[455firebird1969]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Pretty scary stuff. This was 1910 at a board track. Notice no helmets, not even the leather type that would adorn aviators around this time.

Somewhere there was a photo showing a kid sticking his head up through the track as the racers were coming by. I recall reading that when the tracks began to go into disrepair, and the boards were popping up or missing, kids would climb the bleachers from underneath, stick their heads up through a gap or hole like a groundhog popping his head up, and watch the racers go by.

Obviously, safety was not of prime importance back in the 1920's!

Mike

Reading the comment concerning leather helmets on early aviators made me think of Thomas Selfridge.

In September 1908, First lieutenant Selfridge was a passenger on a demonstration flight piloted by Orville Wright. While in a turn at 150 feet a portion of one of the propellers liberated itself, taking out a guy wire, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. Both men on board the aircraft were thrown forward when the aircraft impacted the ground at a steep angle. Orville survived, after several weeks in the hospital due to a broken leg, ribs & hip. Lt. Selfridge hit his head on a wood brace, fracturing his skull. It is believed he would have survived had he been wearing a protective device on his head.

From this point forward US Army pilots wore leather helmets.

This picture was taken prior to takeoff on that fateful Day.