ST. LOUIS -- Miss New Zealand, the 19-year-old daughter of a retired plumber and a housewife, was crowned the 1983 Miss Universe before an audience of 600 million television viewers in 50 countries, edging out Miss USA who came in second.
Lorraine Elizabeth Downes, a hazel-eyed model, is from the seaport of Auckland in New Zealand, an island that sits southeast across the Tasman Sea from Australia.
'I've been watching Miss Universe since I was about 8 years old,' said the 5-foot-8 blond. 'I can't believe I'm here in it.'
Her father, Lloyd, is a retired plumbing contractor, and her mother, Gladys, a housewife.
Miss USA, 22-year-old Julie Hayek, finished first runnerup Monday night after gaining top honors in the swimsuit and evening gown competition with her picture-perfect figure. Miss Hayek, who lives at New York, is a senior at UCLA specializing in pre-dental studies.
Second runnerup was Miss Ireland, Roberta Brown, and third runnerup was Miss Switzerland, Lolita Morena, who also was named Miss Photogenic. Miss England, Karen Lesley Moore, was fourth runnerup of the five finalists.
When the field had been narrowed to only Miss New Zealand and Miss USA, the sentiments of the partisan audience were with the American. However, Master of Ceremonies Bob Barker placed the diamond tiara on Miss Downes' flowing tresses.
Along with the crown came nearly $90,000 in cash and $60,000 in other prizes, and a full slate of events for the coming year. Karen Baldwin, Miss Canada and the retiring Miss Universe, passed on the reign with no regrets and a bit of advice.
'There are going to be times when she's very tired, but it's only a year,' Miss Baldwin said.
Pageant officials estimated more than 600 million viewers in 50 countries watched the event, which was held in Kiel Auditorium. The Depression-era hall, more accustomed to rock concerts and professional wrestling matches, was decorated with colorful banners for the pageant.
The broadcast was of special interest to St. Louis, which paid $800,000 from tourist funds to bring the pageant to the Midwest for the first time.
St. Louis got its money's worth as the contestants were shown cavorting beneath the 630-foot Gateway Arch, splashing in the city's fountains and bowling over baseball players at Busch Stadium.
The biggest applause of the night from the sold-out crowd of 10,200 came when Barker saluted the St. Louis Cardinals, the 1982 world champions of baseball.
The city's gentry turned out in fine fashion for the international event, men donning tuxedos and women wearing sequined gowns with plunging necklines and thigh-high slits.
Outside, a smattering of pickets protested the decision to spend the money to bring the pageant to the city while hundreds of poor live only blocks from the cavernous auditorium.
A few other minor events marred the nearly three-week stay of the contestants.
Press credentials were revoked for two newspaper reporters from Kansas City after they were accused of asking 'anti-pageant' questions. The press passes were restored the next day with an apology from Mayor Vincent Schoemehl.
Miss Indonesia, Andi Botenri, also was the center of a mild brouhaha when government officials in Jakarta spotted her picture in a newspaper. She was wearing a swimsuit, which is prohibited among Moslem women.
Although Miss Botenri is a Moslem, she said other women in her country often wear swimsuits and refused to withdraw from the competition.
