Victorious University City

This image was published in the June 9, 1909 Indianapolis Star as part of their coverage of the national championship balloon race hosted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the start on June 5. Confusion and controversy clouded the picture of the finishing order even two days after all the balloons had retired from the race. The "unofficial winner" was assumed to be University City from St. Louis piloted by John Berry with assistance from Paul McCullough. Eventually this team would be confirmed as the official winners. Pilot John Berry owned the University City which was designed by H.E. Honeywell, the assistant for Albert Bond Lambert the pilot at the helm of the St. Louis III.  Paul McCullough assisted Berry.
 
Below is the text that appeared in the caption to the photo in the newspaper:
 
"The University City appears to have stepped to the front ranks of balloon contestants for the national race long distance honors because of the unraveling of a confusion in landing positions. It was first reported that the University City landed at Blanche, Tenneesee but later news says it landed six miles southwest of Ft. Payne, Alabama, about 370 miles from Indianapolis. This would best the record made by Forbes in the New York about twenty miles."