The event was created and originally organized by Daily News sports writer Al Copland,[1] with assistance from colleague and later novelist Paul Gallico.
[4] The net profit was distributed to an ecumenical selection of New York area religious charities, as well as secular relief groups such as the Red Cross and the United Hospital Fund.
The inaugural edition was won by Al Leitch of West Orange, New Jersey, in front of 12,000 spectators at Lewisohn Stadium, in a time of 6:56.2-5 over 2 miles.
[8] The contest's immediate success inspired the Daily News to create a similar one for amateur boxing, the New York Golden Gloves, which was launched in 1926.
[10] It was one the three leading events promoted by the paper, with the Golden Gloves and dancesport's Harvest Moon Ball, which were also held at Madison Square Garden for much of their history.
The tenth edition, initially held on 18 January 1931, was stopped three laps into the Men's senior race as the ice was looking increasingly dangerous, with Herbert Taylor leading in front of a reported 40,000.
[14] The decision was taken on short notice, as registration forms left the location TBA, and the final announcement was made by the Daily News in early January.
The 1958 edition, however, changed those eligibility rules for the Girl's senior class only, which allowed reigning champion Marian "Micki" Finch to return and successfully defend her 1957 crown.
[20][21][10] Joe Bree won the inaugural event, although his time was actually 5 seconds slower than the 6:57.4 the New York Silver Skates winner, Cliff Spellman,[17] who would win the Inter-City race himself in 1937.
[5] As World War II and the advent of conscription prevented the gathering of current regional champions, the entry list reverted to a selection of past winners, often slanted towards New York area participants.
[23][24] The formula stuck after the conflict ended, with the race now billed as purely invitational, and mixing popular New York skaters with select representatives from other regions.
[16] Eleanor "Ellie" Sommers, who performed an exhibition during the 1956 Silver Skates, went on to play Hans Brinker's sister Trinka in NBC's adaptation the eponymous novel in 1958.