1968

The 41st Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee took place on June 6th, 1968. It was held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., and 75 spellers participated.

The planned excursions for Bee contestants in Washington, D.C., were cancelled or changed due to the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, which occurred early on the first day of competition.

Learn more

About the 41st Bee

Champion

Robert L. Walters

Russell, Kansas

Robert L. Walters, age 14, sponsored by The Topeka Daily Capital, won the $1,000 prize by correctly spelling the word “abalone.”

Robert graduated from Fort Hays State University and was a parts buyer for an automotive supply company for 20 years. He died in 2018. No image of this champion has been found on record.

Location

Mayflower Hotel

at the Grand Ballroom

Winning Word

abalone(n)

ab-uh-LOH-nee

a gastropod mollusk that clings to rocks tenaciously with a broad muscular foot and that has a nacre-lined shell perforated with a row of apertures for the escape of the water from the gills and covering the animal like a roof.

This word is from Spanish.

OFFICIALS

Directors

James H. Wagner

Judges

  • John H. Lloyd
  • Leroy C. Dillard
  • Professor George E. Salt

Pronouncers

  • Dr. Richard R. Baker

SPELLER ROSTER

  • Joby Allen
  • Suzanne Arnold
  • Stephen Bacher
  • Jean Berger
  • Terri Bondow
  • Mary E. Brandt
  • Jeff Brollier
  • Martha Buie
  • Susan Carle
  • Mary Ann Carr
  • Reid Carson
  • Bob Copus
  • Anne Cornwell
  • Drucilla Graves Davis
  • Diana Nori Diaz
  • Mary Louise Doyle
  • Wendy Ehrenkranz
  • Patrick Falkner
  • Reginald Finger
  • Debbie Ford
  • Sharon Gannon
  • Denise Genereux
  • Donna Hathaway
  • Johanna Hespenheide
  • Stephen W. Hiatt
  • Elizabeth Howington
  • Charles Hultstrand
  • Joey Hyde
  • Ann Johnson
  • Robert Jones
  • Dennis Karl
  • Lori Kearns
  • Carolyn Kemplin
  • Carol Ann Kozak
  • Susan Krajewski
  • Thomas Kusnierczyk
  • Lucinda Lauderback
  • Susan Leeds
  • Robert Leftkowski
  • Beth Lehman
  • Marc Lentsch
  • Deborah Maggipinto
  • Tony Marion
  • Eilyne E. Matsumoto
  • Victor W. Milan
  • Dwaine Mordecai
  • Carol Morgan
  • Constance Morton
  • Leslie Eve Nathan
  • Bobbie Ousley
  • Janiece Pompa
  • Katherine Price
  • Gloria Jean Rizzardi
  • James Roberts
  • Karen A. Rogers
  • Rhonda Sanders
  • Debbie Sandler
  • Mack Edward Sawyer, Jr.
  • Larry Smith
  • Kristi Stapf
  • Steven Sweeney
  • James Telling
  • Joe Tharp
  • Elaine Trovato
  • Elizabeth Troy
  • Monica Unger
  • Maria Veronica Uytana
  • Robert Vallade
  • Jan Vallentine
  • Robert L. Walters
  • Andrea Wayda
  • Linda Whitener
  • Debbie Woerner
  • Mary Wylesol
  • Mary Therese Yelenick

* Winner
** Runner-Up