New York To California in 49 days
IN 1911, DASHING PITTSBURGHER CAL RODGERS FLEW THE VIN FIZ ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BECOMING ONE OF OUR MOST BELOVED EARLY AVIATORS.

I love the story of Calbraith Perry Rodgers. Born in our fair city in 1879, Cal grew up to be one of the most dashing and indefatigable early aviators. Although a childhood bout of scarlet fever left him deaf, the handsome Rodgers grew to a towering 6-foot-4, played football and always had a cigar in his mouth. He loved all sorts of early 20th-century machines that went really fast, beginning with motorcycles.

Then, in 1911, he went to Dayton, Ohio, took a short course in piloting from Orville Wright himself, then promptly became the first private citizen to buy one of the Wright Brothers' flying machines, a Wright experimental biplane that cost a cool $5,000. Soon after, Rodgers decided to take on the challenge presented by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst: The first person to fly across the country in 30 days or less would receive a cash prize of $50,000.

Right: Pittsburgh native Calbraith Perry Rodgers prepares to leave Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., on Sept. 7, 1911, in his flying machine, Vin Fiz, named after the grape pop that had been introduced by meat packing company J. Ogden Armour. Armour sponsored Rodgers’ 49-day flight, plastering the plane, a train, and an automobile with the Vin Fiz logo. According to some records, Rodgers
averaged about one crash a day during his journey.

At the time, the folks at meat packing company J. Ogden Armour were diversifying and looking to promote their new grape pop called Vin Fiz. In an early attempt at branding, they agreed to sponsor Rodgers and his dream. Cal dubbed his plane Vin Fiz, and Armour outfitted a three-car train (also plastered with the Vin Fiz logo) to accompany him as he flew along the train tracks heading west. His wife, mother, best friend and three mechanics rode in the train, which also included a boxcar "hangar" with enough parts to build the plane three times over. A separate Vin Fiz automobile picked up Rodgers whenever and wherever the plane came down, usually unintentionally.

And there were no airports yet.

There's no exact count of major crashes (some say five, some say 39), but there were dozens of very bumpy landings, with 69 stops in all. In the 49 days it took him to go from Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., to his triumphant landing in front of a reported 20,000 people at Tournament Park in Pasadena, Calif., Calbraith Perry Rodgers rebuilt his plane many times over, and had to recover himself from the frequent mishaps and tumbles. He decided it wouldn't really be over until he dipped Vin Fiz's tires into the Pacific Ocean—as a result, it took several weeks to fly the last 23 miles from Pasadena to Long Beach, Calif., arriving there Dec. 10, 1911. He didn't win Hearst's money, but he did become famous. People across America loved Rodgers for his pluck and tenacity.

Four months later, in April 1912, still in Long Beach, Rodgers took a plane out for a spin over the Pacific, and ran into a flock of birds. He crashed and died there on the beach with a broken back, broken neck and broken jaw.

His body was brought back to Pittsburgh, and his gravesite can be viewed at Allegheny Cemetery. The gravestone is striking, complete with a biplane in bas-relief. There's also a small tribute to him at Carnegie Science Center's miniature railroad display: Look for an HO-scale version of the Vin Fiz, as well as the accompanying train, and a model of Cal, himself.

Pittsburghers should know Rodgers and his heroic tale. Think of him when you're flying to California. Cal Rodgers proved it could be done. How will we mark the centennial of his flight in the fall of 2011?