Tall Ships Boston Harbor 1976 [Pennant, orange with black lettering and an image on a tall three-masted sailing vessel)

Boston: 1976. Presumed First printing for the event. Cloth, printed on one side only. The Pennant is approximately 12 inches at the left side. It is approximately 30 inches long from the wide left side to the tapered endpoint. There are a few wrinkles and creases. A Pennant usually is a tapering flag on a ship, especially one flown at the masthead of a vessel in commission. A pennant is also a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular event or team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of event levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a particular activity. Often graphics, usually a symbol, as well as the event name were displayed on pennants. The images displayed on pennants were either stitched on with contrasting colored felt or had screen-printing. Today, vintage pennants with rare images or honoring special victories have become prized collectibles for enthusiasts. While pennants are typically associated with athletic teams, pennants have also been made to honor events, institutions and locations, often acting as souvenirs. The Tall Ships Races are races for sail training "tall ships" (sailing ships). The races are designed to encourage international friendship and training for young people in the art of sailing. The races are held annually in European waters and consists of two racing legs of several hundred nautical miles, and a "cruise in company" between the legs. Over one half of the crew of each ship participating in the races must consist of young people. Between 1973 and 2003 the races were known as The Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races, having been sponsored by Cutty Sark whisky. After World War II, tall ships were a dying breed, having lost out to steam-powered ships several decades before. It was a retired solicitor from London, Bernard Morgan, who first dreamed up the idea of bringing young cadets and seamen under training together from around the world to participate in a friendly competition. The Portuguese Ambassador to the UK, Pedro Teotónio Pereira was a huge supporter of this original idea, and believed such a race would bring together the youth of the world's seafaring peoples. These two figures started discussions in 1953 and three years later they saw their vision become a reality. The first Tall Ships' race was held in 1956. It was a race of 20 of the world's remaining large sailing ships. The race was from Torquay, Devon to Lisbon, and was meant to be a last farewell to the era of the great sailing ships. Public interest was so intense, however, that race organizers founded the Sail Training International association to direct the planning of future events. Since then Tall Ships' Races have occurred annually in various parts of the world, with millions of spectators. Today, the race attracts more than a hundred ships, among these some of the largest sailing ships in existence, like the Portuguese Sagres. The 50th Anniversary Tall Ships' Races took place during July and August, 2006, and was started by the patron, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who also started the first race in 1956. Condition: Good.

Keywords: Tall Ships, Sailing Vessels, Boston, 1976, Bicentennial, Commemoration, Naval Training, Souvenir, Pennant

[Book #81901]

Price: $35.00