailey’s Comets



The Wikipedia page.

According to Mark Arnold's book, Think Pink! The Story of DePatie-Freling Productions, producing the show was a nightmare, due to the massive amount of characters. Not only did the series do extremely poorly in the ratings, it got so costly to produce it nearly broke the studio, curtailing production for that year.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Aug 08, 2021 - Comments (2)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Fads, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Sports, Cartoons, 1970s

Miss Cheesecake of 1951

Unlike many beauty queens, Franca Faldini did not hit a dead end with the assumption of her bogus title, but went on to have a decent career.



Source.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Mar 04, 2021 - Comments (0)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Movies, 1950s, Europe

The Aeolus Wind Car Competition

The event got cancelled in 2020, but plans to resume this year.



Forty seconds of narration in French preface this second video.



Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 10, 2021 - Comments (2)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Technology, Environmentalism and Ecology, Cars

Page 2 of 16 pages  < 1 2 3 4 >  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
October 2024 •  September 2024 •  August 2024 •  July 2024 •  June 2024 •  May 2024 •  April 2024 •  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 •