Site selection at Tricon. Photo taken by and (c) Andrew Porter.
‘Tis the season to count ballots, inspiring Andrew Porter to send along a photo of site selection votes being counted on stage at Tricon, the 1966 Worldcon.
Fans had to choose between four competitive bids seeking to host the 1967 Worldcon. New York won, defeating rivals from Boston, Baltimore, Syracuse (and a comic relief bid for Highmore, SD).
The New York committee were Fanoclasts — Ted White, rich brown, Mike McInerney, Dave Van Arnam, and Arnie Katz.
The Syracuse bid was co-chaired by Jay K. Klein and Dave Kyle. Ruth Kyle was Secretary, George Heap was Treasurer and the rest of the committee included James Ashe, Ann Ashe, and Jack Smith.
Two of the losing bids had invited Fred Pohl as their Guest of Honor — he would finally get the nod in 1972 (L.A.Con).
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Mt first thought was ” Wow, chunky laptops!”
And then the double take – it’s 1966, those are chair backs.
It’s so easy to see the familiar.
How nativist.( sarcasm) The sites were all in the US. The Hugo though it says Worldcon is really mostly for US readers and authors. It has become more international since then. I would like to know how many members voted back then How that compares to Loncon.
As a east cost resident I hope the next site is in Washington DC so I can go.
RAH: Let me get this straight. You’re complaining that Worldcon isn’t more international, and in the same breath you’re hoping that none of the international bids win the right to hold the Worldcon? Really?
That is just my selfishness wanting it close to me. Though I can understand that others would like it close to them This time I had a vote. If most voters are from the US chances it will be in the US. I was just musing on the irony of a World SF convention have all US choices back then.
That could be me in the front row, extreme left. The glasses look right – thanks to Andy for posting the photo. FYI, I met Andy at this convention.
RAH, the Tricon was the year after LonCon II, the second Worldcon in London, UK. Four years later the Worldcon was in Heidelburg, Germany. Yes, the choices were mostly in the US, but not entirely.
Ah, Highmore SD. I thought of Richard Harter as recently as last summer when we drove within 75 miles of Highmore on our trip to and from the Black Hills. He had been the previous editor of THE PROPER BOSKONIAN when I elected as the new one.
A group of us had pulled an all nighter the day before the election at Dicks place in Cambridge to print a new issue of what was actually his last issue but was billed as my first. When the assembled NESFA meeting as the traditional “when’s the next coming out?” Instead of the equally traditional “Real Soon Now!” I told them they could it up at the back of the room.