Beachy vs. Oldfield May 1914

This is a photo used to promote a series of match races staged by the notorious promoter William Hickman Pickens. It was taken at Brighton Beach May 22, 1914. The events featured his favorite barnstorming partner, Barney Oldfield and the renowned aviator, Lincoln Beachey. Beachey worked magic in the air, and the three men toured the country in 1914 to entertain audiences. By some accounts, they collected receipts in excess of $250,000, worth millions in today's dollars. Unfortunately, Beachey was killed in March 1915 and the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition in San Francisco. He was only 28 years old.