Miss USA 1972

Miss USA 1972 was the 21st Miss USA pageant. It was held at Cerromar Beach Hotel in Dorado, Puerto Rico, on May 20, 1972. Tanya Wilson of Hawaii was crowned by outgoing titleholder Michele McDonald of Pennsylvania.[1] This was the second time Hawaii has won the pageant.

Miss USA 1972
Date	May 20, 1972
Presenters	Bob Barker Helen O'Connell
Entertainment	Everly Brothers
Venue	Cerromar Beach Hotel, Dorado, Puerto Rico
Broadcaster	CBS
Entrants	51
Placements	12
Winner	Tanya Wilson  Hawaii
Congeniality	Peggy Moore  Utah
Photogenic	Susan Peters  Texas

Bob Barker (who later that year would begin a 35-year run as host of The Price Is Right on CBS) and singer Helen O'Connell hosted the pageant and the Everly Brothers were the guest entertainers.[2]

Prior to the final competition contestants participated in a number of public appearances, including an official parade held in Ponce and a televised ceremony with Governor Luis Ferre.[3]

This was the first time the pageant was held outside the continental United States.[2] The event was marred by two bomb blasts at the hotel during the pageant, thought to have been caused by anti-American activists.[4][5] There was severe property damage but no injuries were reported.[6][7] Earlier that day the venue had been picketed by the Puerto Rican Socialist Party.[8]

Results

Placements

Final Results	Contestant
Miss USA 1972	Hawaii – Tanya Wilson
1st Runner-Up	New York – Alberta Philips
2nd Runner-Up	California – Kim Christina Hobson
3rd Runner-Up	Florida – Coni Ensor
4th Runner-Up	Ohio – Kathleen Ann Kehlmier
Top 12	Alaska – Patricia Lane  District of Columbia – Janet Gail Greenwalt  Louisiana – Bonnie Martin  Michigan – Marilyn Ann Petty  New Mexico – Donna Reel  North Carolina – Deborah Ann Falls  South Carolina – Susan Gordon

Awards

Award	Contestant
Miss Congeniality	Utah – Peggy Moore
Miss Photogenic	Texas – Susan Peters

Historical significance

• Hawaii wins competition for the second time.
• New York earns the 1st runner-up position for the third time. The last time it placed this was in 1960.
• California earns the 2nd runner-up position for the first time.
• Florida earns the 3rd runner-up position for the first time.
• Ohio earns the 4th runner-up position for the second time. The last time it placed this was in 1957. Also it reaches the highest placement since Sue Ann Downey won in 1965.
• States that placed in semifinals the previous year were California, District of Columbia, Florida and Michigan.
• California placed for the sixteenth consecutive year.
• Florida placed for the fourth consecutive year.
• District of Columbia placed for the third consecutive year.
• Michigan made its second consecutive placement.
• New York, Ohio and South Carolina last placed in 1970.
• Hawaii and New Mexico last placed in 1969.
• Louisiana last placed in 1968.
• Alaska last placed in 1964.
• North Carolina last placed in 1960.
• Texas breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1969.
• Virginia breaks an ongoing streak of placements since 1967.

Delegates

Alabama - Elaine Barnhill Alaska - Patricia Lane Arizona - Marcia Banks Arkansas - Susan Tichenor California - Kim Hobson Colorado - Patricia Cadigan Connecticut - Diane Stevens Delaware - Michele Voyer District of Columbia - Janet Gail Greenawalt Florida - Coni Ensor Georgia - Kaye Ayers Hawaii - Tanya Wilson Idaho - Lianne Fulmer Illinois - Jani Hall Indiana - Julie Clifford Iowa - Jennifer Jo Owen Kansas - Mona Guesnier Kentucky - Tamara Branstetter Louisiana - Bonnie Martin Maine - Cynthia Luce Maryland - Patty Townsend Massachusetts - Dale Carder Michigan - Marilyn Ann Petty Minnesota - Darlene Koskiniemi Mississippi - Deborah Pawlik Missouri - Janet Potter

Montana - Mitriann Popovich Nebraska - Theresa Engels Nevada - Tracey Lynn Whitney New Hampshire - Cathy Davis New Jersey - Lela Desantes New Mexico - Donna Reel New York - Alberta Phillips North Carolina - Deborah Ann Falls North Dakota - Gail Schmeichel Ohio - Kathleen Kehlmier Oklahoma - Pam Vennerberg Oregon - Yvonne Philes Pennsylvania - Jeanie Zadrozny Rhode Island - Jeanne Lemay South Carolina - Susan Gordon South Dakota - Kathleen Bakke Tennessee - Linda Diane Thompson Texas - Susan Peters Utah - Peggy Moore Vermont - Stacey Becker Virginia - Dede Moore Washington - Connie Ambrose West Virginia - Diane McCutcheon Wisconsin - Suzan Nass Wyoming - Tamara Tulley

Judges

A panel of ten celebrities was chosen to judge the competition.[2]

• Ed Sullivan - entertainer
• Walt Frazier - New York Knicks basketball player
• Jacqueline Susann - author
• Halston - designer
• Cindy Adams - broadcaster and columnist
• Dong Kingman - artist
• Rita Moreno - Puerto Rican actress
• Bob Lardine - feature writer for New York Sunday News
• Chuck Connors - actor
• William Knight - Senior Vice-President for Avis Rent a Car System

See also

• Miss Universe 1972

References

1. UPI (1972-05-22). "Hawaii Lass Crowned Miss USA Saturday". Lodi News-Sentinel.
2. "CBS Televises Miss USA Saturday, Susan Gordon ranks high in prelims". The Rock Hill Herald. 1972-05-02.
3. "Beauties compete for Miss USA". Lodi News-Sentinel. 1972-05-15.
4. "Explosions rock beauty pageant site". Toledo Blade. 1972-05-21.
5. Wilson, Earl (1972-05-25). "The Earl Wilson Column". Beaver County Times.
6. "Police Seek Beauty Fete Bomb Clues". The Spokesman-Review. 1972-05-22.
7. "New Miss USA". Ellensburg Daily Record. 1972-05-22.
8. "Bombs enliven Nori Anderson's trip". Tri City Herald. 1972-05-24.