grease and glory

This assignment for the Boston Globe was one of my first after my contract started. Profiling a legendary local tradition in coastal Gloucester, Mass. was an all-day treat. I can only hope my photographs show just how much fun the day was. Here is the lead from Globe reporter and greasy pole expert, Billy Baker

“GLOUCESTER – “This is Peter Black’s house,” someone shouts. “Show some respect.”

The “walkers” go quiet, something they haven’t done in hours.

There are 45 of them, mostly guys in their 20s, and they’ve been partying all day, each of them in a ridiculous costume, all part of summoning the courage for what they’ll be doing later in the afternoon.

This is the Friday crowd, the lucky ones who know someone who knows someone and got their names on the list for round one of this fishing port’s major spectator draw and most sacred test: the greasy pole.”