Awarded each year to a person who has made an outstanding contribution
to the art, sport, or science of soaring flight in the United States as
determined by the SSA Awards Committee with the approval of the SSA
Board of Directors. It is considered SSA's highest award.
The trophy is a tall, vase-type silver cup, depicting in bas-relief soaring planes and clouds. It was presented to SSA in 1939 by Mrs. Genevieve Eaton in memory of her husband, Warren E. Eaton, founder and first president of SSA, who died of a glider accident at Miami, Florida, on December 1, 1934.
While usually awarded to a person who has made his or her contribution during the previous calendar year, this is not mandatory and in certain instances the Directors have gone back in years to pick some outstanding person never before suitably recognized.
The trophy is perpetual, held by each recipient until the next time it is awarded. The recipient is presented with a certificate attesting to the award and receives a stipend of approximately $325.00 derived from the income of a $5,000 endowment fund for the trophy. The presentation of the trophy, certificate and stipend is made at the SSA Awards Banquet held during the annual national convention.
Shortly after October of each year, the chairman of the SSA Awards Committee sends to all Directors a request for nominations for the award for the current calendar year. From the list thus acquired, a ballot is prepared of not more than four (4) candidates (selected on best qualified basis) and submitted by mail to each Director for voting The balloting should be completed by January 1st so that the chairman of the Awards Committee may notify the recipient in confidence in order that he or she may have the opportunity of being present to receive the award in person.
