Vanderbilt Cup Races

Chal, check out the August24, 2022 post. https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_queens_section_of_the_1904_vanderbilt_cup_race

Enjoy, Howard

From The Vanderbilt Cup Race Courses (1904-1910)

Walt, you might know Bruce Adam a longtime member of The Motor Parkway Preservation Society who has a Model A with a similar REPEAL plate.

From A Walt Gosden Special: Signs of the Times Part III

I am researching Vanderbilt cup race history and am
seeking the face course routes of all the races and
especially where it traversed Queens. Exactly where
in Queens did it go before returning to Nassau!!!!
Any race course info is very welcome indeed.

From The Vanderbilt Cup Race Courses (1904-1910)

I’m going with a total ‘gut guess’ here and say that’s Pete Prunty, the official race announcer in front of the grandstands of the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race.

From Mystery Friday Foto #34 Solved: Track Announcer Peter Prunty in front of the 1908 Grandstands.

Here’s Peter Prunty’s obituary along with a nice article about him. He was a Sports Announcer for many. Lived to a nice, ripe old age of 94. The New York Times, June 22, 1961

From Mystery Friday Foto #34 Solved: Track Announcer Peter Prunty in front of the 1908 Grandstands.

That looks like Peter Prunty, human PA system and announcer for all six Vanderbilt Cup races on Long Island. Prunty is facing the officials stand with the public grandstand behind him so that would make the photographer facing south or slightly southwest. Other photos of the 1908 grandstand and pit area that I’ve seen look very similar to this photo so I’ll guess the date to be October 24, 1908.

From Mystery Friday Foto #34 Solved: Track Announcer Peter Prunty in front of the 1908 Grandstands.

Peter Prunty is the tall man to the left. He was a track announcer for the races. A runner from the Press Box would give Peter notes about what’s happening during the race. Peter would take a deep breath, then announce the latest to the crowds, via his 3 ft megaphone ( about the size of a large traffic cone ) I’d say he and maybe a runner are standing in front of the Press Box, with the Grandstand in the background. Photographer was viewing southwest. Say this the 1908 VCR in Hempstead Plains. Grandstand is similar to the one that was here 1908 thru 1910.

From Mystery Friday Foto #34 Solved: Track Announcer Peter Prunty in front of the 1908 Grandstands.

I’m thinking this might be A.R. Pardington.  He was the general manager and the second vice president of the motor parkway.  This might be the 1909 Vanderbilt cup race where he was the “director of contest”.  The picture was taken from the officials/press box opposite the grandstand.  The photographer is facing southwest.

From Mystery Friday Foto #34 Solved: Track Announcer Peter Prunty in front of the 1908 Grandstands.

45 year old Henry Ford?, standing in front of the Official’s Stand in Levittown during the Oct 24, 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Photographer looking SW.

Looks like the Levittown Grand Stand (1908-1910) in the rear

From Mystery Friday Foto #34 Solved: Track Announcer Peter Prunty in front of the 1908 Grandstands.

Al, my only guess about them going with a grade crossing at Post ave at the time is that maybe they thought it was too close to the Holy Rood cemetery.  Imagine workers digging for the bridge construction just a little out of bounds and finding out that the cemetery property was bigger than they thought.

From Kleiner's Korner: Tidbits of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race from "The Automobile"

David, The LIRR in conjunction with the Race made stops at three locations, Westbury, the Grandstand,  (special ticket) and at Central Park. I’m inclined to go along with you that the station pictured is Westbury. While we’re at it…. why did the LIRR choose to bridge Ellison Ave. and have a grade crossing at Post Ave ?

From Kleiner's Korner: Tidbits of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race from "The Automobile"

The train station makes me think of Garden City, with the train in a westbound direction.

From Kleiner's Korner: Tidbits of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race from "The Automobile"

Great details about the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup race.  Thank you Art.  Just a guess on the LIRR train station.  It might be Westbury.

From Kleiner's Korner: Tidbits of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race from "The Automobile"

Mark, In this photo looking west from the grandstands, the blue arrow is pointing to the Ladenburg estate way off in the distance. In the Tracy mystery photo, it is not visible but the other tree lines and Newbridge hotel can just be made out.

From Mystery Friday Foto #32 Solved: Joe Tracy testing the Motor Parkway as seen on the Jerusalem Avenue Bridge looking west in September 1908

Greg, you may have a point about the NYC skyline that I had thought, would be The Ladenburg Farm Estates on The Motor Parkway book cover photo, however in the other photo posting in these Comment, no other view of the Estates with view looking WEST, even by the Jerusalem Ave bridge the estates would be to the left and closer! including the photo with Joe Tracy supposedly driving WEST. I say he’s driving EAST in the morning

From Mystery Friday Foto #32 Solved: Joe Tracy testing the Motor Parkway as seen on the Jerusalem Avenue Bridge looking west in September 1908

Nice documentation, Art! I was all over the place with this mystery : )

From Mystery Friday Foto #33 Solved: Ralph DePalma with a Mercer at the 1913 Indy 500

The previously lost Comments have resurfaced! Howard

From Mystery Friday Foto #32 Solved: Joe Tracy testing the Motor Parkway as seen on the Jerusalem Avenue Bridge looking west in September 1908

Mark-
It’s a fairly common misconception that in the Carmen Ave bridge photo, it is the NYC skyline in the background, it is not. That is the tree line and windmill of the Ladenburg Farm/Estate.

From Mystery Friday Foto #32 Solved: Joe Tracy testing the Motor Parkway as seen on the Jerusalem Avenue Bridge looking west in September 1908

One more time - 1915 Indy 500 - Thomas Orr #21 Mercer - finished in 13th place.,

From Mystery Friday Foto #33 Solved: Ralph DePalma with a Mercer at the 1913 Indy 500

I’m back - In the 1912 Indy 500, Eddie Hearne drove #6 Case auto, Hughie Hughes drove #21 Mercer auto. The driver next to DePalma doesn’t resemble Hughie at all, looks a lot more like Edward Hearne. So were they posing next to Hughie Hughes car??

From Mystery Friday Foto #33 Solved: Ralph DePalma with a Mercer at the 1913 Indy 500