Vanderbilt Cup Races

“I got a ‘34 wagon and I call it a woody…”

From Kleiner's Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 3 (Motor Parkway 1931 - 1940)

Thanks, Al.

From Kleiner's Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 3 (Motor Parkway 1931 - 1940)

Art,....A minor correction, Sheridan Bowling Lanes was (and still is), located at the south east corner of Jericho and Sheridan Blvd. which opened in September , 1940. The San Su San nightclub was located on the east side of what is now the parking lot of the Lanes. San Su San opened in January 1933, had another fire in 1978, closed then, 45 years later. Prior to this parking for bowlers was on the southwest corner of Jericho & Sheridan.

From Kleiner's Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 3 (Motor Parkway 1931 - 1940)

Need some advice on how to sell a car? 1908 Nassau Sweepstakes winner Charlie Easter can help.  Easter sold automobiles for nearly 50 years, first Franklins in 1905, then Loesers in 1907 and then Buicks in 1908 which appears he sold at least through the 1950s.  So I guess he knew what he was talking about.  From “Automobile Daily News” Aug. 13, 1961.  There is a discrepancy however, in the account given in the Tanya A. Bailey book above and the article shown here.  The books states that Easter moved to Berlin in 1949 however the article doesn’t mention that.  I would have thought that would have been mentioned.  Can anyone clarify?

From Driver of the Week: Charles Ewing Easter -Winner of the 1908 Jericho Sweepstakes

The car is a 1900 Daimler Phoenix 23 HP, (Later nicknamed the White Ghost).
The car’s first owner was William K. Vanderbilt Jr.
Edward R. Thomas purchased the car from Vanderbilt. The car is considered notorious because Willie K cut the speed record between Newport and Boston to about half the previous record time. Only slightly slower than railway travel time.
As for the link to Cole Porter, the second owner of the White Ghost was, as mentioned above, Edward R. Thomas. He married a woman named Linda Lee. She later divorced him and then married Cole Porter.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: 1900 Daimler Phoenix previously owned by Willie K.

I didn’t know that Willy K lost a son. After looking this up, his daughter Consuelo lived a very long life ( 107 yrs old )

From Helck Family Collection: Original Transcript- "William K. Vanderbilt, Jr."

My Dad Morris A Poehler was a electrical engineer on the Alva, he was on the world cruise. Dad was involved in working at the Vanderbilt mansion. He courted my mom on the Alva, I had the pic of this.

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

Dave, Sam III’s 1950 aerial comparison in 4Aug2019, and Art’s FOIL documents.

From Dave Russo re-explores a Bethpage section of the Motor Parkway

I was at the fair both in ‘64 and ‘65. my favorite ride was in the new Ford rotunda cars!

From Update: Memories of the 1964-1965 World's Fair

Previously unseen (at least to me) postcard of Elsie Janis promoting herself and “The Vanderbilt Cup” in 1907.

From Elsie Janis and The Broadway Show "The Vanderbilt Cup"

That’s a 1900 Daimler Phoenix, first imported to the USA in 1900 by Willie K. Jr., who named it the White Ghost. It was used by Willie K. to participate in his first major race in Newport, RI. He subsequently sold it to his good friend Edward Russell Thomas who, while speeding on Convent Avenue in NYC, unfortunately ran over and killed a seven year old boy, Henry Theiss. E. R. Thomas’ wife, Linda Lee of Louisville, KY, later divorced him and married Cole Porter. Attached are photos of E. R. Thomas and Linda Lee.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: 1900 Daimler Phoenix previously owned by Willie K.

Here is a pdf of an account of the Endurance Run that appeared in The Automobile Magazine of June, 1902.

From Ads From the Long Island Automobile Club 1902 Offical Program "One-Hundred Mile Endurance Test"

-The year, make and model of the race car

1900 23 h.p. Daimler Phoenix ‘White Ghost’

-The race car’s first owner

Willie K. Vanderbilt

-Who purchased the race car from the first owner?

Edward Russel Thomas

-Why is this race car considered notorious in automobile history?

In an accident in 1902, Thomas struck and killed a 7 year old boy.

-Kudos question: Link Cole Porter to the Mystery Foto.

E.R. Thomas was married to Linda Lee whom eventually she divorced partly due to the car and then went on to marry Cole Porter.

Below is a photo of Willie K. during his time owning he car.

From Mystery Foto #13 Solved: 1900 Daimler Phoenix previously owned by Willie K.

Art,  Given the relationship between Willie K. and Foxhall Keane… Keene never bought any stock or bonds of the Long Island Motor Parkway,.... unsuccessful to discover why not.

From Nassau County Historical Society Journal: Foxhall P. Keene and His "Life of Pure Delight"

The name Jonah brought me back to our religion classes : )

From Nassau County Historical Society Journal: Foxhall P. Keene and His "Life of Pure Delight"

Two more anecdotes pertaining to Foxhall Keene and a stretch of bad luck.  From Automobile Magazine, Dec., 1902.

Not knowing the meaning of the expression “Jonah” used in both articles, I found this:
“A long-established expression among sailors uses the term, “a Jonah”, to mean a sailor or a passenger whose presence on board brings bad luck and endangers the ship. Later, this meaning was extended to mean, “a person who carries a jinx, one who will bring bad luck to any enterprise.”

And please excuse the last sentence in the second article, a reflection of the times I suppose.

From Nassau County Historical Society Journal: Foxhall P. Keene and His "Life of Pure Delight"

This section starts just north of Sportime, literally right after the northern parking lot ends. This is south of Revere Street and south of the location where we all met a while ago, when we tried to determine the LIMP ROW in this Bethpage zone. The maps of Wayne and Frank agree that at this exact section, the LIMP went through this spot, but they then both say from this point there is a semi-sharp eastern turn that goes just east of 135 now and then north pretty much in line with 135, and we’ll you all know I completely disagree with that.

I definitely think through all of the exploration that we’ve done and remnants found that the LIMP traversed just west of present day 135 up to the point where it crossed over at present day Bethpage Park.

We need an old Bethpage resident to come forward! Someone has to have pics of 135 construction or know for sure the LIMP location vs present day 135. One day!

From Dave Russo re-explores a Bethpage section of the Motor Parkway

Hi Dave - I’ve wondered about this area, too. Between the Sportstime driveway and Rte 135, and to the rear of the deadend home off Revere. Overgrown most of the year, you were able to check it now. Similar to where you looked south of Westbury Ave, LIMP fragments galore.

From Dave Russo re-explores a Bethpage section of the Motor Parkway

Interesting info, Art. I felt like marking some of your finds on the map below. Think the reconstruction of the motor pkwy in 1940 was to improve the bike path, especially at Bell Blvd where that crazy curve was.

From Kleiner's Korner: And Now For Something Completely Different: Part 3 (Motor Parkway 1931 - 1940)

Just fantastic….where do you find these videos and photographs. I remember staying at the Worlds Fair sleeping under the Johnson and Johnson pavilion…what a fabulous newsletter you put together every month…I look forward to ever word,, Thank you.

From Update: Memories of the 1964-1965 World's Fair