Posted by Peter H on May 30, 2000 at 13:09:33 from host62-7-157-101.host.btclick.com:
I had hoped to announce these at the close of the Member’s Forum at the AGM, but too much time was taken up by the Traditional Annual TARS First-Class Row (this year about the dates for the 2001 IAGM not being a bank holiday – Oops! Whoa! Steady On! See Andy Bolger’s message below). Instead, the awards were made after tea before a packed house in a Dormobile on the South Site.
The judges announced that this had not been a vintage year for ‘Owden’ mis-spellings. ‘Despatches’ having won it hands down for the last 2 years, opted out this year. Winter Mixed Moss is now edited by Joy Wotton, a devout ‘don’-er. ‘Signals’ put in a reasonable showing, but the judges were unanimous in nominating Rodney Dingle as the winner for his cultured and classy ‘Owden’ on page 17 of ‘Renewed Enthusiasms’. The judges were particularly swayed by his use of italics. At this point, someone claimed that, knowing Rodney, the use was deliberate, so that he could win the prize. Other disagreed, and we then had our own First-Class Row. In the end the judges decreed that even if Rodney’s use was deliberate it was for ironic effect rather than for mercenary reasons. As all who were at the AGM will know, very sadly, Rodney was unable to be with us, so he will be presented with his prize at a future date – a copy of a first-edition BS with all the ‘e’s and ‘o’s blocked in in biro, thus rendering it valueless.
(I echo Andy Bolger’s compliments as to the overall IAGM organisation – it was brilliant.)