1983

The 56th Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee took place on June 9th, 1983. It was held at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., and 137 spellers participated.

In a Gadsen Times interview, Blake Giddens said that he had never heard his winning word, “Purim,” so he just guessed at it.

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About the 56th Bee

Champion

Blake Giddens

Alamogordo, New Mexico

Blake Giddens, age 14, sponsored by the El Paso Herald-Post, won the $1,000 prize by correctly spelling the word “Purim.”

Blake was a judge for the Bee from 1996 to 2021. He is a civil engineer in Virginia.

Location

Capital Hilton

at the Presidential Ballroom

Winning Word

Purim(n)

PU-rim

a Jewish festival celebrated on the 14th of Adar in commemoration of the deliverance of the Jews from the massacre plotted by Haman.

This word is from Hebrew.

OFFICIALS

Directors

James H. Wagner

Judges

  • Dr. Robert E. Baker
  • Leroy C. Dillard
  • Al Kuettner
  • Mary Brooks

Pronouncers

  • Dr. Alex J. Cameron
  • Dr. Caesar A. Carrino

SPELLER ROSTER

  • Ashley Adams
  • Jodi Allen
  • Malini Annamalai
  • James Appling
  • Kerry Badertscher
  • Richard J. Bailey Jr
  • Kathy Baker
  • Edward Baker Jr
  • Madonna Rose Becerra
  • Perry Prine Beissel
  • Alan Biggs
  • Lynne K. Bishop
  • Jeffrey M. Blakeslee
  • Joshua Blander
  • Casey L. Blankenship
  • Ahbrak K. Blessinger
  • Christopher Brisson
  • Laura Broesder
  • Jubliee Brown
  • Matthew Campbell
  • Eric Carmichael
  • Melinda Caroline
  • Mini Chadha
  • Greg Childress
  • Heather Ciociola
  • Julie Clark
  • Amanda Coplan
  • Kerry Coughlin
  • Tracie Cowart
  • Veronica Curet
  • Andrea Despotes
  • Pinky C. deVera
  • Pamela Joyce DeWolfe
  • Brendan Doyle
  • Luann Duann
  • David Edmond
  • Kathy Edwards
  • Jennifer Eley
  • Karen Ellis
  • Sarah Endo
  • Rudy Evenson
  • Frank Anthony Fedison
  • Thomas C. Finnerty Jr.
  • Jim Flood
  • Andrew Flosdorf
  • Kelly M. Flynn
  • Gerald Fontenay
  • Sarah Elizabeth Forrest
  • Emily Ghiz
  • Blake Giddens
  • David N. Golden Jr.
  • Alan Goldman
  • John R. Good Jr
  • Bindhu Gopalan
  • Cristina Grande
  • Stephen C. Greene
  • Chantail Greggs
  • Kathy Griffith
  • Randal Gustitis
  • Carol Joy Guthrie
  • Noelle Hahn
  • John E. Hake
  • Holly Harris
  • Jackie Harrison
  • Tiffany Hess
  • Tina Hickman
  • Jim Hlawek
  • Michele Hoggatt
  • Melissa Hurley
  • David Im
  • Valerie Johnson
  • Art Jordan
  • Jillaine Kassem
  • Rhonda M. Kauf
  • Barry Keith
  • Bharat Kharadia
  • Amy Kreiger
  • Porscha Krieg
  • Randi Langworthy
  • Kenneth Levy
  • Tonya Loreman
  • Jennifer Lynne Miller
  • Greg Manabat
  • Jennifer Martin
  • Jennifer Ann Mass
  • Kenneth Masse
  • Alisa Mayor
  • Carole Lynn McKinney
  • Lisa McKitrick
  • Dana Meinke
  • Dave Mihaly
  • Dell Moore
  • John F. Nagel
  • Balu Natarajan
  • Matt Norris
  • Lucy O’Malley
  • Dorian Pacheco
  • Sanjay Patel
  • Norma Pawley
  • Karen Perfetti
  • Jennifer C. Poole
  • Nelly Ramos
  • Eric Rauchway
  • Heather Reilly
  • Christina Louise Rodriguez
  • Edith M. Sachs
  • Lesley Salvatore
  • Maria Teresa Sanchez
  • Amy Sandusky
  • Melissa A. Scaletta
  • Gwyn Mary Schobert
  • Scott Simerlein
  • Tanya Zahava Solomon
  • David Victor Sorola
  • Sheryl Stern
  • Christopher H. Stillman
  • Lourdes D. Talvy
  • Regina Teters
  • Andrea Thomas
  • Stephanie Thonn
  • Dawn Tienhardia
  • Paul Valencia
  • Jason C. Van Boom
  • Rachel M. Vanin
  • Kevan Ward
  • Mary Katherine Ward
  • Robert Weishaar
  • Paige White
  • Phil Whitehead
  • Shelly Rene Wilbanks
  • Mike Williams
  • Jeanine Williamson
  • Sandy Wisch
  • Lily Woo
  • Edythe Ethelynn Woodruff
  • Ian Woods

* Winner
** Runner-Up