Pittsburgh reporter needs help

[Johnna Pro]

Doug: Thanks for all this stuff. I'm more determined than ever to figure
this out or at least write something about it and see what kind of response
we get. I did figure out that the term must be is fairly old. My mom is 70
years old and grew up in Newell, a charming little one-horse hamlet on the
Mon and she remembers using the term Yankee Bump. {"There was a great one on
Harger Hill," she said.] I know one thing, we've found no one, and I mean no
one from outside the mid-Mon Valley who knows the term. So far we have
people fro Elizabeth, Finleyville, Carroll Township, Charleroi, Belle Vernon
and Newell, all towns in the Mid Mon Valley who knew its meaning immediately
and grew up in different eras from the 30s to the 80s. Otherwise, nothing.
Keep me posted if you have any more ideas for me. I have a feeling its
linked to the sled, but is it possible it dates to the Civil War?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Douglas G. Wilson [SMTP:douglas at NB.NET]
> Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 7:37 AM
> To:   ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject:      Re: Pittsburgh reporter needs help
>
> I've encountered recognition of "Yankee bump" by five individuals from
> Elizabeth PA and vicinity. They are all of ages around 70, I think.
>
> One remarked, "I haven't heard that for a long time."
>
> None recognized a specific hill. Judging from the one (apparently
> overwritten) Web reference turned up by Google, this MIGHT have been
> merely
> an informal designation by local kids.
>
> Two stated specifically that Yankee bumps were things which were purposely
> formed from snow by sledders in order to become airborne (like ski-jumps),
> rather than simply bumps which happened to be present. One stated that the
> idea was to feel the swooping sensation, another stated (presumably
> sarcastically) that the idea was to break one's sled.
>
> One recognized the sled name "Yankee Clipper".
>
> -- Doug Wilson
>