The Crane Pool Forum

It is certainly fitting that an unusual year like 2020 be represented by an out-of-the-ordinary cover, and that's exactly what happened this year. As a stroke of what might be called serendipity, news of Tom Seaver's death was released the day before Newsday was due to commemorate its 80th anniversary with a turn-back-the-clock style cover. The result is a second consecutive Tabloid Cover Derby championship for the Long Island tabloid, after the first four years of the competition were swept by the Daily News.

2020 CHAMPION COVER
METS GREAT SEAVER DIES
Newsday, September 3, 2020



After arriving on an overseas flight from the United States to Stockholm Arlanda International Airport, METS GREAT SEAVER DIES had to be thoroughly decontaminated before it was allowed to officially enter Sweden. As has been widely reported, the CPF has been serving as a third-party administrator for The Wooden Ducks With Silly Boots Forum. We see their Best in Class winners, Annabelle and Quacky, awaiting their turn at decontamination.



Now squeaky-clean and virus-free, our cover was then transported, in a contact-free manner, by drone to downtown Stockholm for the unveiling ceremony. Wide-eyed children and world weary adults alike all gazed in astonishment at the spectacle unfolding in the sky above them.




This year's ceremony took place near Stockholm's iconic blue gate, the entrance to the Royal Djurgården. On hand were the cardboard cutouts of Sweden's King Gustav, CPF receptionist and reality show star Maja, Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, and the ghost of the cardboard cutout of legendary Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman.




As is customary, the winning cover is now on display in the lobby of the Kran Pool Forum Internationella Huvudkontoret, the CPF's International Headquarters. Due to the ongoing pandemic, most CPF employees are working remotely, so the lobby is lacking its usual hustle and bustle.



The winning cover is once again available as a shower curtain! You can get a METS GREAT SEAVER DIES shower curtain of your own at the CPF Gift Shop. Show your membership card for a 15 per cent discount!



Last year's winner, STREAKERS!, has joined its predecessors on display at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, where the five covers are protected around the clock by an armed member of the Swedish Royal Guard. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the museum is not currently open to visits from the general public, but tours can be arranged for wealthy VIP donors.



As a result of his appearance on the winning cover, Tom Seaver's wife and daughters will receive a gigantic box of Rice-a-Roni, the San Francisco Treat. To honor his second-place finish, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso will receive a copy of the Tabloid Cover Derby Home Game, available for sale wherever deeply unpopular toys and games are sold.





Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's Tabloid Cover Derby!
We'll return for a seventh year of voting in November 2021!





A special thanks to our various CPF spokesmodels (Shelby, Marissa, Joyce, Bob, and Jerry) who braved desert climates around the world to showcase our winning covers. We appreciate their service as tireless promoters of the Tabloid Cover Derby.



























Thank you also to the ghost of Bill Gallo, for his contribution to this year's ceremony.

It’s not until it’s over that one realizes the scope of contributions that go into TCD. Thanks to all on each side of the Atlantic for making it memorable.

Bravo!
Again!
When the travel restrictions ease, we look forward to seeing it in person in Stockholm

Later

We gotta do something about that lobby.

Terrific work by all involved, be they truly known or merely mythical. We have a worthy winner.

The ducks make me happy.

Great job Grimm. I appreciate the commitment to safety by the entire staff.

Best thing of the offseason, lotta fun!

It's amazingly professional how the models pose with the covers exactly the
same regardless of where they are shipped out to for each photo op.

kcmets wrote: ↑Mon Jan 18, 2021 12:22 pm Best thing of the offseason, lotta fun!

It's amazingly professional how the models pose with the covers exactly the
same regardless of where they are shipped out to for each photo op.

Training and discipline, appropriate for the magnitude of the task.

Later

Yours can be arranged for wealthy VIP donors. Perfect.

My favorite part was the drone transport, plus the cardboard cut-outs

Is that Buddy taking a rest over by the magazine rack?

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: ↑Mon Jan 18, 2021 2:12 pm My favorite part was the drone transport, plus the cardboard cut-outs

I'm still puzzling over whether Bergman was a cardboard cutout of a ghost, or a ghost of a cardboard cutout.

It's the ghost of a cardboard cutout!

I tend to agree, because even the alleged cardboard itself appears to be transparent.

Creepy!

Monty, I'd like to have what's holding curtain #1.
Later

Weirdly fitting that the winning 2020 cover is a dead person. It's been that kind of a year.

Indeed, a COVID victim.

What's with the Flintstones guy?

He's the wealthy VIP donor.

Mr. Slate is loaded

Clams go a long way in Stockholm.

Was Mr. Slate in part modeled on Phil Silvers?

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: ↑Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:14 amMr. Slate is loaded

Everything in Bedrock is made of stone. He has the stone, do the math!!

Too bad the inauguration is taking press coverage away from the Cover Derby enshrinement ceremonies.

Later

Are there official Tabloid Cover Derby masks?

I think you may be able to adapt one of the shower curtains.