Cheryl Patton
Encyclopedia
Cheryl Patton is a pageant titleholder from North Miami Beach, Florida
who has held the Miss USA
title.
In 1966 Patton was a runner-up in the Miss Florida World pageant. The following year she won the Miss Florida USA
1967 title and represented Florida in the Miss USA
1967 pageant held in Miami Beach in her home state. She placed as second runner-up in the pageant, which was won by Sylvia Hitchcock
of Alabama
.
In July that year, Hitchcock became the fourth woman from the United States to win the Miss Universe
title, and for the first time, one of her runners-up was to be chosen to complete her reign as Miss USA. The first runner-up Susan Ellen Bradley of California
, refused to take over the Miss USA title and Patton became Miss USA 1967. This is the only time that the first runner-up has not inherited the reign of the original titleholder. In February 1968 Patton filed a lawsuit alleging that the pageant directors refused to pay her a bonus of $5000 for assuming the title as stipulated in the contract. A judge ruled in her favour in June, stating that it made no difference that the sum had already been paid to Hitchcock.
Patton's reign as Miss USA was the first time that a Floridian has held the title.
Patton later married and had a son. In the 1980s she was still living in North Miami.
North Miami Beach, Florida
North Miami Beach is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Originally named Fulford in 1926 after Captain William H. Fulford of the United States Coast Guard, the city was incorporated in 1927 as Fulford, but was renamed North Miami Beach in 1931. The population was...
who has held the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
title.
In 1966 Patton was a runner-up in the Miss Florida World pageant. The following year she won the Miss Florida USA
Miss Florida USA
The Miss Florida USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Florida in the Miss USA pageant.While Florida has been successful in terms of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, the state has never won the Miss USA pageant, although Cheryl Patton became Miss USA...
1967 title and represented Florida in the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
1967 pageant held in Miami Beach in her home state. She placed as second runner-up in the pageant, which was won by Sylvia Hitchcock
Sylvia Hitchcock
Sylvia Louise Hitchcock-Carson is a pageant titleholder who held the Miss USA 1967 and Miss Universe 1967 titles.Hitchcock was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts and grew up on a chicken farm in Miami, Florida. She attended Palmetto High School, Miami-Dade Junior College and studied art at the...
of Alabama
Miss Alabama USA
The Miss Alabama USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Alabama in the Miss USA pageant.Alabama is one of the more successful and consistent states at Miss USA. Although they have had a number of runners-up, finalists and semi-finalists, they have only...
.
In July that year, Hitchcock became the fourth woman from the United States to win the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
title, and for the first time, one of her runners-up was to be chosen to complete her reign as Miss USA. The first runner-up Susan Ellen Bradley of California
Miss California USA
Miss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
, refused to take over the Miss USA title and Patton became Miss USA 1967. This is the only time that the first runner-up has not inherited the reign of the original titleholder. In February 1968 Patton filed a lawsuit alleging that the pageant directors refused to pay her a bonus of $5000 for assuming the title as stipulated in the contract. A judge ruled in her favour in June, stating that it made no difference that the sum had already been paid to Hitchcock.
Patton's reign as Miss USA was the first time that a Floridian has held the title.
Patton later married and had a son. In the 1980s she was still living in North Miami.