Sherlock Holmes’ 165th birthday was marked by traditions honored, accomplishments celebrated, voices new and old heard, and transitions appropriately marked.
The pre-Dinner proceedings saw not one but two honors tendered. Nelda Richards was honored as The Woman. Then, Peter Blau was surprised by a Festschrift in honor of the 60th anniversary of his investiture.
Charles Prepolec toasted Mrs. Hudson. Bonnie MacBird toasted Mycroft Holmes. Candace Lewis toasted Watson's second wife. Bill Mason toasted the Master, Sherlock Holmes. Dayna Nuhn led the reading of the Musgrave Ritual. Susan Rice paid tribute to two Old Irregulars, Clifton Andrew and Lisa McGaw. Robert Katz read the Constitution and Buy-Laws.
Katz and John Bergquist presented “Eddies” to a host of talented editors who produced BSI Press titles: Will Walsh and Donny Zaldin for Canon Law; Glen Miranker for Deadly Harpoon, and Les Klinger for Peter E. Blau: A Festschrift.
The evening saw a host of informed presentations: Andrew Fusco presented on police detectives. Jenn Eaker presented on dogs in the Canon. Emily Miranker opined on the original Baker Street Irregulars. Nick Martorelli presented on Irene Adler.
Francine Kitts led the assembled to “"Stand with me here upon the terrace” to honor members who had passed during the previous year.
Nine Irregulars received their Shilling. Before the evening concluded with the resonant spectacle of Ray Betzner reading from a typescript owned by Vincent Starrett of Starrett’s “221B,” Michael Whelan announced a forthcoming leadership transition. In 2020, Michael Kean will succeed him as Wiggins. For the balance of 2019, Kean will assume the role of Commissionaire.
During the next day’s Cocktail Reception at the Yale Club, the renowned legal and lyrical pair, Judge Albert Rosenblatt and Betsy Rosenblatt, delivered their epic summary—in rhyme—of the preceding year.
Dinner Details: January 11, 2019
The Yale Club, New York
Dinner Photo Information
Click on the above photo to see a larger version of it, and maximize your browser window to see the most detail.
Key to People in the 2019 BSI Dinner photo (not available at this time, but see the 2019 Table Seat Assignments PDF).
BSI Honours List
Investitures:
Alexander Katz as Sarasate
John Knud-Hansen as This Lascar Scoundrel
Brigitte Latella as Holmes's Alpenstock
Michele Lopez as Attenta, Pericolo
Ira B. Matetsky as The Final Problem
Terry McCammon as Young Stamford
Mike McSwiggin as A Seven Percent Solution
Greg Ruby as Bulldog Pin with Ruby Eyes
Monica Schmidt as Julia Stoner
Two-Shilling Award:
The Two-Shilling Award was not given in 2019.
The Woman:
Nelda Richards (Mrs. Dana S. Richards)
"Stand with me here upon the terrace..."
(as named at this Dinner, not their year of passing)
Karen Anderson (Emilia Lucca, 2000)
John Crotty, (Dr. James Mortimer, 1972)
Ronald De Waal (Lomax, the Sub-Librarian, 1969)
Reverend Henry Folsam (The Golden Pince-Nez, 1965)
David Hammer (Major-General Stoner, 1986)
Paul Herbert (Mr. Leverton, of Pinkerton's, 1977)
Jack Koelle (The Sussex Vampire, 1965)
Thomas Utecht (Arthur Carpentier, 1994)
What is the origin of “standing on the terrace?”
Morley-Montgomery Award:
Leslie S. Klinger, “The Origins of Sherlock Holmes: Crime Fiction before Conan Doyle”
The Baker Street Journal 68.4 (Winter 2018): 6-16.
What is the Morley-Montgomery Award?
The BSI Distinguished Speaker Lecture:
Ken Ludwig, “The Footprints of a Gigantic Hound”
The Baker Street Journal 69.1 (Spring 2019): 48-54.
What is the BSI Distinguished Speaker Lecture?
Reports on the Dinner
The Baker Street Journal 69.1 (Spring 2019): 61-62.
The 2019 BSI Weekend Report (BSI website)
Blau, Peter, Scuttlebutt from the Spermaceti Press, (January 2019): 1-2.
List of 2019 BSI Dinner Attendees (PDF)
Recordings
A recording of portions of the 2019 BSI Dinner will be available in the BSI Archive.
Related Material
Rosenblatt, Albert M., and Betsy Rosenblatt, “BSI Poem 2019” (PDF at BSI website).
The Rosenblatts’ rhyming retrospective, delivered at the January 12, 2019 Sherlockian Cocktail Reception.
Previous dinner: the 2018 BSI Dinner
Next dinner: the 2020 BSI Dinner
For an index to all BSI Dinners and photos, see our BSI Dinner Summary list.
Material in the BSI Archive may be used by any qualified scholar, subject to the normal rules and regulations of the library. For links to a detailed finding aid and related information, see our BSI Archive page.
Page composed on 1/15/21 by Tamar Zeffren.
This page last updated 7/12/21 by Randall Stock.
