Community Corner

Capitola News, 101 Years Ago Today: Apple Packing World Championships

On this date in 1910, there were reports of an apple packing competition in Watsonville with Capitola competitors.

Did you know that there was once an apple packing world championship contest held in Watsonville? If not, that's likely because you weren't alive in 1910, the year that Capitola resident H. Sherman competed for the title.

According to the article pasted below, which was originally reported exactly 101 years ago today (Oct. 16) by the San Francisco Call, Vol. 108, No. 138, Sherman did not place in the competition. But at least Capitola can boast a former apple packing world championship contender...right? 

Champions are Rewarded at Watsonville

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Before a crowd which fairly jammed the immense Auditorium this morning, Mike Lazarich and Miss Alma Bradley, contestants at Watsonville's apple annual were officially declared the world's champion apple packers.

The awards were based upon points in speed, uniformity, alignment, bulge and height of the ends. Four tier Newtons were used, and 40 minutes were given each contestant to pack five boxes. The judges were J. E. Turner and C. K. Hotle of Sebastopol and C. B. Greison of Hood River, Ore. assistant editor of "Better Fruit."

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The first. prize was a gold watch for each of the victors and a silver watch was second prize. The women's prizes were offered by the Pioneer roll paper company of Los Angeles, and the men's prizes were given by the Northern California paper trade association of San Franclsco.

WINNERS OF SECOND PRIZE
Miss Ida Stoffers was second with 101 and Miss NellieTurney ranked third with 91. All three of the women were from the San Monte fruit company. In the men's contest A.E. Metcalf of the San Monte company was second with 105 1/2 points. Martin Prokurich of the Scurich company, tied with, M. Jerlnich for third place with 97 points.

The other men contesting were: Manuel Rengol of MacDonald & Sons. William Bank of Novacovich & Stolich. M. Scurich of Scurich & Makish, Jack Resetar of Resetar Brothers. H. Sherman of Capitola and George Quinn of Fresno.

What do you say Patch resurrects the apple packing contest for the 102nd anniversary next year? Naaah. 

Have you ever heard of competitive apple packing before today? Tell us in the comments!


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