Greasy pole
Encyclopedia
Greasy pole or grease
pole refers to a pole that has been made slippery and thus difficult to grip. More specifically, it is the name of several events that involve staying on, climbing up, walking over or otherwise traversing such a pole. This kind of event exist in several variations around the world.
, Cumbria where the contest continues to this day - alongside the annual Gurning World Championships see Gurn
. The prize for climbing the 30 foot pole was originally a hat but from 1852 became a side of mutton - which if there are no winners is cut up and distributed to the poor. Since 2004 the greasy pole has been discontinued as an event at Egremont Crab Fair, due to high insurance cover costs, should a participant fall from the pole.
As of the 19th of January 2008 Egremont is the proud home of the new Greasy Pole. A 30 ft Sculpture by Turner Prize Winning artisit Jeremy Deller and collaborator Alan Kane. This is the teams first piece of public art and marks the re-introduction of the Greasy Pole as a crab fair event.
The phrase 'to climb the greasy pole' means reaching the upper echelons of any hierarchy
but usually refers to politics
.
A slight variation is provided at the annual Seaview
Regatta
on the Isle of Wight
. Here the greasy pole is horizontal over the sea and competitors walk along it, the one who walks the furthest before falling into the sea is the winner.
Blakeney
in North Norfolk
also has a horizontal pole over water that is erected each year for the Blakeney regatta. The event dates back to 1873 and the prize for winning in the early days was a hog. The object is to reach the end by walking along the heavily greased pole, although in recent years sliding has become the preferred method. Blakeney regatta also includes Sailing, Swimming, and Tug of war across the creek.
The Greasy Pole Contest takes place every year during St. Peter's Fiesta
in Gloucester, Massachusetts
. During this time, many young men try their luck at walking down a greased, wooden pole in the middle of Gloucester Harbor. The goal is to be the first person to grab the red flag at the end of the pole.
There are three days in which the Greasy Pole is competed:
1999 to Current (Friday Competition Introduced)
. http://www.greasypoledoc.com/ The film won the Documentary Educational Resources Award at the International Documentary Challenge at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival. The group has plans to make a feature length version of the film due out in 2010.
Engineering Frosh Week, the incoming first year engineering students must, with the help of the upper-year engineering students, climb to the top of a grease pole and remove a tam
which is nailed to the pole's top. The Queen's Grease Pole is a metal football goalpost stolen by Queen's engineering students in 1955 from University of Toronto's
Varsity Stadium
. Currently, the pole is covered in lanolin
and placed in the centre of a pit of muddy water referred to as the "Grease Pit", but from the first climbing of the pole in 1956 to 1988 the pole was covered in axle grease and it was only sometime between 1957 and 1967 that the pit was added to the event. There have been various other changes to the rules of the event since its inception, including the banning of the throwing of projectiles at the frosh attempting to climb the pole by upper years, removing unsanitary contents from the pit and allowing women to participate.
Grease (lubricant)
The term grease is used to describe semisolid lubricants. Although the word grease is also used to describe rendered fat of animals, in the context of lubrication, grease typically applies to a material consisting of a soap emulsified with mineral or vegetable oil...
pole refers to a pole that has been made slippery and thus difficult to grip. More specifically, it is the name of several events that involve staying on, climbing up, walking over or otherwise traversing such a pole. This kind of event exist in several variations around the world.
The United Kingdom
In the UK, contests to climb a greasy pole were held at numerous fairs including the Crab Fair in EgremontEgremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
, Cumbria where the contest continues to this day - alongside the annual Gurning World Championships see Gurn
Gurn
A gurn or chuck is a distorted facial expression, and a verb to describe the action. A typical gurn might involve projecting the lower jaw as far forward and up as possible, and covering the upper lip with the lower lip....
. The prize for climbing the 30 foot pole was originally a hat but from 1852 became a side of mutton - which if there are no winners is cut up and distributed to the poor. Since 2004 the greasy pole has been discontinued as an event at Egremont Crab Fair, due to high insurance cover costs, should a participant fall from the pole.
As of the 19th of January 2008 Egremont is the proud home of the new Greasy Pole. A 30 ft Sculpture by Turner Prize Winning artisit Jeremy Deller and collaborator Alan Kane. This is the teams first piece of public art and marks the re-introduction of the Greasy Pole as a crab fair event.
The phrase 'to climb the greasy pole' means reaching the upper echelons of any hierarchy
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
but usually refers to politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
.
A slight variation is provided at the annual Seaview
Seaview
- Places:* Seaview, Victoria, Australia, locality in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia* Seaview, Canterbury, a suburb of Timaru, New Zealand* Seaview, Clifton beach, a beach in Karachi* Seaview, Isle of Wight, a small village in England...
Regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. Here the greasy pole is horizontal over the sea and competitors walk along it, the one who walks the furthest before falling into the sea is the winner.
Blakeney
Blakeney
-People:* Allan Blakeney , Canadian politician* Ben Bruce Blakeney , American lawyer* Edward Blakeney , British Field Marshal* John Blakeney , Irish MP for Athenry from 1727–47...
in North Norfolk
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
also has a horizontal pole over water that is erected each year for the Blakeney regatta. The event dates back to 1873 and the prize for winning in the early days was a hog. The object is to reach the end by walking along the heavily greased pole, although in recent years sliding has become the preferred method. Blakeney regatta also includes Sailing, Swimming, and Tug of war across the creek.
Gloucester, Massachusetts
St. Peter's Fiesta
St. Peter's Fiesta is a five-day festival honoring the patron saint of the fisherman, St. Peter. The festival is put on by the Italian American community of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The festival involves a carnival, seine boat races and the Greasy Pole contest, and attracts people from all...
in Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
. During this time, many young men try their luck at walking down a greased, wooden pole in the middle of Gloucester Harbor. The goal is to be the first person to grab the red flag at the end of the pole.
Concept
The idea behind The Greasy Pole competition came from Sicily in the 1920s while Italians were immigrating to America. In Sicily, however, the object is to walk across a greased pole protruding from a platform about 200 ft from shore. This platform, depending on the tide, can be anywhere from 10–25 ft above the water. The pole, which hangs over the water, is 45 feet long, and only about as wide as a standard telephone pole. This pole is then heavily greased with biodegradable axle grease mixed with anything from Tabasco sauce to oil, banana peels, and various other slippery objects. A red flag (or sometimes the Italian Flag with a red flag underneath it) is then nailed to the very end of the pole. The idea is to run out on the heavily greased pole and try to grab the flag before slipping and falling into the water. Somewhere between 40-50 men aging anywhere from 18–60 go out from Pavilion Beach in Gloucester Ma on June 25th, 26th, and the 27th Friday Saturday and Sunday and wait on the platform. Then they walk the pole one at a time in a pre-determined order. Generally, the men are of Italian, Portuguese or Irish decent, although if you walk in honor of a past walker you don't necessarily have to be.Rules
The first round of the Greasy Pole is dubbed as the "Courtesy Round." This is done so that all the walkers get a chance to walk the pole. Generally, this is used to get a feel for exactly how greasy the pole really is. Some of the more experienced walkers only walk out a small distance and then dive off the pole into the water to save themselves from injury. Once all the walkers participating have walked, the second round begins. After the courtesy round is over, the flag can come down at any time.There are three days in which the Greasy Pole is competed:
Fiesta Friday
Most of the newcomers to the Greasy Pole event walk on Friday. The winner of the Friday Greasy Pole will walk first on Saturday.Fiesta Saturday
People who began walking before Greasy Pole Friday was implemented in 1999 or people who have won on Greasy Pole Friday walk on Saturday. The winner of Saturday then will walk first on Sunday.Fiesta Sunday
Also referred to as Championship Sunday. The winner of Saturday walks first, and on the platform are the former Saturday and Sunday champions of the Greasy Pole from years past and protégés of the former champions who can no longer walk because they have died or can no longer walk for health reasons. Winning on Fiesta Sunday is the most prestigious honor that a Greasy Pole walker can achieve, and every year they return to walk on Fiesta Sunday.Awards For Winning
Generally speaking, the Greasy Pole is done for bragging rights. A trophy is given out to the winner, but in the close knit town of Gloucester where everyone knows each other, this is done for the right to say "I won." (free drinks all night at all the bars)Dangers
This is obviously a very risky event. Walking through an almost frictionless environment anywhere from 10–25 feet over water on a very narrow pole can be dangerous. Several injuries, most of them minor, can and have occurred. These injuries can range from scrapes and bruises to broken facial bones or ribs from falling and landing on the pole. Police boats are nearby to assist if someone is seriously injured and needs to be taken to the hospital.Trivia
- The record for most Greasy Pole wins belongs to Salvi Benson (11) 6 Sat, 5 Sun.
- Peter "Black" Frontiero won 7 straight Sunday contests between 1987–1993.Most Sunday wins,9 over all and all on Super Sunday .
- The only man who has won all 3 days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday , 1999) in a year is Jake Wood . 6th round Friday, 3rd Sat , 2nd Sun. Jake started walking in 1998 he now has a total of 7 wins . The Friday Greasy Pole was implemented, 1999.
- Anthony "Matza" Giambanco is known as the "Sheriff of the Greasy Pole." 6 time champ. "Matza" famously walked and slid to the end of the pole, where he stood for a few seconds in triumph before jumping into the water with flag in hand.
- In 1979, one man grabbed the flag in the first round, breaking the Courtesy Round rule. Unfortunately, he incurred the wrath of Anthony "Matza" Giambanco. He promptly punched the man, nailed the flag to the pole, and the competition continued.
- Peter Black Frontiero is the only walker in the history of the competition to win in three different decades ( 80's, 90's and 00's) and with three different announcers ( Mike Deliberti, Big Tom Brancleone, and Sammy "samutzu" Nicastro
- Joseph "Joey D" DaSilva is the only walker to ever win on sea and land. They call it the surf and turf champion. With his two wins (Friday Fiesta 2011 and Fall Classic Saturday 2011)
- For the 75th anniversary, in a big surprise to everyone, the announcer at the time (Sam Nicastro) was joined by his predecessors Big Tom Brancleone and Mike Dileberti for the announcing duties
- The Greasy Pole was washed away, along with the platform that supported it, by a storm on September 30, 2011. Gloucester hopes to rebuild it in time for the 2012 event.
Past Winners
1931 to 1998 (Before Friday Competition)| Year | Saturday Winner | Sunday Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Nat Misuraca | Oritan Vincenzo |
| 1932 | Oritan Vincenzo | Oritan Vincenzo |
| 1933 | Geronimo Parisi | Geronimo Parisi |
| 1934 | Jimmy Sinagra | Dominic Grillo |
| 1935 | Nat Misuraca | Not Held |
| 1936 | No Record | Not Held |
| 1937 | No Record | Not Held |
| 1938 | Jerome Loicano | Not Held |
| 1939 | Jerome Loicano | Salvatore Randazza |
| 1940 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 1941 | Joe Marino | Joe Marino |
| 1942 | Jerome Loicano | Joseph Frontiero |
| 1943 | Joseph Verga | Peter Mione |
| 1944 | Joseph Argusso | Louie Linquata |
| 1950 | John Randazza | Jerome Liocano |
| 1951 | Gino Biondo | Louio Linquata |
| 1952 | Joseph Argrusso | Rained Out |
| 1953 | Tommy Misuraca | Tommy Misuraca |
| 1954 | Johny Quince | Tommy Misuraca |
| 1955 | Beanie Nicastro | Beanie Nicastro |
| 1956 | Carlo "Sleppy" Pallazolla | Carlo "Sleppy" Pallazolla |
| 1957 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 1958 | John Frontiero | Mike Calomo |
| 1959 | Frank Catania | Phil Curcuru |
| 1960 | Phil Curcuru | Frank Benson |
| 1961 | Not Held | Not Held |
| 1962 | Not Held | Not Held |
| 1963 | Phil Cucuru | Phil Cucuru |
| 1964 | Salvatore Testaverde | Joe "Black" Frontiero |
| 1965 | Phil Parisi & Phil Cucuru | Phil Cucuru & "Uncle" Salvatore Russo |
| 1966 | Unknown | Unknown |
| 1967 | Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh | Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh |
| 1968 | Salvi Benson | Vito Calamo |
| 1969 | Salvi Benson | Salvi Benson & Gaetano Carini |
| 1970 | Gaetano Carini | Pat Palmisano |
| 1971 | Salvi Benson | Salvi Benson |
| 1972 | Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh | Salvi Benson |
| 1973 | Salvi Benson | Salvi Benson |
| 1974 | Salvi Benson | Salvi Benson |
| 1975 | Anthony "Matza" Giambanco | Anthony "Matza" Giambanco |
| 1976 | Gaetano Carini | Benny Interante |
| 1977 | Billy Mumbruno | Anthony "Matza" Giambanco |
| 1978 | Bobbi "Brother" Agostint | Anthony "Matza" Giambanco |
| 1979 | Joe Palmisano | Salvi Benson |
| 1980 | Paul Bertolini | Anthony "Matza" Giambanco |
| 1981 | Jerry Santuccio | Dom Verga |
| 1982 | Steve "Stubby" Asaro | Dom Verga |
| 1983 | Phil Verga | Jerry Santuccio |
| 1984 | Paul Nicastro | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1985 | Tom Favazza | Dom Verga |
| 1986 | Jerry Ciolino | Scott Clayton |
| 1987 | Sam Frontiero | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1988 | Anthony Saputo | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1989 | Russell Hines | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1990 | Johnny Corollo | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1991 | Jerry Cusamano | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1992 | Nico Brancaleone | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1993 | Steve LaBlanc | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 1994 | Dave Foote | Steve LaBlanc |
| 1995 | Steve Gray | Chris Carlson |
| 1996 | John Parisi | Rich Hopkins |
| 1997 | Shawn Porper | Rich Hopkins |
| 1998 | Jason Puglisi | Nino Sanfillippo |
1999 to Current (Friday Competition Introduced)
| Year | Friday Winner | Saturday Winner | Sunday Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Jake Wood | Jake Wood | Jake Wood |
| 2000 | Dean DeCoste | Jude LaFavour | Sammo Frontiero |
| 2001 | Phil Palmatieri | James Sanfillipo | Jogn "Glass" Parisi |
| 2002 | Sandi Palazzolo | Dean DeCoste | Jake Wood |
| 2003 | Steve Militello | Sandy Palazzolo | Jake Wood |
| 2004 | Stew McGillivray | Stew McGillivray | Peter "Black" Frontiero |
| 2005 | Vinny Parisi | Jimmy Silva | Jake Wood |
| 2006 | Danny Balbo Jr. | Vinny Parisi | Jake Wood |
| 2007 | Louis Perry | Joe Sanfillippo | Russell Hines |
| 2008 | Steve Williamson | John Church | Stew McGillivray |
| 2009 | Jason Favaloro | Joe Stelline | Stew McGillivray |
| 2010 | Joe Brancaleone | Peter Cannavo | Stew McGillivray |
| 2011 | Joseph "Joey D" DaSilva | Kraig Hill | Ali D'Angelo |
2011 Greasy Pole Fall Classic
To help raise some of the money needed to replace the greasy pole platform that was damaged by tropical storm Irene, the Saint Peter's Fiesta Committee hosted the 2011 Greasy Pole Fall Classic at Gloucester High School's Newell Stadium. The competition featured three greasy pole's, designated bronze, silver and gold and is expected to be the only Fall Classic as the Greasy Pole is to be replaced with a platform that will last a century. The two time champ Joe DaSilva is the only person to ever win on sea and land which has earned him the nickname of the "Surf and Turf Champion."| Year | Round | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Bronze | Kyle Barry |
| 2011 | Silver | Nick Avelis |
| 2011 | Gold | Joe "Joey D" DaSilva |
In Film
In 2009, CoffeeBlack Productions- the Gloucester filmmaking team of Emile Doucette, Thomas Papows, and Michael Pallazola - created a short 7 min documentary about the Greasy Pole and its cultural significance in the small fishing community of Gloucester, MassachusettsGloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
. http://www.greasypoledoc.com/ The film won the Documentary Educational Resources Award at the International Documentary Challenge at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival. The group has plans to make a feature length version of the film due out in 2010.
Queen's University (Canada)
As part of Queen'sQueen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
Engineering Frosh Week, the incoming first year engineering students must, with the help of the upper-year engineering students, climb to the top of a grease pole and remove a tam
Tam (cap)
The rastacap is a tall, round, usually crocheted cap, which is often brightly coloured. It is most commonly associated with the pat as a way for Rastafarians and others with dreadlocks to tuck their locks away, but may be worn for various reasons by Rastas and non-Rastas...
which is nailed to the pole's top. The Queen's Grease Pole is a metal football goalpost stolen by Queen's engineering students in 1955 from University of Toronto's
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
Varsity Stadium
Varsity Stadium
Varsity Stadium is a collegiate football stadium that is home to the Varsity Blues, the athletic teams of the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. While the present structure was built in 2007, it is in fact the third major incarnation of the stadium that has occupied the same site...
. Currently, the pole is covered in lanolin
Lanolin
Lanolin , also called Adeps Lanae, wool wax or wool grease, is a yellow waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Most lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep...
and placed in the centre of a pit of muddy water referred to as the "Grease Pit", but from the first climbing of the pole in 1956 to 1988 the pole was covered in axle grease and it was only sometime between 1957 and 1967 that the pit was added to the event. There have been various other changes to the rules of the event since its inception, including the banning of the throwing of projectiles at the frosh attempting to climb the pole by upper years, removing unsanitary contents from the pit and allowing women to participate.