First Competitor Injured at IMS

This image was originally published in the August 14, 1909 Indianapolis Star. The photo is of Indianapolis motorcycle patrolman Albert Gibney, who was entered in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's first motorized competition, the 1909 motorcycle race meet. Gibney was injured while practicing on the track August 13 and could not recover in time to compete in the meet the following day. At one point event organizers had considered a special challenge race between motorcycle police officers representing different cities.
 
The caption that complemented the photo reads:
 
"It was from this motorcycle that A.C. Gibney, police motorcycle specialist, fell at the motor speedway yesterday while running at the rate of about sixty-five miles per hour. He is now in the City Hospital."