The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1916)

EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY, JULY, 1916 EDISON FIELD DAY THE fifth annual Edison field day was held at Olympic Park, Newark, on Saturday, June 17. Olympic Park is provided with an ideal athletic field and a fine program of sports was held on it. The large grandstand was crowded with spectators, who watched the Edison boys compete in all kinds of legitimate and freak contests. They also watched the Edison girls, who were there in force and who had to themselves seven out of the twentyseven events that were on the program. Mr. Edison, with Mrs. Edison and a number of their friends, sat in the front row and appeared to be as enthusiastic over the proceedings as any of the contestants. He frequently applauded a victor or otherwise manifested the keenest interest in the proceedings. Fair time was made in the races. Duncan Richardson was the largest individual scorer of the day. Entered as a junior, the youngster was first in the 100-yard and 220-yard dashes, the obstacle race, and potato race. Richardson also ran anchor for his relay team in the 880-yard relay. The Grand Prix Edison, 880-yard Relay, was won by Messrs. Cruise, Springer, Ryan and Fellows, of the Phonograph Works. Twenty-seven events were contested in. Of this number, seven were closed to girls. Miss Olive Flaherty was the most conspicuous in winning in this set. Miss Flaherty won the running broad jump and the potato race, and was third in the 75-yard dash. Coupled with Miss May Farrell, she also won the three-legged race. A new Edison record for the hop, step and jump was made by Timothy Farrell, who jumped a distance of 40 feet 3 inches. Benny Schenck, allaround champion last year, performed well in the senior events. Schenck won the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard dash and was second in the half-mile, being defeated by Tom Roach. Schenck, coupled with Schwoebel in the three-legged race, easily won another gold medal. Seymore Coe won the 440-yard dash in easy manner. Simon P. Gillis, of the New York A. C, and a member of the Olympic team several years ago, and now an Edison employee, was the star of the weight events. Gillis won the 12-pound shot-put and discus throw. In an exhibition of hammer throwing, Gillis hurled the iron ball 236 feet, which is far better than the record. The throw, however, did not count, as, in turning, he stepped outside of the circle. After the events many remained to enjoy dancing and the other pleasures afforded by the big amusement park. All were unanimous in declaring that the field day had been as successful and enjoyable as any ever held under the auspices of the organization. A SIMPLE MATTER OF PITCH IT was on the occasion of the first legitimate concert about to be given in the opera house of Quarterburg, says The Musical Monitor. The rural stage manager was as nervous as a debutante. Few minutes before the concert began he rushed into the box office boiling with rage. "What's wrong, Jim?" asked the owner of the playhouse. "Well, Mr. Dawball, I've been in the show business for fifteen years, and helped to put on everything from a flea circus to a prize fight, but I never had nobody to tell me that I don't know my business and you can bet-cher life that I am not going to, neither." He said a few more things rather explosive in nature, but finally the proprietor pacified him somewhat. "You can't leave us in a lurch now, Jim. Go and make the best of it with them there musical freaks. What's wrong with them, anyhow?" "It started in with lots of kicking about coosticks, and I never heard so much talk about a thing you can't see, can't feel and can't locate anywhere. But I didn't mind that so much. The thing that made me furious, was when the fiddling lady came along and after tinkling on the piano one or two notes she told me that the piano was too low. I said we can fix that in a jiffy. She didn't want to believe it, and left grumbling. Then I called George, had him lift the old box, and placed a few blocks under it. "It wasn't five minutes and back comes that pesky fiddler with the pianist. He banged the piano a few times. Then, without looking whether I kept my word or not, that fiddler comes over to me and has the nerve to tell me that the piano is just as low as it was before I raised it. "That got my goat. I brought out a couple beams and props, chucked them in front of the piano, and told her to raise the damn thing to the ceiling. The with these crazy musical cranks, I am through with them for good." LETTERS FOR DIGGING UP PROSPECTS Many Diamond Amberola dealers are located in districts where newspaper advertising is ineffective and where the people who would make the most desirable prospects are difficult to reach. Under such conditions a series of form letters often will serve to arouse interest in the Amberola — and interest that should result in visits to your store, requests for demonstrations, and sales, or at least trials in the home. A set of four letters, recently prepared by our advertising department and designed for use by merchants who believe that such advertising would be advantageous to them, will be sent to any Amberola dealer upon request.