1955 Hugos
Presented September 4, 1955 at the Clevention.
This was the second year the Hugos were presented, and again there was no shortlist of nominations but there was a vote of the membership to select the winners. (See Early Hugo voting.) The Clevention committee significantly changed the Hugo categories from those inaugurated by Philcon II in 1953.
Ballots were counted by Howard DeVore, who later turned his records over to Fred Patten. There were 62 ballots in the category Best Magazine, which got the most votes.
The somewhat odd result for Best Novel was apparently due to a bloc vote by Astounding readers who were appalled that a Galaxy ("not really an sf magazine at all." Hmmph!) did so well, tying ASF for Best Prozine and doing well in other categories as well. Since there were so few voters in those days, they were successful.
For this second awarding of the Hugos, the committee hoped that Jack McKnight (who had made the 1953 rockets) would make theirs, too, but their letters brought no replies. Nick Falasca asked if they could use Oldsmobile “Rocket 88” model hood ornaments. They ordered one from the local dealer, but the rocket had a hollow underside and hood ornaments did not prove to be a cheap and easy solution after all. Instead, Ben Jason had the Hoffman Bronze Co. prepare a pattern rocket from his design -- which does bear a resemblance to the 88 logo from the trunk lid of a 1955 Oldsmobile “Rocket 88 -- and that is the shape of the Hugo rocket to this day.
- Best Novel: They'd Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley
- Best Novelette: "The Darfsteller" by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
- Best Short Story: "Allamagoosa" by Eric Frank Russell
- Best Professional Magazine: Astounding Science Fiction ed. by John W. Campbell, Jr.
- Best Professional Artist: Frank Kelly Freas
- Best Fanzine: Fantasy Times ed. by James V. Taurasi, Sr., and Ray Van Houten
| 1954 | Hugos | 1956 | 1955 |
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