Case Western Reserve University Archives

Hudson Relay Celebrations

In its earliest years the Hudson Relay was held on Undergraduate Day, the Monday of Commencement Week. From the 1920s through the 1950s, Hudson Relay was one of several events of Campus Day. The main feature of Campus Day was relieving the freshmen of their burdens, symbolized by the red and white freshman cap. A freshman-sophomore tug-o-war, fraternity sing-out, carnival in Adelbert Gym, and canoe tilt were other Campus Day activities. Other Hudson Relay celebrations have included spaghetti dinners the night before the race, picnics, and receptions.



The most visible acknowledgement of the winning team was its class year engraved on the Hudson Relay boulder. President Thwing began the custom of presenting the winning team with a prize. For many years the prize was a small pin depicting the Hudson Relay boulder. In 1972 President Toepfer had a trophy, the Monroe Curtis Cup, made for the winning team. The cup was inscribed, “This is not the ordinary run of experience.” President Toepfer also began the tradition of hosting a steak lunch for the winning team. In 1979 President Toepfer promised that, if the Class of 1979 won for the fourth year, he would provide champagne at the finish line. It was the Class of 1982 that first claimed the champagne prize.



 

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