"Wild Bill"Albertson Dies in Middletown Race Crash
Widely Known Penn Yan Dirt Track Driver Instantly Killed Before Wife's Eyes as Car Upsets and Hurls Him into Rail
Middletown. Aug. 18 - "Wild Bill" Albertson, of Penn Yan, was killed while attempting to establish a world half-mile dirt track mark before 16,000 persons at the Orange County Fair automobile races here this afternoon.
Albertson, while traveling 70 miles an hour, was catapulted 60 feet through the air when a wheel brake apparently locked and rolled his car over three times. The white clad figure, with arms and legs flung in hopeless gesture, was thrown clear of the bouncing vehicle.
He rolled for several yards along the track and clashed into the guard rail.
Wife Witnesses Accident
Albertson's head was crushed. His Miller special ended upright the center of the track and was little damaged. Mrs. Albertson, who saw the accident, became hysterical and tried, to fling herself, from her husband's in which she was sitting.
Several minutes after the crash Mile Helle-Nice, European women's champion automobile driver, piloted an old racing car of Albertson's to establish an American women's half-mile mark of 35 seconds. When she landed in New York from Europe for her racing campaign in this country it was "Wild Bill" who taught her all she knows of small track race driving.
He had loaned her his emergency car for exhibition here.
Shortly before Albertson's death, Rick Decker established an American mark for similar tracks by circling the oval in 28 and four-fifths seconds.
Albertson told Earl Younger, his mechanic, he would beat Decker's mark by a second.
While setting his pace, which timers declared would have beaten the record, Albertson died.
Albertson was the most popular race driver ever to appear here in a long series at the annual fair and at one time had shared the track record with Ira Vail and Bob Ribonson, who was killed at another track near here two weeks ago.
Death Startles Penn Yan
Penn Yan, Aug. 16 - News of the instantaneous death of, "Wild Bill" Albertson, Penn Yan's nationally known automobile racing driver, in a racing accident at the Orange County Fair at Middletown this afternoon came as a shock to Penn Yan citizens who have followed his ventures In the racing game for the last 15 years.
"Wild Bill," as he was called for his exploits on the dirt track, first entered the racing game in 1915 when he raced at the Yates County Fair at Penn Yan. Since then he has specialized In dirt track racing.
He held records on dozens of dirt tracks throughout New York State, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Although he figured in several near fatalities while racing, he always came back for more.
He admitted to friends here only recently that he knew he "had it coming" if he continued.
His wife traveled with him wherever he raced.
Last year, when he was seriously injured in a race on a Pennsylvania track, he blamed it on the fact that his wife was not with him.
Before taking up automobile racing, he raced motorcycles.
He walked with a stiff leg since 1910 as the result of a motorcycle accident near Flint, Mich.
Albertson was born near Bellona and at an early age went to Geneva to work in a garage there.
He was brought to Penn Yan by H. Allen Wagener to take charge of his shop in 1912.
Becoming interested In automobile races, he built over several stock cars as his first racers.
In 1922 he purchased his Dusenberg racer from a woman in Connecticut.
Besides his wife he leaves his mother, Mrs. Mary Albertson of Penn Yan; two brothers, Chris of Penn Yan and James of Geneva, and a sister, of Rochester.
According to word received here, the body will be taken to Rochester for burial.
Democrat and Chronicle
Rochester, New York •
Sun, Aug 17, 1930
Page 1
His burial date was 08/19/1930.
Widely Known Penn Yan Dirt Track Driver Instantly Killed Before Wife's Eyes as Car Upsets and Hurls Him into Rail
Middletown. Aug. 18 - "Wild Bill" Albertson, of Penn Yan, was killed while attempting to establish a world half-mile dirt track mark before 16,000 persons at the Orange County Fair automobile races here this afternoon.
Albertson, while traveling 70 miles an hour, was catapulted 60 feet through the air when a wheel brake apparently locked and rolled his car over three times. The white clad figure, with arms and legs flung in hopeless gesture, was thrown clear of the bouncing vehicle.
He rolled for several yards along the track and clashed into the guard rail.
Wife Witnesses Accident
Albertson's head was crushed. His Miller special ended upright the center of the track and was little damaged. Mrs. Albertson, who saw the accident, became hysterical and tried, to fling herself, from her husband's in which she was sitting.
Several minutes after the crash Mile Helle-Nice, European women's champion automobile driver, piloted an old racing car of Albertson's to establish an American women's half-mile mark of 35 seconds. When she landed in New York from Europe for her racing campaign in this country it was "Wild Bill" who taught her all she knows of small track race driving.
He had loaned her his emergency car for exhibition here.
Shortly before Albertson's death, Rick Decker established an American mark for similar tracks by circling the oval in 28 and four-fifths seconds.
Albertson told Earl Younger, his mechanic, he would beat Decker's mark by a second.
While setting his pace, which timers declared would have beaten the record, Albertson died.
Albertson was the most popular race driver ever to appear here in a long series at the annual fair and at one time had shared the track record with Ira Vail and Bob Ribonson, who was killed at another track near here two weeks ago.
Death Startles Penn Yan
Penn Yan, Aug. 16 - News of the instantaneous death of, "Wild Bill" Albertson, Penn Yan's nationally known automobile racing driver, in a racing accident at the Orange County Fair at Middletown this afternoon came as a shock to Penn Yan citizens who have followed his ventures In the racing game for the last 15 years.
"Wild Bill," as he was called for his exploits on the dirt track, first entered the racing game in 1915 when he raced at the Yates County Fair at Penn Yan. Since then he has specialized In dirt track racing.
He held records on dozens of dirt tracks throughout New York State, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Although he figured in several near fatalities while racing, he always came back for more.
He admitted to friends here only recently that he knew he "had it coming" if he continued.
His wife traveled with him wherever he raced.
Last year, when he was seriously injured in a race on a Pennsylvania track, he blamed it on the fact that his wife was not with him.
Before taking up automobile racing, he raced motorcycles.
He walked with a stiff leg since 1910 as the result of a motorcycle accident near Flint, Mich.
Albertson was born near Bellona and at an early age went to Geneva to work in a garage there.
He was brought to Penn Yan by H. Allen Wagener to take charge of his shop in 1912.
Becoming interested In automobile races, he built over several stock cars as his first racers.
In 1922 he purchased his Dusenberg racer from a woman in Connecticut.
Besides his wife he leaves his mother, Mrs. Mary Albertson of Penn Yan; two brothers, Chris of Penn Yan and James of Geneva, and a sister, of Rochester.
According to word received here, the body will be taken to Rochester for burial.
Democrat and Chronicle
Rochester, New York •
Sun, Aug 17, 1930
Page 1
His burial date was 08/19/1930.
"Wild Bill"Albertson Dies in Middletown Race Crash
Widely Known Penn Yan Dirt Track Driver Instantly Killed Before Wife's Eyes as Car Upsets and Hurls Him into Rail
Middletown. Aug. 18 - "Wild Bill" Albertson, of Penn Yan, was killed while attempting to establish a world half-mile dirt track mark before 16,000 persons at the Orange County Fair automobile races here this afternoon.
Albertson, while traveling 70 miles an hour, was catapulted 60 feet through the air when a wheel brake apparently locked and rolled his car over three times. The white clad figure, with arms and legs flung in hopeless gesture, was thrown clear of the bouncing vehicle.
He rolled for several yards along the track and clashed into the guard rail.
Wife Witnesses Accident
Albertson's head was crushed. His Miller special ended upright the center of the track and was little damaged. Mrs. Albertson, who saw the accident, became hysterical and tried, to fling herself, from her husband's in which she was sitting.
Several minutes after the crash Mile Helle-Nice, European women's champion automobile driver, piloted an old racing car of Albertson's to establish an American women's half-mile mark of 35 seconds. When she landed in New York from Europe for her racing campaign in this country it was "Wild Bill" who taught her all she knows of small track race driving.
He had loaned her his emergency car for exhibition here.
Shortly before Albertson's death, Rick Decker established an American mark for similar tracks by circling the oval in 28 and four-fifths seconds.
Albertson told Earl Younger, his mechanic, he would beat Decker's mark by a second.
While setting his pace, which timers declared would have beaten the record, Albertson died.
Albertson was the most popular race driver ever to appear here in a long series at the annual fair and at one time had shared the track record with Ira Vail and Bob Ribonson, who was killed at another track near here two weeks ago.
Death Startles Penn Yan
Penn Yan, Aug. 16 - News of the instantaneous death of, "Wild Bill" Albertson, Penn Yan's nationally known automobile racing driver, in a racing accident at the Orange County Fair at Middletown this afternoon came as a shock to Penn Yan citizens who have followed his ventures In the racing game for the last 15 years.
"Wild Bill," as he was called for his exploits on the dirt track, first entered the racing game in 1915 when he raced at the Yates County Fair at Penn Yan. Since then he has specialized In dirt track racing.
He held records on dozens of dirt tracks throughout New York State, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Although he figured in several near fatalities while racing, he always came back for more.
He admitted to friends here only recently that he knew he "had it coming" if he continued.
His wife traveled with him wherever he raced.
Last year, when he was seriously injured in a race on a Pennsylvania track, he blamed it on the fact that his wife was not with him.
Before taking up automobile racing, he raced motorcycles.
He walked with a stiff leg since 1910 as the result of a motorcycle accident near Flint, Mich.
Albertson was born near Bellona and at an early age went to Geneva to work in a garage there.
He was brought to Penn Yan by H. Allen Wagener to take charge of his shop in 1912.
Becoming interested In automobile races, he built over several stock cars as his first racers.
In 1922 he purchased his Dusenberg racer from a woman in Connecticut.
Besides his wife he leaves his mother, Mrs. Mary Albertson of Penn Yan; two brothers, Chris of Penn Yan and James of Geneva, and a sister, of Rochester.
According to word received here, the body will be taken to Rochester for burial.
Democrat and Chronicle
Rochester, New York •
Sun, Aug 17, 1930
Page 1
His burial date was 08/19/1930.
Widely Known Penn Yan Dirt Track Driver Instantly Killed Before Wife's Eyes as Car Upsets and Hurls Him into Rail
Middletown. Aug. 18 - "Wild Bill" Albertson, of Penn Yan, was killed while attempting to establish a world half-mile dirt track mark before 16,000 persons at the Orange County Fair automobile races here this afternoon.
Albertson, while traveling 70 miles an hour, was catapulted 60 feet through the air when a wheel brake apparently locked and rolled his car over three times. The white clad figure, with arms and legs flung in hopeless gesture, was thrown clear of the bouncing vehicle.
He rolled for several yards along the track and clashed into the guard rail.
Wife Witnesses Accident
Albertson's head was crushed. His Miller special ended upright the center of the track and was little damaged. Mrs. Albertson, who saw the accident, became hysterical and tried, to fling herself, from her husband's in which she was sitting.
Several minutes after the crash Mile Helle-Nice, European women's champion automobile driver, piloted an old racing car of Albertson's to establish an American women's half-mile mark of 35 seconds. When she landed in New York from Europe for her racing campaign in this country it was "Wild Bill" who taught her all she knows of small track race driving.
He had loaned her his emergency car for exhibition here.
Shortly before Albertson's death, Rick Decker established an American mark for similar tracks by circling the oval in 28 and four-fifths seconds.
Albertson told Earl Younger, his mechanic, he would beat Decker's mark by a second.
While setting his pace, which timers declared would have beaten the record, Albertson died.
Albertson was the most popular race driver ever to appear here in a long series at the annual fair and at one time had shared the track record with Ira Vail and Bob Ribonson, who was killed at another track near here two weeks ago.
Death Startles Penn Yan
Penn Yan, Aug. 16 - News of the instantaneous death of, "Wild Bill" Albertson, Penn Yan's nationally known automobile racing driver, in a racing accident at the Orange County Fair at Middletown this afternoon came as a shock to Penn Yan citizens who have followed his ventures In the racing game for the last 15 years.
"Wild Bill," as he was called for his exploits on the dirt track, first entered the racing game in 1915 when he raced at the Yates County Fair at Penn Yan. Since then he has specialized In dirt track racing.
He held records on dozens of dirt tracks throughout New York State, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Although he figured in several near fatalities while racing, he always came back for more.
He admitted to friends here only recently that he knew he "had it coming" if he continued.
His wife traveled with him wherever he raced.
Last year, when he was seriously injured in a race on a Pennsylvania track, he blamed it on the fact that his wife was not with him.
Before taking up automobile racing, he raced motorcycles.
He walked with a stiff leg since 1910 as the result of a motorcycle accident near Flint, Mich.
Albertson was born near Bellona and at an early age went to Geneva to work in a garage there.
He was brought to Penn Yan by H. Allen Wagener to take charge of his shop in 1912.
Becoming interested In automobile races, he built over several stock cars as his first racers.
In 1922 he purchased his Dusenberg racer from a woman in Connecticut.
Besides his wife he leaves his mother, Mrs. Mary Albertson of Penn Yan; two brothers, Chris of Penn Yan and James of Geneva, and a sister, of Rochester.
According to word received here, the body will be taken to Rochester for burial.
Democrat and Chronicle
Rochester, New York •
Sun, Aug 17, 1930
Page 1
His burial date was 08/19/1930.
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