Vanderbilt Cup Races

Really enjoyed it. Like seeing ghosts of another time. It would be interesting to see ore transitional photos through the years to get a better “connection” to that period.

From Then & Now: Vanderbilt Cup Race Courses

Howard,
Question about the photo(s) and the possible causes for the accident;
I noticed that the Pickering photos must have been photographed later after the accident since the car has been removed from the pole. In those photos, while the car is on the ground, it appears that the engine covers, seats and RIGHT rear tire are missing from the vehicle. In the photo taken earlier of the car, while it was still wrapped around the pole, all those parts are still present on the vehicle. The intact rear tires are interesting to note since, to quote the 2009 blog entry;
“The owners and designers of his car, Edgar and Elmer Apperson, theorized that a left rear tire blew before they struck a large tree” 
It’s possible the missing seat and covers may have been needed to be removed to get it off the pole, but the tire still seems a little puzzling.
Any other speculations on the missing parts and tire?  Could it be an indication of a loss of steering linkage as Ariejan suggested in his post?

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

After looking at the pictures I remembered seeing them but just didn’t know where it all took place. I just didn’t know where to look and where I did look wasn’t the right place. I took a crack at it anyway,like you said,better luck next week

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

From Jean-Yves Lassaux:

Hi Howard,

Here is my answer with three pictures.

  -What was the year of the accident?
1906

-Which car and driver was involved?
George Robertson in Apperson 80hp. His mechanic was Arthur Warren, son of Louis H. Warren the man who taught future champion David L. Bruce-Brown how to drive.

Both man were seriously injured but later recovered.

-When and where did the accident occur?
September 19, 1906 during practice for the elimination trial, on Westbury Road after the Hairpin Turn of Old Westbury.

-What was the impact of the accident on that year’s Vanderbilt Cup Race?
This accident, the death of a spectator during the race (Kurt L. Gruner hit by Elliott F. Shepard Jr.‘s Hotchkiss on lap 6) and the bad press that follows, generate the creation of the Automobile Highway Association later become the Long Island Motor Parkway Incorporation, with the project of building the first American road especially for automobile. Problems with estate private owners delayed the construction and the 1907 race was cancelled.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

I had figured this wreck was possibly during the1906 races/trials since they were the most deadly. I was ready to give up after looking all weekend, hence my last minute posting, then lo and behold!! I found your Sept 17 2009 blog entry on the wreck…

“On the morning of Wednesday, September 19, 1906, George Robertson destroyed the [#10]Apperson, injuring himself and riding mechanic Arthur Warren. The accident occurred on Old Westbury Road in Roslyn about one mile from the East Broadway store of William Pickering. Eyewitnesses estimated his speed at 60 miles per hour. The owners and designers of his car, Edgar and Elmer Apperson, theorized that a left rear tire blew before they struck a large tree. That impact hurled the machine into a telegraph pole broadside.The force of the accident was so great the car was wound around the pole like a piece of wire, its radiator touching its rear axle. Aside from the motor, the car was a total loss.”

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/friday_september_18_2009_an_amazing_discovery_from_the_pickering_collection

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

1906
Apperson driven by George Robertson
Sept. 19, 1906 - Pracaticing for the American Elimination Trials
Old Westbury Road, Roslyn
Robertson couldn’t compete in the 1906 race, having to wait until 1908 to win.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

From James S:

“Great post today on the mystery stretch near Eisenhower park AND the read about one of my favorite places on earth as a kid…The Southampton Auto Museum. “

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Another home run Howard ......Love it ....Thanks…

From One of Yachting's Dozen: William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Alva

Interesting….Loved it !  Thanks !

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

From Robert R:

“Thanks so much for the wonderful section on my old pal, Austin Clark.A true gentleman, truly missed.

We were two of the founders of the Madison Avenue Sports Car Drivers and Chowder Society, and he was a raconteur par excellence.

I used to drive past the museum whenever I went racing in Bridgehampton, and even later, after the LIE was extended, I would make it a point to visit Austie and the museum from my weekend home in Remsenburg.

So many good memories.”

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

From Tom C.

“Excellent Austie Clark feature.

Thanks,”

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Good afternoon Howard     Very interesting indeed,especially the video,the oldtime music that goes along with it

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

From Bruce Adams:

The U-566 that sunk ALVA was built in the same Krupp Shipyard in Germany

From One of Yachting's Dozen: William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Alva

Austin had a late teens Packard Twin-Six and loved the story of how sales people would demo its power for prospects.  they’d put in 3rd gear, he said, and start off smoothly - it had so much torque - and then say oops, sorry, I started in 3rd by mistake - put it in 1st and resume the demo.  we met shortly after Castro appropriated the family sugar holdings.  He felt poor after that.  He was a gregarious man and corralled near strangers to come over to the Glen Cove house after a Long Island car show - where I had a nice conversation with Peter Helck

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Howard,
Thanks for the Austin Clark retrospective.  I’d be interested in reading that book.
I remember Austin’s museum very well.  I visited it a number of times and really enjoyed the rustic feeling of the museum and the rarity of his cars.  He was a rare individual.  I remember the nice article about Austin Clark in Automobile Quarterly a few years ago.  The article referred to his friendship with Beverly Rae Kimes and their collaboration on their famous book,  The Standard Catalog of American Cars.
Thanks for the memories.
Roger

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

I thoroughly enjoyed the Henry Austin Clark museum presentation.  I remember stopping by there sometime in the early nineties and thinking what a shame it was that it had closed down.  Nice to know that much of it is on display in Dearborn—I hadn’t been aware of that.  I wish that I had visited it when it was still open (and when I was out in the Hamptons on a fairly regular basis).

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Very interesting to see the 1908 Thomas Flyer in Austie’s museum in such decrepit condition. Its been shown all over the country in “preserved” original condition (even with mud on the wheels), but it was obviously restored to look old, (probably by Harrah when it was there?).

Also loved the videos of the Auto Red Bug being driven. I have four of them and love driving them too.

From "Austie" Excerpts from "The Kingdom of the Kid: Growing Up in the Long-Lost Hamptons"

Absolutely wonderful.  Ironic that she was both built and destroyed by Germany.

From One of Yachting's Dozen: William K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Alva

These are the remnants of the Apperson, which crashed at Hairpin Turn on Old Westbury Road in Roslyn during practice for the American Elimination Trials of the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race on September 19th, 3 days before the actual race. Whether a steering linkage broke or a tire blew is not clear, but the car swerved and struck into a tree. It seems a miracle that driver Robertson and his mechanic Arthur Warren were only slightly hurt during this accident. The blow must have been tremendous. Robertson only broke a collar bone, Warren two ribs! I couldn’t find any effect on the Vanderbilt Cup race other than that Robertson and his Apperson, who belonged to the favourites, weren’t able to qualify for the main event (understandably).
The man with the goggles, on the left side of the photo, could that be Robertson (though he doesn’t look like someone with a broken collar bone)? In the background we see a Pan-o-Lite (trade name for cylinder oils and auto body soap) panel van, which can also be seen on one of the other photos of the accident scene. I wonder why it is present there: cylinder oil doesn’t seem necessary any more and auto body soap will make this wreck at its best a shiny wreck ...

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial

It looks like the Apperson car that George Robertson wrapped around a pole on Old Westbury Road in Roslyn during the 9/19/06 American Elimination Trial, thus “eliminating” him from competing for the Vanderbilt Cup three days later.

From Mystery Foto #26 Solved: George Robertson's Accident During the 1906 American Trial