Mystery Foto #17 Solved: Emil Stricker in the #3 Mercedes passing the Jerusalem Avenue Bridge during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Did you solve this weekend's Mystery Foto?
Answers to the Mystery Foto questions:
Identify:
- The Motor Parkway Bridge. Provide a rationale.
Jerusalem Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge in the Hempstead Plains (Levittown). Press box can be seen through the bridge. People, cars and carriages on the bridge.
- The race and date
1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race held on October 24, 1908
- The race car and its driver.
#3 Mercedes driven by Emil Stricker. Sadly, Stricker would be killed in a racing accident three weeks after the 1908 Race.
Comments (4)
Congrats to Greg O. , Brian McCarthy, Steve Lucas and Frank Femenias for identifying the Jerusalem Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge.
Kudos to Greg. O, Brian McCarthy and Steve Lucas for recognizing Emil Stricker driving the Mercedes in the 1908 Race.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Close-Ups
#3 Mercedes in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Jerusalem Avenue Motor Parkway Bridge during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Joe Seymour driving a Thomas. The officials' stand/press box can be seen through the bridge.
Comments
Jerusalem Ave Bridge since we can see the press box through the bridge. I believe this to be the #3 Mercedes driven by Emil Stricker during the 1908 VCR on October 24th.
We’re viewing west on the LIMP, with the Jerusalem Ave Hwy bridge seen. The Press Box is seen further west on the north side. Upon zooming, believe there’s a 3 on the front grill. The 1908, 09, 10 VC races had a car #3. After comparing each car from the 3 races, I’ll guess the mystery foto is the 10/24/1908 VCR. The car is a Mercedes driven by Emil Stricker.
I think that’s Emil Stricker driving the #3 Mercedes with Conners as his mechanician heading east having just gone under the Jerusalem Avenue bridge during the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race on October 24, 1908. I think that’s Jerusalem Avenue because you can see the officials stand / press box in the distance through the bridge.
Cannot identify the car/driver, even using my best zooming methods. Not sure but this could be on the Motor Parkway looking west at the Jerusalem Ave highway bridge in the Hempstead Plains (bridge removed in 1948). This photo was captured during one of the early VCR races (1908-1910). I think I see Long Island Aviation Country Club hangars in the background (under the bridge), but can’t explain the protrusion above the hangar in the photo? Tricky photo Howard. Expecting a correct answer by talented historians in this forum.
Howard, the photo captioned….#3 Mercedes in the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race, look at the person between the driver and the mechanic behind the Mercedes, is that a soldier with a rifle on his shoulder ?
Great catch Al! I believe it’s a rifle. He’s not a flagman; I don’t see a flag attached to the top of that ‘pole’. If memory serves, police were hired to help with crowd control.
Frank, A quasi-military organization known as the Irish Volunteers were hired for crowd control purposes at the 1908 Race. Numbering some 600, they wore uniforms and carried rifles, no bayonets though. Said to have done a better job than previous attempts.