CURATOR’S NOTE
I’m pulling in more favors! We got a first look into the Chivers’ scrapbook in the 2017 Story Project (see link here) and there’s so much more that I wanted to go back to the well. Thanks to Ted Chivers who made a special trip to share the albums with me.
So… I have always been fascinated by the incredible innovation and marketing that went into some of the staged events of the early days (I always assumed the classic shot of a jump built in Soldier Field was a product of Photoshop). We see Fenway park hosting “Big Air” these days and it’s easy to think that it’s original art. Yet more than 80 years ago- 80 years!- our ski jumping forebears were doing the same, and in places alot farther from winter climes than Boston. Like Los Angeles!
In January of 1939 a promoter named Tom Gallery pulled together the resources to build and snow a jump in the LA Coliseum (aptly named Mt. Gallery) and gather the best skiers from the US and Norway for the Southern California Open Ski Meet. I’ll let the clippings below tell the story.
In addition to Ted, who has preserved the scrapbooks, we need to recognize his grandmother, Helen Chivers, who not only raised four sons but painstakingly (and beautifully) assembled a history of their feats.
Finally, there have been many new and restored relations through Story Project, not the least of which was Cooper Dodds and Ted connecting after the publishing of the first scrapbook story. Cooper is a professional photographer (check out (and buy!) his recently published book Jumper: Flying in the Heartland which should be on every ski jumper’s coffee table! click here) who has digitized much of the scrapbook material. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of this post to see his treasures. Thanks to Cooper for coming through for Ted and for me!
TED CHIVERS
Springfield, VT
tchivers@allseasonsconst.com
COOPER’S PROFESSIONALLY RESTORED SHOTS FOLLOW
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