Calvin “Baldy” Hansey: End Of An Era

[Written by Larry Burchall] Calvin “Baldy” Hansey quietly but swiftly ran his way into Bermuda fame by winning the May 24th Race so many times.

It seemed at the time, that he almost owned the race. He was especially known for his all-white race-rig and a distinctive long loping running style.

His all white race-rig was in the old May 24th tradition where, from its 1909 start, most runners ran in white. In that sense, “Baldy” was one of the last traditionalists.

In the era that he was racing and winning, people on bikes – pedal and motor – would crowd the front runner and encourage him on. This was the way it had always been. By the late seventies that had stopped. Pictures of “Baldy” winning his May 24th races show this bike crowd. Here, again, he was the last of the traditionalists.

In between races, as well as doing his long training runs, he worked for the Phoenix Stores as a magazine distributor. He was an energetic man and, on foot, moved fast as he moved between shop and truck and back.

It was discomforting to hear of his disappearance. As the days wore on, concern grew deeper. The news that a body had been found, followed, days later by the confirmation that “Baldy” was dead meant that one of the last of the May 24th traditionalists had passed; and with his death, another Bermuda era had died. Every May 24th, Calvin “Baldy” Hansey will be missed but not forgotten.

[Editors note: You can read more tributes to Mr Hansey here on our Facebook page]

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