Peter Prunty, the One-Man PA System for the Vanderbilt Cup Races

A constant throughout the Long Island days of the races associated with the  Vanderbilt Cup Races from 1904 to 1910 was track announcer Peter Prunty. A slender man, Prunty wielded a megaphone nearly three feet long and shouted updates to the spectators in the grandstands.

Prunty used both hands to balance the paper reports and his huge megaphone to read the messages and bellow updates to spectators hungry for information. This was very important as course layouts ranged from 12.64 miles in 1910 to 30.4 miles (including control areas) in 1904 which created long lulls in racing action punctuated by single cars lumbering by every 6 minutes or so. More information on Peter Prunty is posted on VanderbiltCupRaces.com.