I recently picked up the August, 1939 issue of the fanzine ESCAPE, published by long-time science fiction fan (and later author) Dick Wilson, It was filled with stories (many very funny) about the first World Science Fiction Convention which had been held in July of 1939 in New York City. In one article, the magazine notes that well known science fiction fan (and, again, later well-known author) Wilson "Bob" Tucker had "engaged" Forrest J Ackerman "to keep track of what was consumed in the way of food" at the Convention, and by whom. The article goes on to state, all in good fun, that on July 4 at the Con, Ray Bradbury consumed "44 hamburgers, 12 dishes tomato soup, 24 pieces peach pie, 36 glasses iced choc'lit..." I had to laugh when I read this since, given the state of Ray's finances at this point in time (Forrest Ackerman paid for Ray's travel by bus from Los Angeles to NYC), it is safe to say no such eating frenzy ever came even close to occurring! And attached below is a photo from my collection of 18-year-old Ray Bradbury on the streets of New York during the Con. (On Ray's right in the photo is Leo Marguiles, an editor and publisher of science fiction and fantasy pulp magazines in the 1930's.)

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