Vanderbilt Cup Races

Oct 12 2011

The 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race Tickets Purchased by the Owner of the #7 Mercedes Entry

Just ten days before the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race, pharmaceutical magnate George McKesson Brown of Huntington purchased the #7 Mercedes to compete in the race. Excited by his new acquistion, Brown commissioned photographers Spooner and Wells to document his new Mercedes in a scrapbook with photos taken before and after the race. The scrapbook also included two tickets:

As shown by this ticket for a "Box", great seats for the 1906 race for McKesson and his friends were expensive. The $50 price is the equivalent to $1,200 today.

The was George McKesson Brown's a box seat ticket. The cost of the ticket was $10 equivalent to $240 today. The box seat location was Box 22, Row B, Seat 5.

The condition of the 105-year old tickets are amazing- they look like they came from the printer last week.

The Official Program Guide for the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race included a cardboard scorecard. McKesson Brown was listed as the owner of the #7 Mercedes.

The guide also provided a list of box holders. The grandstand box seat at Row B, Box 22 was purchased by George McKesson Brown, matching the ticket placed in the scapbook.

This Spooner & Wells photo was taken from the roof of the Officials' Stand/Press Box across from the 1906 grandstand. George McKesson Brown (middle of photo) is the gentleman wearing the tie in the second row looking down at a program. Brown was the half-brother of David Bruce Brown who competed in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race. His family was one of the founders of McKesson Corporation.

This 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race film shows McKesson Brown's #7 Mercedes in action. The car finished 11th of the 17 entrants.

Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com and the Internet:

Archives: 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race, Long Island, New York

William Luttgen Part III-The 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race

September 27, 1906 The New York Times article on George McKesson Brown's Purchase of the Mercedes

George McKesson Brown's Family Blog

Archives: Vanderbilia

Index: Archives on VanderbiltCupRaces.com

Enjoy,

Howard Kroplick

Upcoming Alco Black Beast Events

J. Parker Wickham Memorial Car Show, Cutchogue, NY, Saturday, October 15, 2011

Alco Black Beast October Events

Upcoming Long Island Automotive Events

Calendar of 2011 Long Island Automotive Events

Current Long Island Weather Forecasts

The Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society with the cooperation of the Old Bethpage Village Restoration has announced a clean-up day for Saturday, October 15, 2011 beginning at 9:00 am. Heavy equipment has been volunteered to clear a path to remove debris.

Please bring shovels, rakes, shrub cutting tools and portable chain-saws. We will meet in the Old Bethpage Village Restoration Parking Lot at 9:00 am. For early risers, join us for breakfast at the Plainview Diner, 1094 Old Country Road at Plainview Road, at 8:00 am. All are welcome!