Jerry Summers: Plug Horse Derby Monday, May 17, 2021 - by Jerry Summers
Jerry Summers
Although our local area has never been able to develop the thoroughbred racehorse reputation of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky a local humorous horse event has benefitted charity.
The Sertoma Civic Club of Chattanooga in the 1950s-1960s put on a fundraising event titled the “Plug Horse Derby” that closely followed the non-parallel fundraising paths of the Cotton and Kudzu Balls in the history of the Chattanooga community. Both achieved the goals of raising money for good purposes through different routes.
The Chattanooga event was part of the Sertoma Club’s nationwide charity programs with a similar occurrence taking place in Hamilton County, Ohio, which had started in 1949.