Photos by L.G. Patterson
In 1925, successful sports columnist and University of Missouri alumnus Bill Corum coined the famous term “run for the roses” in his report of the Kentucky Derby. The phrase lives on today as just one piece of Corum’s legacy that shaped the future of sports journalism, but author Elaine Strawn initially had no idea of her grandfather’s impact.
Strawn, a Columbia author and educator, comes from a family of writers. She wasn’t fully aware of her family’s deep roots in writing until her sister happened upon the novel “Off And Running” in a small local bookshop. “Off and Running” is the autobiography of Strawn’s grandfather, Bill Corum. Strawn and her sister were both unaware their grandfather had ever written a novel.
That discovery led to a two-year research period where Strawn unpacked the fascinating lives of her grandfather, Bill, and grandmother, Kiddie.
Within that time, Strawn learned her grandfather had coined the phrase “run for the roses” among many other great successes in his journalism career. Strawn had always loved horses and watching the Kentucky Derby, so the knowledge that her grandfather had such a large role in the event was a surprise.
Strawn never met Bill or Kiddie, and hadn’t corresponded much with that side of the family, so she felt herself grow closer to these relatives — as if she truly knew them. She even learned that her grandfather had changed his name; Bill Corum’s given name was Martene Windsor Corum. His editor at The New York Evening Sun demanded he shorten his name to less of a “mouthful” for his bylines. And Corum obliged. “He was extremely driven,” Strawn says. “He had two loves: sports writing and Kiddie.”
Strawn decided she needed to put the legacy of her grandparents’ love story onto paper. After two years, Strawn completed “Kiddie and The Major,” a historical fiction retelling of her grandparents’ romance. In the novel, Kiddie and Corum navigate falling in love in the turbulent 1920s as their careers bloomed — Corum as a journalist, Kiddie as a model.
As for the title, Kiddie and many others referred to Corum as “Major,” as he was the youngest soldier to make Major during his deployment to France during World War II. It’s a story of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, as two characters pursue their dreams and find their footing in the real world. “I just felt like I needed to write this story,” Strawn says.
Although she never met her grandparents, she has a greater understanding of her family now. “They were part of me and I would definitely hang out with them any day of the week. I have a lot of connections to Bill. I feel like I’m really driven. I kind of can be over the top and passionate about things, with education being number one, but also my writing.”
While Strawn inherited her grandfather’s love for writing, she will also follow in his footsteps May 3 at the Kentucky Derby.
In honor of the 100-year anniversary of Corum’s “run for the roses” headline, Strawn and her family will present the garland of roses to the winning horse. On this date, Strawn will also re-release a modified version of “Kiddie And The Major.”
“I just know (Courm) is going to be watching and thinking, ‘that’s my granddaughter,’” Strawn says. “It’s funny how he coined the phrase, and it’s not even in his book. He never even talks about it.”
While Bill Corum may not have been aware of how iconic his wording was in 1925, Columbia local Elaine Strawn is making sure her grandparents’ legacies are well-known.
Strawn named her publication company after Bill, giving it the namesake of his autobiography, “Off And Running.” She will be a featured vendor at the Grown Up Book Fair at Rose Music Hall June 14, and a new edition of “Kiddie And The Major” will be available for purchase May 3 — the same day you might catch Strawn on your television adorning the winning horse at the Derby.
