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Miss America 1923
Mary Katherine Campbell, Miss America 1923
Date	September 7, 1923
Presenters	King Neptune (Hudson Maxim)
Venue	Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Entrants	75
Placements	5
Winner	Mary Katherine Campbell N/A
← 19221924 →

Miss America 1923, was the third Miss America pageant, held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, September 7, 1923.

At the conclusion of the event, King Neptune crowned the incumbent titleholder Mary Katherine Campbell as Miss America 1923. Campbell is the only Miss America to win the title twice.

Contestants from 75 cities, states, and titles competed at the event. The event was presented by Hudson Maxim dressed as King Neptune.

Overview

Organization of pageant

The pageant consisted of four phases of competition: evening dress (called King Neptune's Court); roller chair parade, bathing girl revue, and the final. There was no talent competition at this pageant (this would not become part of the Miss America competition until 1935).

Judges

The panel of judges for the national pageant included film director, Penrhyn Stanlaws; painter, Joseph Cummings Chase; glamour artist, J. Knowles Hare; illustrator, Dean Cornwell; and painter and illustrator, Norman Rockwell.

Aftermath

Soon after the conclusion of the pageant, numerous women clubs and church groups protested against any further beauty contests and, " that they be prohibited by law," and, " as vulgar, undignified 'and demoralizing to young womanhood." One woman was quoted saying, " 'The beauty of our girls is too glorious, too sacred a thing to be put on exhibition like the freaks in a circus side show, to be commercialized and made the basis for all sorts of mercenary schemes.' "

Another protest arose when Ethelda Kenvin, Miss Brooklyn, was named the 1st runner-up at the conclusion of the contest despite being married since 1921 to professional baseball player Eppie Barnes. Some of her fellow contestants insisted that her placement and awards be revoked due to her marital status and violations of eligibility rules. The judges' panel were made aware of this but ultimately decided to allow Kenvin to keep her prizes.

Additionally, Helmar Liederman of New York filed suit against the contest directors, Armand T. Nichols and Harry L. Godshall, Sr., for $150,000 due to their refusal to allow her to enter the national competition as "Miss Alaska" because she was a married woman, despite being authorized to compete by a newspaper in Juneau, Alaska.

Results

Placements

Awards

Evening Dress Award

Award also referred to as "King Neptune's Court."

Roller Chair Parade

Contestants

•   Winner
•   Runner-up
•   Non-Finalist Award Winner

City / State / Title	Name	Age	Notes
Akron	Thelma Boyd
Alaska	Helmar Liederman	24	Competed in Miss America 1922 pageant as Miss Alaska. Disqualified from 1923 pageant because she was married.
Albany	Peggy Ross
Allentown	Helen Noble
Altoona	Margaret Lillian Ross
Asheville	Rose Hildebrand
Atlanta, Georgia	Frances Thayer
Baltimore	Billie Muller
Binghamton	Bonita C. Bement	19
Birmingham	Louise Newman
Boston	Margaret L. Black
Bridgeton	Sarah Delp
Brighton Beach	Edithea Lois Wild	15
Brooklyn	Ethelda Kenvin	24	Married baseball player, E.D. Barnes, in 1921
Buffalo	Irene Knight
Burlington	Hazel Gove
Cambridge	Doris Rowden George
Camden	Florence Nurock
Cape May	Mildred McCann
Chicago	Corrine Dellefield
Cincinnati	Olga Emrick		Later worked as a stenographer and was active with the "Anti-Flirt Club"
Cleveland	Mary Jane Clark
Columbus	Genevieve Mambourg
Coney Island	Heather Eulalie Walker		Star of the lost musical film, Hit the Deck, opposite Jack Oakie
Cumberland	Elizabeth Catherine Steele	18
Detroit	Beth Madson		Also competed in Miss America 1922 pageant as Miss Detroit
Easton	Agnes Connelly
Erie	Dorothy Haupt		Also competed in Miss America 1922 pageant as Miss Easton
Fort Worth	Bessie Laurene Roosa
Hammonton	Alice Kind
Harrisburg	Helen R. Knisely
Jacksonville	Alyce Phillips
Johnstown	Betty Grening
Lakeland	Mary Weaver
Lebanon	Grace Kohr
Long Branch	Elene Hicks	19	Died of breast cancer in 1940 at age 38
Louisville	Juanita Hobbs
Memphis	Elizabeth Mallory
Miami	Katherine Kyle		Also known as "Katherine Newlon"
Miss America 1921	C. Margaret Gorman	18	Competed as Miss America 1921
Miss America 1922	Mary Katherine Campbell	16	Competed as Miss America 1922 Only woman to win the national pageant twice
New Bedford	Mildred Salisbury
New Haven	Helen Haddock
New Jersey	Elizabeth McClure
	Alberta Dorothy Smith
	Elsie Banholzer
New York City	Peggy Verna Shevlin
Niagara Falls	Nelda Tell
Norristown	Mildred Maconachy
Ocean City	Grace Taylor
Oklahoma City	Mary Deen Overly
Pensacola	Katherine Floyd
Philadelphia	Marion Green
Portland	Winona Evelyn Drew
Portland	Patricia Smith
Pottsville	Isabel Lynch
Providence	Loretta La Flamme
Reading	Jane Ondeck
Richmond	Billie Gates
Rochester	Reta Cowles
St. Louis	Charlotte Nash	17	Married millionaire and theatre magnate, Fred Nixon-Nirdlinger, twice Shot and killed Nixon-Nirdlinger in March 1931 in Nice, France Was acquitted after successfully arguing act was in self-defense
San Antonio	Katherine Helmsley
San Francisco	Violet Regal
Sunbury	Mary Botto
Syracuse	Eileen Snyder
Trenton	Alma D. DeCone
Tulsa	Constance Crosby
Vineland	Mary E. Edwards
Washington, D.C.	Lorraine Bunch
West Virginia	Neva Jackson
Wildwoody	Eleanor Addis
Wilmington	Ruth Agnes Brady

References

1. "Miss Columbus Again Captures Beauty Title". The Norwalk Hour. 1923-09-07. p. 16.
2. "Ohio Girl Again is 'Miss America'". The Sandusky Register. 1923-09-08. p. 1.
3. "Twice Honored As Miss America". The Sandusky Star Journal. 1923-09-08. p. 5.
4. "Miss America History 1923". Archived from the original on 2015-02-10. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
5. ^ Croyle, Johnathan (September 8, 2018). "Miss Syracuse charms at the 1923 Miss America Pageant". Syracuse.com.
6. ^ Schnitzspahn, Karen (September 8, 1997). "There She Was – Miss Long Branch". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com. ...talent contest that was established in 1935.
7. ^ "Columbus, O. Girl Again Wins Title of "Miss America"". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. September 8, 1923. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Why They Want a Law Forbidding Beauty Contests". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. November 11, 1923. Feature Section, p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ Watson, Elwood; Martin, Darcy (2004). "There She Is, Miss America": The Politics of Sex, Beauty, and Race in America's Most Famous Pageant (1 ed.). New York, New York: Springer Publishing. ISBN 1403981825 – via Google Books.
10. "Attacks Bathing Review: Preacher Says Atlantic City Event Endangers Youthful Morals". The New York Times. New York, New York. September 11, 1923. p. 15.
11. ^ "Miss Columbus Again Captures Beauty Title". The Norwalk Hour. September 7, 1923. p. 16.
12. "Miss Columbus Again Elected Beauty Queen". Wausau Daily Record-Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. September 8, 1923. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "1923 Miss America Pageant 1st Runner-Up Trophy - Brooklyn Kid Makes Good". Lelands. September 21, 2016.
14. ^ "Beauty Escapes Death; Miss Coney Island Arrives Too Late for Fatal Flight". The New York Times. New York, New York. September 9, 1923. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com. ...who finished third in the international beauty tournament...
15. ^ "Columbus Girl Wins for Second Time Title of Miss America". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. September 8, 1923. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com. ...Miss Charlotte Nash of St Louis and Miss Marian Green of Philadelphia were the runners up, in the order named.
16. ^ "Miss St. Louis First in Atlantic City Beauty Trials". The Pittsburgh Post. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. September 6, 1923. p. 2.
17. "Be Chosen In Beauty Show". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. September 7, 1923. p. 1 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
18. ^ Dunn, Geoffrey (August 24, 2011). "Arctic Venus: The first Miss Alaska". Anchorage Press. Anchorage, Alaska.
19. "Miss Alaska Follows Trail of Ice, Water, Air, Rail to Beauty Camp". Daily News. New York, New York. September 3, 1922. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
20. ^ "Golden Apple Is Sought by Scores". The Allentown Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
21. ^ "Half a Dozen America Beauties, Please". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspaper.com.
22. "Lois Wilde, Famous Model at 15, Still Loves Dolls, but Aspires to Be a Bernhardt". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. December 10, 1922. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
23. ^ "Golden Apple Is Sought by Scores". The Allentown Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. September 6, 1923. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
24. Coe, Alexis (February 12, 2013). "Stop That Skirt-Chaser! The Movement to Outlaw Flirting in the 1920s". The Atlantic. Olga Emrick, a Cincinnati stenographer, shows how a jiu-jitsu twist
25. "Hit the Deck – 1929". IMDb.
26. "Elizabeth Catherine Steele Crowned "Miss Cumberland"". Cumberland Evening Times. Cumberland, Maryland. August 30, 1923. p. 1 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
27. "America's Prettiest Girls". The Evening News. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. September 14, 1922. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
28. Arbuckle, Alex Q. (July 12, 2015). "1922:The first Miss America". Mashable. Gorman, far right, poses in swimwear, with Mary Dague as "Miss Wheeling," Dorothy Haupt as "Miss Easton,"...
29. "Wins Beauty Contest". National Petroleum News. Vol. 15, no. 3. National Petroleum Publishing Company. September 5, 1923. p. 62 – via Google Books.
30. ^ "More Beauties". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "Miss Johnstown Selected by Judges". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. September 1, 1923. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
32. Hetherington, M.F. "History of Polk County Florida". Lakeland, Florida: The Record Company. Miss Mary Weaver represented Lakeland in the Beauty Pageant at Atlantic City in September, 1923.
33. "Miss Grace Kohr Wins Right to Represent Lebanon in Shore Beauty Pageant Next Month". Evening Report. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. August 21, 1923. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
34. "Trade Conditions". The Jewelers' Circular. Vol. 88. April 23, 1924. p. 92 – via Google Books. Miss Elizabeth Mallory, Miss Memphis for 1923, pitched the first ball.
35. ^ "Miss Newlon Is to Represent City". Miami News-Metropolis. Miami, Florida. September 3, 1923. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
36. ^ "Margaret Gorman Cahill, 90; First Miss America". Los Angeles Times. October 5, 1995.
37. ^ "Miss America 1923 Candidates". Miss America. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
38. "Miss Norristown". The New York Times. New York, New York. September 2, 1923. p. 74 – via Newspapers.com.
39. "Grace Taylor Is Miss Ocean City". Cape May County Times. New York, New York. August 17, 1923. p. 1.
40. "Beauty". Dixon Evening Telegraph. Dixon, Illinois. September 8, 1923. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
41. "illegible". Albert Lea Freeborn County Standard. Albert Lea, Minnesota. September 27, 1923. p. 3 – via NewspaperArchive.com. Katherine Floyd...was entered as "Miss Pensacola" in the National Beauty Show at Atlantic City, NJ.
42. "From the Sunny South". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
43. "Miss Philadelphia Leads the Parade". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. September 7, 1923. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
44. "ineligible". Reading Times. Reading, Pennsylvania. October 4, 1923. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com. Miss Jane Ondeck who represented Reading at the Atlantic City pageant...
45. ^ "Beauties". Olean Evening Times. Olean, New York. September 5, 1923. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
46. "Daily Graphic Review of News Events". Athens Messenger. Athens, Ohio. September 4, 1923. p. 7 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
47. ^ "Beauty Contest Girl Held as Husband Shot to Death". The San Bernardino Daily Sun. San Bernardino, California. March 13, 1931. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
48. "Charlotte Nash". The St. Louis Star. St. Louis, Missouri. May 19, 1926. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
49. "Mrs. Nixon-Nirdlinger Goes on Trial Today". The New York Times. New York, New York. May 20, 1931. p. 13.
50. "First Intimate Details of Her Romance With the Theatrical Magnate". The St. Louis Star. St. Louis, Missouri. July 7, 1931. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com. ...acquitted in Nice, France of the murder of her husband.
51. "Takes Jury Ten Minutes to Acquit US Beauty". The Central New Jersey Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. May 20, 1913.
52. "Extra Attraction". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. August 22, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
53. "Miss Tulsa in Chair". The Tulsa Tribune. 10 September 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
54. "West Virginia's Best". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. September 6, 1923. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.

Secondary sources

• Saulino Osborne, Angela (1995). "Miss Americas and their Courts". Miss America The Dream Lives On. Taylor Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87833-110-7.

External links

• Miss America official website
• "Miss America Pageant" (1923), Gaumont Newsreel (via British Pathé) on YouTube

• Miss America
• 1923 in the United States
• 1923 in New Jersey
• September 1923 events in the United States
• Events in Atlantic City, New Jersey