A. Holland Forbes

This is an image of A. Holland Forbes, president of the Forbes Publishing Company and pioneering aviator. This image was published in the June 2, 1909 Indianapolis Star as the city looked forward to the June 5 national balloon championship hosted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in which Forbes would compete with the balloon, New York. As an aviator Forbes narrowly escaped death in a harrowing accident. Forbes also survived another close call just a few months later. Note that Forbes' assistant, Clifford Harmon was extremely accomplished in aviation and went on to establish the prestigious Harmon Trophy in 1926.
 
The June 5, 1909 national championship balloon race hosted by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had a field packed with talented competitors. The  June 4, 1909 Indianapolis News also published photos of other pilots and their assistants. Below are links to those photos as well as others of the competitors that were published in the Indianapolis Star the same day.
 

Check out another image of Forbes elsewhere on First Super Speedway.

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