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| Original Cup | Replacement | Present |
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Ocean City Fishing Club Memoirs
In 1914 Charlie Maginnis, an ardent surf caster and club member, conceived the idea of the Ocean City
Fishing Club donating a cup of great value to be competed for by fishing teams from various clubs. Maginnis
succeeded in raising money for a cup which the maker (J. E. Caldwell & Company of Philadelphia, PA) would not design
and create for less than $1,200. At the request of the Ocean City Fishing Club, Mayor J. G. Champion and his fellow
commissioners, G. Adams and W. H. Campbell, appropriated $500 from the advertising budget of the City of Ocean City, NJ
to make up the difference.
This trophy, which was symbolic of team supremacy in the surf casting world, was believed to have been of greater value than
the Davis, Lipton and Stanley Cup trophies, also well known in the sporting world.
The Ocean City Cup was made of sterling silver, and stands 43" high.
This beautiful cup become a famous trophy shedding luster on the City of Ocean City, New Jersey because
of the many fishing team casting tournaments in which it was used. The first National Casting Tournament was held on the
beach in Ocean City, Saturday, August 12, 1916. The Asbury Park Fishing Club had the first team to win the cup.
Victory was perched on the top of the cup with a mermaid
protecting the capture of a large fish by a very happy triton. The seal of Ocean City and the emblem of the
OCFC are part of the delicate artistic details shown on the outside of the cup.
On the reverse side of the cup at the top was the seal of Ocean City mounted over two crossed casting rods and surrounded by
sprays of laurel. A panel extended down the front of the cup was produced by placing a casting rod on one side and on
the other side a gaff. The inscription on the front panel read as follows:
Ocean City Cup
A Perpetual Trophy
for Annual Competition
in Casting
Presented by
Ocean City, New Jersey
to The
Ocean City Fishing Club
In 1920 the original cup was destroyed by fire and had to be replaced. The metal from the original cup was salvaged
and used to make silver medals which were awarded to winning teams. The present replacement cup is almost an exact
reproduction of the original cup with all the fine details of the orginal.
The cup had been awarded in competition each year since 1916 to 1984 (except 1944-45). This is believed to be a record for a
perpetual trophy in annual competition in the sporting world. The OCFC was the only club to field a team in every cup
tournament during that 68 year history of the contest. After 1984 the Ocean City Cup was retired.
After an Ocean City Histrorical Museum restoration in the summer of 2004 the museum was reopened. The opening ceremony was
held on September 3rd with the ribbin cutting performed by Mayor "Bud" Knight and Museun President Paul Amselm. The Ocean
City Cup is an important item on display enclosed in a clear acrylic display case (19 x 19 x 57") mounted on a finished
mohogany base (21 5/8 x 21 5/8 x 15"). The Ocean City Fishing Club is pleased with the City of Ocean City display of
this beautiful trophy. The replacement Cup and the present Cup are the same physical Cup.
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| Original Cup | Replacement | Present |
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| Angler catching a fish with "CUP" |
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The above information was compiled from past Ocean City Fishing Club yearbooks and by talking to members.
Any additional information on the above would be greatly appreciated. We would like to obtain a picture of one of the
silver medals made from the original Cup.
Date: May - August, 2002 and ongoing.
Copyright © 2002 - 2004, R. Bruce Balderson. All rights reserved.
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