1923 - Herman Hunt (future manager) attempts suicide
1926 - Picnicker Drowns near her home
1928, Aug - Anne Benoit of Westfield/Chicopee at Wrigley Race
“Fair Mermaids Entered For $50,000 Swim”
“Ethel Mertle, Winner In Swim Marathon, May Compete Against Men”
1928, Nov - Harold Benoit transfers real estate to Anna
1928, Dec - Contract with Herman Hunt
1929, Mar - Benefit Swim In Fort Lauderdale
1929, Aug-Oct - Anne Benoit of Holyoke at Canadian National Exposition (CNE)
“Famous Swimmers Train For Toronto Marathon” (photos)
“16 Brooklyn and Long Island Natators in Wrigley Marathon”
“Women’s Swimming Season Is On—Girls Have Ambitions To Do Big Things” (photo w/Lillian Garrick)
“Girls Ready For Lengthy Swim In Lake”
“Women Swimmers Start Marathon”
“Holyoke Expected Mrs Benoit to Win”
“Mrs. Lyons Flies Clifton Kin” (Benoit’s benefactor takes her flying)
“Grace Lyon . . . Gave $10,000 Consolation Prize to Anna Benoit of Holyoke Last Year”
1930, Jan - On program with alligator
1930, Jul - Swims Manhattan
“Harbor Swim To Be Held Over Wynne Protest” (NYHT)
“Swimmers Defy Germs in River Marathon Today” (NYHT)
“22 In Swim Today Around Manhattan” (NYT)
“Four Beat Records In Manhattan Swim” (NYT)
“Around Manhattan Swim . . .” results (NYHT)
“Set Records In New York Swim”
“Two New Marks Established In Distance Swim” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
“Now To Collect” (Winners not paid)
1930, Aug - Swims Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)
1930, Sep - Accident
1931, Mar - Cigarette ad
1931, Mar-May - In Florida
1931, Aug - CNE
advertisement in Canadian Statesman
1931, Oct - Stabbing by Herman Hunt/Hunt’s death
“Stabs Swimmer, Tries Suicide” (Boston Herald)
“Trainer Wounds Holyoke Woman Swimming Star” (Springfield Republican)
“Trainer Attacks Mrs. Benoit . . .” (Boston Globe)
“Marathon Swimmer Stabbed by Trainer” (with Al Capone article)
“Trainer Wounds Holyoke Woman . . .” (Springfield Republican)
“Woman Stabber Feared Near Death” (Miami Daily News)
“Alleged Stabber Near Death” (Charlotte Observer)
“Holyoke Woman’s Stabber Very Ill” (Springfield Republican)
“In a jealous rage . . .” (Miami News-Record, w/photo)
Herman Hunt’s death:
“Stabbing Suspect Poisons Himself” (Minneapolis Tribune)
“Poison Fatal To Herman Hunt” (Boston Globe)
“Herman Hunt Is Dead After Taking Poison” (Miami Herald)
“Hunt Dies of Poison . . .” (Hartford Daily Courant)
“Swimming Star Stabbed” (w/photos)
1932 - Harold Benoit sues for divorce, then dies
1934 - At Chicago World’s Fair
1937 - Marries Kenneth Grills
1944 - Grills
1960s - Anne Grills in San Bernardino managing Platt Building
“Patrons Flee 2 Buildings in Bomb Hoaxes”
“Woman’s Scream Frightens Away Purse-Snatchers” | “Victim’s Screams Foil Thieves”
“[President] Johnson Returns to S.B.,” page 1 | page 2
“Buie Plaque For Johnson Is Unveiled” (w/photo)
1989 - Death of Anne Priller Benoit Grills
2005 - Death of Kenneth Grills
I’m indebted to Laurel of holyokemass.com for unearthing many of the gems on this page.
Images from the City of Toronto Archives:
CNE, 23 Aug 1929 (Fonds 1266, Item 17590)
CNE, 7 Sep 1929 (Fonds 1266, Item 17896)
CNE swimmers Benoit, Riley, Armstrong, Tower, Norelius 7 Sep 1929 (Fonds 1266, Item 17900)
CNE, 22 Aug 1930 (Fonds 1266, Item 21630)
CNE, 22 Aug 1930—no Benoit, but it’ too good a photo to pass up (Fonds 1266, Item 21633)
CNE, 27 Aug 1930 (Fonds 1266, Item 21715)
CNE, 29 Aug 1930 (Fonds 1266, Item 21769)
CNE, 6 Sep 1930, Benoit far right (Fonds 1266, Item 21901)
CNE, 6 Sep 1930 (Fonds 1266, Item 21902)
CNE, 6 Sep 1930 (Fonds 1266, Item 21903)
Newspaper photos:
From “Holyoke Expected Mrs Benoit To Win,” Boston Globe, 26 August 1929.)
From “Fair Mermaids Entered For $50,000 Swim,” The Barrie Examiner, 30 August 1928.
