Alco #18 (1910)
First two-time winner of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1909 and 1910)
Make: American Locomotive Company
Year: 1909
Mechanician: Frank Lee
Horsepower: 100
Finish Place: 1
Average Speed: 65.8
The Alco "Black Beast" was the first two-time winner of the Vanderbilt Cup Races. Driving by Harry Grant, this 100-hp Alco won the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island.
Related Posts
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Nov 15 2022
The “Fast Brass” exhibit at the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia Part I
The wonderful Savoy Automobile Museum has forwarded information and images of their current "Fast Brass" exhibit which includes the Alco Black Beast.
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Sep 05 2022
Mystery Friday Foto #36 Solved: Harry Grant in an Alco at the 1912 Old Orchard Beach Meet in Maine
Kelly Williams challenged you to solve this holiday weekend Mystery Foto.
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Feb 14 2022
Mystery Friday Foto #7 Solved: A 1912 Alco Convertible Touring Car driven by Dick Hovey
Did you solve this weekend's Mystery Foto?
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Oct 10 2020
Automobile Quarterly: The Mighty Alco- A History by Beverly Rae Kimes
The definitive article on Alcos was written by Beverley Rae Kimes in the 1973 Volume Number 2 issue of Automobile Quarterly.
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May 18 2020
Kleiner’s Korner: Advertising Using the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway
As shown in previous posts, advertisers often mentioned the Vanderbilt Cup Races or the Long Island Motor Parkway as an endorsement of their products. Here are additional examples.
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Jul 03 2019
Los Angeles Herald October 2, 1910: Harry Grant and his ‘Black Beast’ Alco & Tonight’s Fireworks
Chuck Camp has forwarded this October 2, 1910 Los Angeles Herald article documenting why Harry Grant's Alco was painted black.
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Jun 26 2019
Hemmings Classic Car: The Vanderbilt Cup- America’s first internationally recognized road-race
The August 2019 issue of Hemmings Classic Car features an excellent review of the Vanderbilt Cup Races by Jeff Koch with the assistance of photos from my collection.
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Feb 02 2019
The Alco “White Beast” in 1909
Ray Holmes has forwarded this never-before-published photo of Harry Grant in the Alco "White Beast". Based on 1909 articles also provided by Ray, the photo was likely taken before the Lowell Trophy Race held on the Merrimac Valley Course, Massachusetts on September 8, 1909.
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Aug 07 2018
Frank Lee’s Great-Grandson Visits the Alco Black Beast
Rich Lee, the great-grandson of the Alco Black Beast's mechanician Frank Lee, traveled down from Maine to visit the Black Beast tonight at the Waterfront at Roslyn garage.
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May 12 2018
The Residence of the Starter of Five Vanderbilt Cup Races -Fred Wagner- Rediscovered in Smithtown
Fred J. (Wag) Wagner was the premier race starter in the early 1900s including: all the Long Island Vanderbilt Cup Races with the exception of the 1904 race. Researcher Corey Victoria Geske has recently revealed that a beautiful Smithtown residence built in 1913 was the residence of Fred and Nancy…
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Nov 11 2017
Jalopnik.com: Today’s Race Car Divers Have it Easy
Jalopnik.com editor Raphael Orlove describes his recent experience as the mechanician for the Alco Black Beast.
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Nov 08 2017
Updated: Jalopnik:America’s First Great Car Race Happened On Roads People Still Use Every Day
Jalopnik editor Raphael Orlove has posted this excellent article on the Vanderbilt Cup Races promoting tonight's 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM showings of "Car vs. America" episode on Fusion TV.
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Jan 23 2016
The Race to a Doctorate: Michelin, Bibendum and the Vanderbilt Cup Races
Professor Pau Medrano Bigas, Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Barcelona, has spent ten years researching Michelin's graphic history. In July 2015, Pau completed his doctorate thesis "The forgotten years of Bibendum: the American stage of Michelin in Milltown." Design, illustration and advertising at tire companies (1900-1930). .
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Dec 08 2015
New England Historical Society: Harry Grant Wins the Vanderbilt Cup
The New England Historical Society has posted this profile of Harry Grant, the only driver of the Alco Black Beast.
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Sep 02 2015
NewEnglandHistoricalSociety.com: Profile of Driver Harry Grant
Utilizing information from VanderbiltCupRaces.com, the New England Historical Society has posted a profile of driver Harry Grant.
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Apr 20 2015
Mystery Foto #16 Solved Again: Ralph Beardsley’s Simplex Practicing for the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Chuck Rudy Jr. challenged you to identify this photo which he recently obtained.
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Oct 28 2014
Mystery Foto #91 Solved: Walter P. Chrysler with a Maxwell 1924 Chrysler B-70 Roadster
Paul Osika challenged you to solve another Mystery Foto from his great collection.
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Oct 11 2014
Motorsportmagazine.com: The Vanderbilt Cup
Gordon Kirby has written an article on the Vanderbilt Cup Races on Motorsportmagazine.com .The images in the article were courtesy of VanderbiltCupRaces.com .
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Mar 12 2014
Carlo Demand and the Alco “Black Beast” on Long Island
In 2011, I met car rally enthusiast Steve McKelvie at the Lime Rock Historic Festival. I recently discovered two blog posts by Steve McKelvie concerning the Alco Black Beast. This SteveMcKelvie.com post focused on artist Carlo Demand's painting of the Alco Black Beast and the Corbin Cannonball during the 1910…
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Dec 18 2013
Wharton Magazine “The Black Beast and The Blue Pill”
Editor Matthew Brodsky of Wharton Magazine has posted this online article "The Black Beast and The Blue Pill" .
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Jun 25 2013
Then & Now: The Westbury Old Country Road Turn at the 1909 & 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races
Another crowd favorite to view the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races was the turn of Old Country Road on to Ellison Road (Avenue) in Westbury. Check out the "Then & Now."
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May 18 2013
In Search of the Grandstand, Press Box/Officials Stand and Pits in Levittown
From 1908 to 1910, the center of the auto racing world was a 200-yard strip of the Long Island Motor Parkway in the Hempstead Plains, now Levittown.
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Apr 23 2013
Profile: Frank Lee, Mechanician for the Alco Black Beast
Frank Lee was the mechanician for driver Harry Grant's Alco Black Beast for 15 of the car's 16 major races and all six major victories.
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Apr 17 2013
Thumbs Ups from the 2013 St. Patrick’s School Car Show
Congratulations to St. Patrick's School in Smithtown for another wonderful car show. Thumbs ups and highlights are posted below including a special visit from a Vanderbilt Cup Race family.
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Dec 01 2012
Vanderbilt Cup Races Stats: Drivers, Cars and Manufacturers
Here are summary stats for the Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910.
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Apr 06 2012
Fred Wagner- The Official Starter of the Vanderbilt Cup Races
Fred Wagner was the official starter of all the Vanderbilt Cup Races with the exception of the 1904 race. Accordingly, Wagner, a resident of Smithtown, was the "Zelig" of early racing and captured in hundreds of photos. Here are my some of my favorites.
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Nov 10 2011
May 7, 1911 The World : Harry Grant Practicing on the Motor Parkway at 107.8 Miles Per Hour
Margaret, George and Eric Vitale of Barn Find Antiquities recently purchased a vintage leather trunk. To their surprise, the bottom of the truck was lined with a May 7, 1911 edition of the newspaper The World including this article:
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Nov 01 2011
Archives: Alco-6 Racing History (1909-1911)
Index to posts related to the Alco-6 Racing History (1909-1911) Updated: December 1, 2011
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Aug 27 2011
A Tribute to the Mechanicians of the Vanderbilt Cup Races
Every race car that participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races of 1904 to 1910 carried two men, the driver and a riding mechanic called a mechanician. The mechanician assisted with repairs, helped navigate the course, and, when needed, worked a hand pump to maintain fuel pressure. The mechanician was the…
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Jun 29 2011
Favorite Images of the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway
Eric M: "Can you provide a sampling of your favorite Vanderbilt Cup Race and Long Island Motor Parkway images?":
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May 31 2011
Memorable Images From the 2011 Indy 500 Pre-Race Ceremonies
The Black Beast team and Alco racer were on the Indy track for three hours on race day from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. These three hours allowed amazing access to some unforgettable images:
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May 24 2011
Postcards from the Long Island Automotive Museum: Alcos
The Long Island Automotive Museum offered a wide array of related merchandise including; jewelry, label buttons, photos, model car kits, china and series of postcards. As described in this brochure , provided by Walter McCarthy, there were over 500 cars postcards published featuring the cars of "Henry Austin…
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May 21 2011
Take the Alco Black Beast Road Test
In preparation for several upcoming special events, the Alco Black Beast was successfully road tested over 20 miles during the last three days.
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Feb 04 2011
Vintage Automobile Ad Series #1: American Locomotive Company
The primary reason American and European manufacturers participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Racers and invested in race cars and racing teams was to publicize their automobile product lines. The winning company had a golden opportunity to promote the connections between their triumphant race car and their best-selling models. In the…
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Jan 22 2011
Article “The ALCO Story: Distinctive, Durable, Doomed”
In the early 1970s, author Howard L. Applegate wrote a history of the Alco in the tabloid newspaper Old Cars. Here is a pdf of the article The ALCO Story: Distinctive, Durable and Doomed.
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Jan 12 2011
Update: The Alco Black Beast Racing History
Alco-6 Black Beast's major races included two Vanderbilt Cup Races, the first Indianapolis 500, two Elgin Trophy Races, and one American Grand Prize Race. Here's the updated racing record with new images:
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Jan 11 2011
Driver Profile: Harry Grant -Winner of the 1909 & 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races
This is an updated profile of Harry Grant including several never before published photos:
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Jan 03 2011
The Alco “Black Beast” at the 1911 “Greatest of Auto Shows”
From January 7th to 21st in 1911, the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers organized the "Greatest of Auto Shows" at Madison Square Garden located at 26th and Madison Avenue.
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Dec 29 2010
Neighborhood Journal Film Series: Part V: Racing Into History
Cablevision's Neighborhood Journal has developed a five-part film series on the Vanderbilt Cup Races. The producer and narrator of the film is Bob Klement who is interviewed by host Joanna Venditto. The five parts of the series are:
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Dec 13 2010
New Series- Rare Images #1: Vanderbilt Cup Race Drivers and Mechanicians
VanderbiltCupRaces.com introduces today a new "Rare Images" series featuring rarely seen photos of Vanderbilt Cup Race personalities. We start off with this photo of Harry Grant and mechanician Frank Lee just prior to winning the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
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Dec 10 2010
Images of the Six Vanderbilt Cup Race Finishes
Photos of the exciting finishes of the six Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island:
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Oct 30 2010
National Speed Sports News “Black Beast Is Among Last Of A Unique Era of Racers”
In the October 27, 2010 issue of National Speed Sports News magazine, an article by Ron Hedger Black Beast Is Among Last of A Unique Era of Racers" provides a summary of the Alco Black Beast.
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Sep 09 2010
The Alco Practicing for the 1911 Indy 500: The License Plate & Mystery Car
Prior to the 1911 Indy 500 Race, the #18 Alco conducted practice runs on the Long Island Motor Parkway. On these runs, a New York license plate M1067 was placed on the front of the car. (Post corrected on November 10, 2011- Original post indicated the Alco was practicing for…
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Sep 01 2010
In Search of Alcos: #1 Alco-6 Black Beast Racer Archives
Links to related posts on the Alco-6 Black Beast Racer on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: September 14, 2011):
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Aug 26 2010
Times Union Blog: “Serendipity and the Black Beast”
Author and Schenectady County historian Don Rittner has written an article on his timesunion.com blog on his experiences last week with the Black Beast. Here are some highlights:
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Aug 21 2010
The Black Beast Returns to Schenectady and Saratoga Springs
It has been a wonderful two days in the Schenectady and Saratoga Springs area... great shows, friendly people, beautful weather, newspaper coverage and great fun!
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Aug 18 2010
Film “The Black Beast’s Four-Mile Cruise to the Show”
This seven-minute film documents the four- mile ride of the Alco "Black Beast" at the Nassau County Executive's 1st Annual Cruise to the Show Parade held on August 15, 2010. The "Black Beast" was the lead car of over 500 vintage and classic cars that participated. It covered…
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Aug 01 2010
Archives: 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: December 31, 2011):
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Aug 01 2010
Archives: Alco- Films , Videos and Slideshows
Links to related posts on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: December 1, 2011):
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Aug 01 2010
Archives: Alcos and the American Locomotive Company
Index to posts on the American Locomotive Company and Alcos (Updated: February 1, 2012)
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Jul 31 2010
Archives: Harry Grant
Links related to Harry Grant on VanderbiltCupRaces.com (Updated: October 31, 2011):
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Jul 22 2010
The 1911 Alco Dealership Photos
To promote their 1911 Alco product line, American Locomotive Company provided four large photos to all their dealerships of their Vanderbilt Cup Race winner. In this dealership photo, the #18 Alco was making the Westbury Turn from Old Country Road to Ellison Road during the 1910 race. Click on the…
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Jul 06 2010
Starting Lineup: The 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race
A large field of 30 cars raced in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race held on October 1, 1910. The race was run on the same course as in 1909- a total of 12.64 miles including 5.15 miles of the Long Island Motor Parkway. The winner needed…
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Apr 29 2010
The Eight Winning Drivers of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1904-1916)
Eight drivers won the 11 William K. Vanderbilt Jr. Cup Races held from 1904 to 1916. Three drivers, Harry Grant, Ralph DePalma and Dario Resta, were two-time winners.
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Mar 30 2010
The Six Winners of the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1904-1910)
These are the six winners of the Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island from 1904 to 1910:
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Dec 13 2009
Article “Schenectady’s Contributions to the History of Automobiles”
Don Rittner, author and historian, has written an excellent article in the Times Union serving the New York State Capital Region entitled "Schenectady’s Contributions to the History of Automobiles".
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Apr 06 2009
Brochure “Harry Grant’s Own Story”
Richard, in 1911, American Locomotive Company published a promotional brochure The Vanderbilt Cup Race-Grant's Own Story. The brochure described Harry Grant's strategy in winning the Vanderbilt Cup Races in 1909 and 1910. He also gave credit to your grandfather:
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Mar 03 2009
New photos of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race Discovered
Over 25 years ago, Hayden Allen provided his grandfather's photo album to Walter Gosden to help document the history of their home town of Floral Park. The album also included 16 photos taken by Mr. Allen's grandfather of the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Walter Gosden, who is now the…
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Jul 12 2008
The Alco Black Beast: Winner of the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races
An excellent write-up of the Alco 6- winner of the 1909 and 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Races can be found on the conceptcarz.com website.
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Apr 16 2008
Calling All Vanderbilt Cup Race Families
VanderbiltCupRaces.com has heard from several relatives of participants in the Vanderbilt Cup Races including George Robertson, Frank Lee, Al Poole and Harry Grant. If your relative participated in the Vanderbilt Cup Races as a driver or mechanician, leave a post or contact us and I will send you complimentary images…
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