Howard Kroplick’s Events & Presentations
Howard Kroplick's Events and Presentations
May 2013
This Week's Event
12:00 Noon,Wednesday, May 8, 2013 10th Annual Friendship Circle Luncheon, Garden City, NY
What a wonderful lunch. Over 350 people in attendance and over $100,000 raised for the Early Onset Alzheimer's programs and the Yellow Rose Society of the Sid Jacobson JCC!
Smash's Megan Hilty was spectacular!
A shout out from fellow honoree Rosanna Scotto of Channel 5's Good Day NY
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Upcoming Event
7:30 pm Thursday, May 23, 2013 Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society Meeting & Presentation “Deadman’s Curve”, Bethpage, NY
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Completed Events
8:00 pm,Thursday, April 4, 2013 Presentation: “The Incredible Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island” by Howard Kroplick, Malverne, NY
“An ACCA Evening with Howard Kroplick” By Stuart Light
The GNYR has had some very interesting meetings this past year due to the Board of Directors plus hard work by members such as Althea Travis. For the April 2013 meeting we had the honor of a presentation by Howard Kroplick, an authority on the history of the Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island which ran from 1904 through 1910. Howard arranged for a computerized presentation including photographs and early movies taken during those races. Howard went into detail about how William K. Vanderbilt Jr., an early automotive enthusiast used his family’s fortune and influence to set up what would become the earliest automotive endurance race in America. At a time when the total population of Long Island was perhaps 50,000 people, these races attracted more than several hundred thousand spectators. Roads which we are still familiar with today such as: Jerusalem Avenue, Jericho Turnpike, Hempstead Turnpike, and Glen Cove Road were used…a lap was approx. 28 miles and the 10 lap race was about 280 miles. The discussion also went into detail as to how William K. Vanderbilt Jr. used his wealth to build a toll road, the Long Island Motor Parkway…used as part of several of later Vanderbilt Cup races. The lecture went into detail about the automobiles in those races. Names not familiar to most of us included: Panhard, Darracq (which evolved into Alfa Romeo), De Dietrich and Pope-Toledo. There automobiles many of us have heard of but long out of business such as: Packard, Marmon, and Locomobile. Of all of the car companies which participated in those races only three are still in business and sold in the USA which includes: Buick, Mercedes and FIAT…..yes FIAT. Howard also went into detail about the 1909 Alco “Black Beast” which won the Vanderbilt Cup race twice in 1909 and 1910…..he knows soo much about this race car…it helps that he is the current owner. It brought a taste of what it was like on Long Island 100+ years ago and what life was like for the wealthy to participate in the early world of motor racing. Thanks Howard…..I had a great time.
Howard Kroplick
Howard Kroplick
Comments
Howard Can you let me know what time on Tuesday? it doesn’t tell you,Thanks
Ted, times have been added.
Howard, thanks for adding all the times
Great presentation last nite. I will hike and explore Trail #3 and Trail#4.I’m 5 minutes away,now the I know what to look for,it will be more interesting. I hope you can make use of that article I gave you to look at.
From Stuart L:
Howard Kroplick gave a GREAT lecture about the history of the Vanderbilt Races on Long Island.
A few tidbits of info from me…of all the automobiles in those races only three are still in business and sold in the USA….Mercedes, Buick and FIAT….Darracqs were entered in some of those races….in 1910 a group of Milanese businessmen purchased the company and renamed it Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (ALFA)..in 1918 Nicola Romeo purchased the company and it was renamed Alfa Romeo. In 1986 Alfa Romeo was purchased by FIAT from the Italian government. FIAT now owns Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Lancia (Lamborghini is owned by Audi).
From Althea Travis:
“Howard -
...The Greater New York Region of the Antique Automobile Club was honored to host you. Our members were enthused about the history that you shared and want to learn more about the very first parkway, especially since it is right in their own backyard. We hope that our meeting this week will be the start of an ongoing relationship with the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society.
We would like to host you again next year and get an update on what is new in the preservation effort and learn how we can help.
Thank you for all that you are doing on behalf of Long Islanders now and those who will inherit Long Island from us in the future.
Althea Travis
On behalf of GNYR
Howard: Thanks for your presentation this past Thursday. I was quite impressed, and living in the New Hyde Park Area for many years I can remember riding my bike on the parkway, watching the phesents, and fishing in the ponds along it. I took photos of the bridge on Meadow Farm road. It’s the best bridge in Nassau. Again great job. Thanks Artie Finnegan Membership Director GNYR
Howard, the Long Island Motor Touring Club (LIMTC) would like you to provide a ” history of the Vanderbilt Races on Long Island” presentation at one of our monthly meetings. Would you be available on May 9th (Thursday) at 8PM?
Bill Murray (516) 2936378) LIMTC 2nd VP activities