The National Typesetting Tournament Championship [1886]

Brock French

Discuss–

George Thomas

There should have been a follow-up tournament for the men who had to re-distribute the type.

Brock French

I'm wondering how often they did this... more digging...

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Jackson Showalter-Cavanaugh

These events were very popular in the late 1880s as typesetters' boasting was turned into a P. T. Barnum -like spectacle in dime museums.

I believe there is a keepsake book from that specific event, which was one of the largest held. There is also a long article in an old issue of Chicago History with all the nitty gritty details.

There are also a number of contemporary books
http://www.amazon.com/The-Swifts-Printers-Typesetting-Races/dp/0813921619 is specifically about these guys

and http://www.amazon.com/Typographical-Tourists-Tales-Tramping-Printer/dp/0918395291 is not so much about the races but a collection of short articles about hobo typesetters collected from the inland printer

Matthew Butterick

Is that a figure 1 rather than a cap I in "Championship"?

If so, brilliant.

Brock French

Matthew, I wondered if anyone would notice that.