Vanderbilt Cup Races

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

3 more screenshots.

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

Hope my answers show up on Monday Night/Tuesday Morning because my mind formulated 3 possible locations - Maybe this photo was captured at the 1912 or 1915 Indy 500 race. Ralph DePalma participated in these races driving Mercedes cars. He had the lead in 1912, but towards the end a piston cracked, and had to push his car to the finish line. He won in 1915. Neither of his Mercedes matches the car in the Mystery Foto. Ralph is posing for the photo next to another driver’s car, not the car he drove. Scenery in the background makes me think of Indianapolis.

The man to Ralph’s right resembles Edward Hearne. Both he and Ralph participated in the 1915 VCR in San Francisco CA. DePalma drove #22 Mercedes, finished in 4th place. Hearne drove a #21 Case ( mystery foto car is 21 ), finished in 11th place. So I’m thinking that Ralph & Eddie are posing next to Eddies car. I didn’t notice any #21 cars in the 1912 or 1915 Indy 500 lineups.

This is why I’m not sure if the mystery image is one of the Indy 500 or the 1915 VCR. 6 screenshots below with notes.

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

I think that’s Ralph DePalma with the #21 Mercer racer at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 3rd. Indy 500 on May 30, 1913. DePalma did not finish but was listed at number 23. DePalma raced in the 1911, 1912, 1914, and 1915 Vanderbilt Cup Races, winning in 1912 and 1914.

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

Maybe this became what’s now the Multipoint Automotive Inspection.

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

Ralph DePalma
Riding Mechanic was Andy Vollman
May 30, 1913 (Friday) Indianapolis 500
#21 Mercer
Start 12th finished 23rd after 15 laps.  Out with bearing failure.
There was no 1913 Vanderbilt Cup. 
Driving a Mercedes Ralph DePalma finished second in the 1911 Vanderbilt, won 1912 and 1914 and finished 4th 1915

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