Thursday, January 4, 2024

First Baby of 1974

Just out of curiosity, I thought I'd check and see if the Journal was still sponsoring the First Baby Contest in January 1974. Sure enough, it still was – although the prize list has a stripped-down feeling to it. 

Besides a few cash prizes, there was a 20-piece chicken dinner from Mister S, and some baby shoes from Januzzi's.

The ad above ran in the Journal on January 2, 1974. It revealed the name of the winning: Karen Marie Barker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Everett Barker of Lorain.

An article on page 3 of the same edition also included a roll call of other first babies, including the first baby born in Lorain County, the first one at Elyria Memorial, the first in Huron County, the first at Memorial Hospital in Sandusky, the first at Fisher-Titus in Norwalk, the first at Amherst Hospital, and the first in Huron.

Does the Journal (or any local newspaper) still compile this type of "First Baby" story?