Vanderbilt Cup Races

Judging by the shadows, the photographer is facing east. That looks like the Ladenburg windmill in the distance. So I’m going to say that the location is just west of the Merrick Avenue bridge. I have no clue about anything else.

Impossible Kudo Question: 
After doing extensive research, I’ve concluded the gentlemen in the foreground is an uncle of our favorite author, Al Velocci.  The uncle unfortunately must have acted inappropriately for he was not permitted to stand on the side of the road where the other spectators were.  I believe he was a stand up comedian and often incorporated the VCR and the Motor Parkway into his routines - such as: “Why did the chicken cross the Motor Parkway?”  But I haven’t been able to find the punchline - anyone want to offer their own punchline? 

As for his breakfast -I believe he met Howard Kroplick’s grandfather at the East Meadow McDonalds and they both had Egg McMuffins.  Al’s uncle actually bought an extra one and offered it to the driver of #16, Spencer Wishart, as he passed him in his Mercedes as shown in the picture.  Spencer refused saying he was a Whopper man instead.  Al’s uncle tried again in the next year’s race, 1910 and brought along hash browns.  There’s no record of whether anyone ever shared the uncle’s breakfast.

Source of the above unknown.

We are looking east on the LIMP as Spencer Wishart (driver) and Robert Gibson (mechanician) are about to go over the Merrick Avenue (Whale Neck Road) bridge during the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup race. The car is the #16 Mercedes and the date is October 30, 1909. Off in the distance is the Ladenburg windmill. Also in the distance are 2 or 3 other bridges but you really can’t see them. Since he is standing near the Meadow Brook Lodge (just out of the frame on the right), the man in the foreground could be Sidney Jones, lodgekeeper at that time. As for the breakfast menu, I think we should ask Al Velocci, since I believe he was Sidney’s guest that day.

The date of the picture is October 30th, 1909 and was taken during the Vanderbilt Cup Race.  The car is a Mercedes driven by Spencer Wishart who finished 4th when the race was called.  We are looking east at the overpass that carries the Motor Parkway over Merrick ave (Whaleneck ave).  In the distance we can see the windmill of the Ladenburg estate which substantiates this location.  The gentleman in the foreground is probably standing right in front of the Meadowbrook toll lodge.  I’m going to guess that the tall shadows he’s standing by might be the entrance sign post to the parkway.  This guy is standing within the boundaries of the course.  Unlike the rest of the observing public who are behind the fencing.  And with the billy club being held in his right hand his occupation is of course a law enforcement officer.  So if donuts were available to be had for breakfast in 1909 I’m going to say that’s what he ate for breakfast that morning.

Looking east over merrick ave.  Ladenburg windmill and newbridge ansd stewart bridges can be seen

looking east over merrick ave.  Ladenburg windmill, newbridge and stewart bridges can be seen

Not so preposterous. The chap in the foreground is standing besides the Meadow Brook lodge (out of view), likely a relative/guest of gatekeeper Sidney Jones at the time, whom was offered convenient sleeping quarters in the lodge the night before the big race. With no electricity, the “guest” is likely running on coffee after managing to heat up a cup on top of the lodge’s coal burning stove.

Art, Partly right, First, that is not my uncle on the right, it is THE Robert Moses checking out the competition, He had been just dropped off by a uber driver, Moses never had a driver license. While there, he noticed a bus passing under the Merrick Ave, bridge, It was at this time he decided to build lower height bridges on his Parkways, Moses also noticed that the uber driver gassed up before leaving, Hmm… thats is a good idea, As he was making notes, he detected an aroma of coffee from the lodge, going inside he spoke with the Lodge Keeper a Mister Dunkin Starbucks who pointed out that baked goods, fruits and sandwiches
were also available,  once again…. out came the notebook. Now… my uncle, Alfa Lancia. yes, he was part on the scenario but at the turn in Mineola, Sitting on the northeast corner of Jericho Tpke. and Willis Ave. is the Mineola Diner, At the time of the races it was a pizza parlor selling slices for five cents. Howard’s grandfather owned Krug’s Hotel at the time. At the end of the race the owners of the Black Beast who used the hotel as their headquarters, failed to pay their tab and .... long story short, thats how Howard ended owning the Black Beast.

Thanks Al, now we have the “real” story!  But I’m still trying to find out why the chicken crossed the Motor Parkway.  Maybe it was trying to find out what road was Vander-“built”!  I knew there’s a connection between Howard and pizza!  Maybe the Black Beast or one of Howard’s other cars could be used to deliver pizza these days!  You never know!

Art, ah yes, the famous chicken story. I was saving that for my next book on the Parkway, so… short story version now. At Deepdale Vanderbilt maintained large flocks of show fowl. His chickens won many awards. It was the dream of many chickens to be part of that fame. Unable to enter the Parkway at the entrance gates, ( no animals allowed), they would secretly “cross” the Parkway trying to get to Deepdale and sneak into the coops. It became such a problem that Vanderbilt opened a chicken facility in the Brookville/Muttontown area and… named the entrance road Chicken Valley Road hoping to draw chickens to this site. In fact ...Vanderbilt had flyers printed up highlighting this facility and had lodge keepers hand them out to chickens that showed up at the lodges.

Art-
The Black Beast, while good for delivering milkshakes cold and well-shaken, might not be as good as a pizza delivery vehicle as there is no room for a pizza-warming oven. The speed of the Beast is problematic as well as the cheese tends to slide around on hairpin turns. Joe Tracy did have a patent for his ‘anti-cheese slide device’ fitted to the #7 Locomobile in 1905, but was deemed unsuitable when a spectator was severely burned by flying cheese on the Westbury turn.

However, there may be other cars better suited for pizza delivery. Maybe one day Howard can address this glaring hole in the car collection and find something, anything, that might be perfect for getting pizza to the masses in under 30 minutes.

Any ideas Howard?

Just came across this bizarre website. Please accept me in this group! :D

Greg, I think we’re onto something!

Greg, Actually, there was a vehicle adapted for delivery of pizza back in the day. In the 1960’s it was known as the Ferrari Breadvan. Earlier, much earlier, my Uncle Alfa, ( I was named after him),  had adapted one for pizza delivery insulating the cabinet section. With:  MOMMA MIA PIZZERIA on both sides, he had it painted red with a white stripe down the middle and had a decal of a prancing horse on the hood signifying speedy delivery.