Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-24
Birdman Gives Thrilling Exhibi-
tions at Field on Playa
Del Rey Line
SLAvIN SPILLS IN DESCENT
Cannon Supplies Excitement
While Being lowed Around
Grounds by Large Auto

| CharleS Il. walsh again carried Off
the honors at the novice meet of the
Aero Club of California yesterday aft
ernoon, held at the Los Angeles mo-
| tordrome, although Jack Cannon, ]. j..
| Slavin, Edgar Smith and George Dues
| Ter filled out a program as successful
| in it's class as the professional meet
at Dominguez field last January.
Walsh secured four trophies and about
| 5000 in prize money by his flights Sat-
urday and yesterday
SlaYin made a short flight, which re-
| suited disastrously as he smashed his
aighting gear and a protecting skid
| of one plane in landing. Duesler was
unable to make a long fight because
| Of the slippery condition of the motor
drome paddock.
Walsh made a variety of flights, cir
| cling about in any direction desired
and landing easily at the starting
point. He did not attempt to fly high,
and the altitude prize was at first
| awarded to Slavin, but on a protest
from Walsh's friends the contest COM
| mittee decided in favor of the San
Diegan. The trophy for highest flight
is a silver cup presented by business
men of San Diego. other cups won
by Walsh at this meet are the Whitley
Jewelry company's trophy for endur
ance, the w. H. Leonard cup for the
best circular fight and a newspaper
trophy for distance.
WALSH WINS ALTITUDE PRIZE
When the observers reported the
altitude in favor of Slavin, the Walsh
aeroplane was on it's way to the
hangar, but although it was almost
dusk Walsh went back to the starting
course and made several more at
tempts to fly higher than he had done
before. The contest committee was
called together by President Twining
of the Aero club and he rendered a de-
cision giving the award to Walsh.
Slavin got into the air in excellent
fashion, but an automatic balancing
device which is feature of his ma
chine failed to work to the necessary
limit. As he started to land his ma
chine turned sideways and struck
heavily on one plane. The side strain
crumpled up his running gear and the
crowd saw an exciting spill. Slavin
was thrown out Of the machine, land
ing several feet away in the soft earth,
but was not injured.
The crowd which quickly gathered
around picked up the disabled ma
chine and carried it to the hangar.
Slavin will begin his repairs this
morning and expects to be able to
make a fight next Sunday afternoon.
TOWED BIPLANE FLIGHTS
Jack Cannon furnished the greatest
excitement of the afternoon with his
towed flights in the biplane built by
the Cannon brothers. ToWed by big
Stoddard- Dayton driven by L. Nor
timer, which skidded around the
curves in the soft ground, Cannon
guided his machine several times
around the inside course of the motor
drome paddock without coming to the
nhaarnd he
went by the grandstands and COM
mented on the ease with which the
aerial machine made its rounds MS
compared with the difficulties under
which the automobile party labored.
Cannon won the only prize awarded
for an exhibition inside the motor
drome and L. Mortimer, the owner of
the automobile, received an honorable
mention.
Edgar Smith tuned up the engine
of his little Demoiselle early in the
afternoon and went skipping around
the grounds. When he struck par
ticularly soft spot and the engine
stopped he lifted the little monoplane,
engine and all, without assistance and
walked over to a new starting point
with it.
Smiths machines off the ground"
shouted the crowd delighted at the
novelty. "Give him prize"
FIRST NOVICE MEET SUCCESS
Smith believes that a lighter man
with a dry, hard starting ground can
get his little monoplane into the air,
and he may give less heavy aviator
a chance at it at next Sundays mat
inee meet. B. F. Roehrig, who was
unable to get his engine working, will
Me in shape to take part in the mat
inee next Sunday afternoon, and two
eor three other members of the club
also expect to participate
The novice meet was voted an en-
tire success by the members of the
club. 1t is the first of the kind in
the United States at which the flying
has been so successful, although
similar meet was held in st. Louis last
June. Present plans of the Aero club
directors are to hold amateur flying
exhibitions at popular prices at the
motordrome every Sunday afternoon
until the big meets are projected.