The 3rd National Spelling Bee was held at the National Museum in Washington, D.C. on June 23, 1927, hosted by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
The winner was 13-year-old Dean Lucas of West Salem, Ohio (some sources say nearby Congress, Ohio, where he attended school), with the word abrogate.[1] Ralph Keenan, 13, of Waukon, Iowa placed second (misspelling "abrogate" as "abregate"), and Minerva Ressler, 12, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania was third.[2] [3] [4] It was Lucas' second appearance at the bee.[5]
There were 17 contestants this year, 13 girls and 4 boys, between ages 10 and 15, and the bee lasted three hours.[2] The first place prize was $1000, with $500 for second, and $250 for third.[2]