First Indy 500 America's Top News Story

This article by C.E. Shuart in the May 28, 1911 Indianapolis Star describes the newspaper industry's fascination with the first Indianapolis 500. It claims that 30 telegraph operators were stationed in the press stand to "broadcast" the event to the country and the world. Most of all, I love this line: "Publicity will not make this race half so much as this race will make publicity."
 
Our world today runs on hype. To think of an event so grand that its reality overshadowed - blew away, really - all the contrivances of promoters has such a solid quality of authenticity to it that it makes it all the more exciting.