Mystery Foto #33 Solved: Windsor White’s gold medal from the 1902 500-mile Reliability Contest from NYC to Boston and return for the White Steamer
Karen A. of Ohio challenged you to solve this mystery medal.
This 1 3/4 inch diameter gold medal was produced for The Automobile Club of America by Dieges & Clust.
Answers to the Mystery Foto questions:
Identify:
- The contest associated with the medal
The ACA 500-mile Reliability Contest from NYC to Boston and return from October 9-15, 1902. Amazingly, 75 drivers of the 80 participants completed the contest.
- The driver who was awarded the medal and his link to the Vanderbilt Cup Races
The medal belonged to automotive pioneer Windsor White (1866-1958), the son of the founder of the White Sewing Machine Company and one of the three White brothers who founded the White Motor Company. White Motor Company entered a steamer in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race and was driven by Windsor's brother Walter.
- The manufacturer and model of the automobile that was awarded the medal
Windsor White drove the White Model B Stanhope steamer in the contest with the designation B-25.
- The location where the automobile was built
Cleveland in Karen A's home state of Ohio.
- Two United States presidents that owned this model
The White Model B Stanhope was considered the most advanced American automobile of 1902. It far outperformed other steam and electric cars and was generally preferred for its silence, smoothness and reliability. Two American presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, were owners of White steamers.
Kudos question: The likely reason the medal was awarded to the driver.
As note by Ken Parrotte, President Shattuck of the Automobile Club of America offered the presidents cup for contestants who averaged 14 miles per hour for each stage. The maximum average speed of 14 mph (4.285 minutes per mile) to avoid violating the 15 mph State speed limits.
Comments (3)
Congrats to Steve Lucas, Ken Parrotte and Dick Gorman for identifying the Windsor White's White B-25.
Kudos to Ken Parrotte for documenting for the the medal "qualifying for the President's Cup."
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Comments
I think I’m going to go with some Capt. Obvious answers today. According to the inscription on the medal, it was produced for the A. C. A. sponsored Reliability Run
between NYC and Boston and return (a distance of 488 actual miles) from Oct. 9-15, 1902. The driver was Windsor T. White who was an early financial backer for the building of the LIMP, having purchased $5,000.00 worth of stock in 1906. A White Steamer (driven by his brother Walter) participated in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race. The car that was awarded the medal was a White Steamer manufactured by the White Sewing Machine Co. which was located in Cleveland, OH. Presidents Taft and Teddy Roosevelt both owned White Steamers. The medal was probably awarded for the best time in completing the run or possibly for having the least number of repair stoppages during the run.
1.The Automobile Club of America October 9 - 15, 1902 500 mile Reliability Run from NY City to Boston and back to NY City.
2. Windsor T. White was the driver and E.W. Wheaton was the observer.
3. White Sewing Machine Co.
6. President Shattuck of the Automobile Club of America offered the presidents cup for contestants who averaged 14 miles per hour for each stage. The maximum average speed of 14 mph (4.285 minutes per mile) to avoid violating the 15 mph State speed limits.
Mystery Foto #33… The contest associated with this medal was the ACA 500 mile Reliability Contest, “New York to Boston and Return” October 1902.
The driver was Windsor T White.
As for a link to the Vanderbilt Cup Race, Windsor’s brother Walter drove a White steam powered racer in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup Race…. the only steamer to ever run in the Vanderbilt.
The manufacturer of the auto was White Sewing Machine Co. and this was a steam powered car. The car was built in Cleveland, Ohio.
Both US Presidents Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt owned White steamers.
A likely reason why White was awarded this medal was that the auto made relatively good time and speed along the way.
Howard, Regarding the the gold medal, yes it was issued during the Reliability Run….but only as an after thought. The contest was a timed event with speed limits at or below local ordinances, some areas as low as 6 MPH. Contestants had to be at specified locations at given times. The one with the least number of demerits would be the winner of the ACA’s Presidents Cup. Problem was 17 participators turned in perfect scores, that is, without a single demerit. so…. it was decided that a gold metal would be issued to those 17 and their names and the vehicle driven would be inscribed on the Cup.
Rollin’s granddaughter Betty King had this medal. She said she gave it to the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum after Rollin was inducted, but they know nothing of it.
Where is this medal? Several White steam car historians and biographers want to know.