Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-08-18
ARE FAKE TROPHIES.
MEDALS AND CUPS "WON AND
WORM FOR CASH ONLY.
Prizes Obtained for Strength and
Skill in Contests Are Not Al
ways Secured in Legiti-
mate Way.

The treasurer of university athletic
association went into a jewelers. store
in Fifth avenue the other day to inspect
some prize cups and trophies. His in
quiries were met with hesitancy until he
presented his card. Then the attitude
of the salesman changed altogether,
says the New York Press. He became
frank and communicative. He re-
marked casually that the number of
prizes that were purchased and in
scrlDed that were never even contested
for were blot on the jewelers. trade.
At meeting of the athletic club that
evening the treasurer reported what he
had been told by the jeweler, and as this
particular university was engaged at
the moment in cleaning up it's athletic
games a committee was appointed to
look into the subject.
1t frequently happens that men en-
gagged in contests of skill and strength
fail to secure prizes in legitimate way,
and, wishing to have some memento of
the affair." cause to be engraved medals
which bear their names and the date
OF the event and it's character. This
mas been done by college men, and
botably by boat crews that have not
been placed in races. A Harlem river
four, which rOwed second in a notify
contested race some years ago, car
ried this spirit to the limit when they
purchased trophy cup, which they
in
displayed it at their boathouse. The
club objected to this form of doing
honor to it's oarsmen, lut finally COM
promised by sending the cup to the
silversmith, who added the line to the
inscription: Race won by the H.
and w. Boat club" the winning club.
In this form the cup was permitted to
occupy a place in the silverware cab
met in the club room.
Only one case of college athlete
providing his own medals was dis
covered. The young man was sprint
er, and became a professional bicycle
rider. After he entered the profession
al ranks he invested in an array of
medals that must have cost several
hundred dollars.
Outside of college circles the COM
mittee learned of many fake medal
lists. One man who was an unsuccess-
full pigeon shot, although an ambitious
one, had set of cups engraved and
dated over period of years, not one
of which was bona fide prize. The
inscriptions carried false records of
shooting and indicated that he had
won at all distances, in all countries
and under all conditions. He had these
locked up in glass case alongside his
armory Of guns. He told the story
of his success so often that he really
believed it himself.
Another incident is furnished by the
medal displayed by summer resi-
dent at Manhattan beach. 1t purports
to have been given to the holder by
the United States Humane association
for saving three persons from drown
ing There is no such society and the
owner never saved any lives what
ever In his convivial moments he
produces the medal, which is of gold,
and cost 500, and passes it carelessly
about for inspection.
The most curious case the commit
tee learned of was that of life-saver
In Harlem, who. has, indeed, received
some honors in this way, for he has
saved several lives. But he has such
love of medals that he has provided
himself with an additional supply of
cheap ones, which he wears alongside
the honestly acquired ones that testi-
fly to his bravery.
jewelers. say their best customers
are professional athletes who give
public exhibitions, lion tanners and
balloonists, for example. These men
do not regard themselves properly
dressed for a performance unless they
are bespangled with medals. Some of
these trophies are presented to them
by friends, but most are purchased by
the wearers.