STILL MORE: You can’t help but be impressed by the lists we’ve
been running of famous people who have visited Bradford over the
last hundred years or so. Be prepared to be “wowed” again today, as
we carry Bradford Landmark Society’s final report on this amazing
group of people who’ve stopped off in our little burg.
Poets? We quote: “Well-known poets also came to Bradford. Carl
Sandburg spoke at the Woman’s Literacy Club in November 1922, and
not only read his poetry, he also sang several of his poems while
accompanying himself on guitar.”
“Sinclair Lewis, also a guest of the Women’s Club, spoke at
their clubhouse on Chautauqua Place in March 1921. And Edgar Guest,
a prolific American writer who, in his time, was known as the
‘People’s Poet,’ spoke at the old high school auditorium in
1921.”
“Sports: Bradford seems to have a soft spot for athletes, and
many famous ones have visited our city over the years. Rube
Waddell, who was actually born here on Jackson Avenue, became a
Baseball Hall of Famer as a left-handed strike-out pitcher.
“John L. Sullivan appeared in vaudeville in Bradford in 1906,
and boasted that he would pay any man ,1,000 that he could not stop
in four rounds. Tom P. Sharkey, another famous heavyweight boxer,
and considered to be one of the ‘100 Greatest Punchers of All
Times’ by Ring magazine, came to Bradford in 1907, not to fight,
but to race his horse at the Bradford Race Track (at the end of
Race Street, where Zippo is now located).”
NEW ONE: Ken Greek of Bradford writes us: “Have you ever heard
the phrase ‘one great big Zippo lighter’? It is a code that
describes the murder scene of John Lennon in which conspiracy
theorist suggest that Stephen King actually killed Lennon.”
We must admit this is a new one to us. Pretty amazing, though,
how the Zippo lighter has permeated the culture of America in so
many ways.
OLD RULER: Roger Shrom of Bradford stopped by to show us a
metal, six-inch ruler and letter opener that said, “H.C. Bemis Co.
When it’s lumber, call our number.” And the number was four digits
so we’re sure it’s a pretty old object. Roger tells us he found it
in the basement at his York Street home.
