JIMMIE WARD'S SHOOTING STAR

DAILY------------------------THE DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE ------------------------AUGUST 5, 1912. BIG CROWDS SEE JIMMY WARD MAKE TWO SUCCESSFUL FLIGHTS

WARD IN THE AIR NEAR ATHLETIC PARK

Thousands of people saw "Jimmie" Ward make his flights Saturday and Sunday, but those who paid for the privilege were greatly in the minority. Yesterday afternoon, for instance, about 1,500 people paid admission to Athletic Park to see the baseball game and to see Aviator Ward do his stunt, but on the outside about 5,000 people waited and saved their money. Of course Mr. Ward felt

greatly elated over this generosity.      The basefall game took up a large part of the afternoon and owing to the difference in the sizes of the crowds of spectators made by the fence and registered at the box office, Mr. Ward evidently did not feel like overly exerting himself; so he made one flight about 5:30 o'clock, taking practically the same course as that of Saturday.

His flights both days were marked by the ease and evident sureness with which they were accomplisned. Everything demonstrated that Mr. Ward is not only a masterly aviator, but that his machine, "Shooting Star" is of the best type. Some people imagined that they would feel nervous to see the flight, but immediately after it had started that feeling vanished, so secure did everything appear.

 

Jimmy Ward & Charles Witmer courtesy Bob Flippen of Southside Virginia Historical Press in Farmville, VA, 2-17-06

 

Jimmy Ward's Shooting Star courtesy Bob Flippen of Southside Virginia Historical Press in Farmville, VA, 2-17-06

 

Jimmy Ward's Shooting Star - 1911 Front

Jimmy Ward's Shooting Star - 1911 Back

The postcard was addressed, but I do not think it was ever mailed. The black spots on the back look like it was pasted into a scrap book at one time. The date written on the card is June 16, 1911. It sounds as if the writer was from Arkansas and writing to a friend or relative back home, so it makes me think the picture was taken around Joplin. Collection of Bob Baltzell, 8-17-07

 

Jimmy Ward's Shooting Star - 1911 Collection of The St. Augustine (Florida) Historical Society Courtesy of Beth Bowen, 11-13-07

 

Jimmy Ward's Shooting Star - A Question via email from Beth Bowen, 11-13-07      I came across your web site while searching for information on James Ward. I am a volunteer at the St. Augustine (Florida) Historical Society, and am working on a book on St. Augustine postcards from 1900-1914. I came across an unidentified postcard of an early biplane, so I did some research in our local paper from late March, 1911. Ward was here flying his "Shooting Star", and I have made copies of the articles. I am sending a scan of the biplane postcard in hopes that you can tell me if this was Ward's airplane? J. A. D. McCurdy was flying here at the same time, but I have a very good photo of McCurdy's plane, and this one appears to be just a bit different. I can send you copied of the newspaper articles about Ward, if you are interested. Thanks for your help, Beth Bowen Editor's Note: I agree with Beth that this is Ward's Shooting Star, rather than McCurdy's plane. Conspicuous is the fact that the Shooting Star has single wheels, while McCurdy's has double wheels and a skid between them.

 

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