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newspaper reporter. For ReVere, he drove a car that might have been the first work's prototype vehicle on a very extended reliability, endurance, and promotion run. The trip took about four months from June to
September 1918, went over 16,234 miles and connected the 48 state capitals. In 1924, he
358:
Covered Wagon across the nation in a trouble free 6,517-mile (10,488 km) run to prove the economy and reliability characteristics of
Crosley automobiles. Other record and near-record transcontinental trips were made in Model T Fords, Chrysler Imperials, Marmons, Falcon-Knights, and Columbia
184:
Baker was also famous for his record-setting point-to-point drives, in which he was paid to promote the products of various motorcycle and automobile manufacturers. In all, he made 143 cross-country motorcycle speed runs totaling about 550,000 miles (890,000 km).
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sedan at a time of 4 days, 14 hours, and 15 minutes. He was so impressed by the car that he purchased one thereafter. In 1926, he drove a loaded two-ton truck from New York to San
Francisco in a record 5 days, 17 hours, and 30 minutes, and in 1928, he beat the
267:. It was during this time that Baker decided he would attempt to break the transcontinental record. After a record-setting transcontinental drive in 1914, he received his nickname "Cannon Ball" from a New York newspaper writer who compared him to the
287:
Baker set 143 driving records from the 1910s through the 1930s. His first was set in 1914, riding coast to coast on an Indian motorcycle in 11 days. He normally rode to sponsor manufacturers, guaranteeing them "no record, no money".
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and editor Steve Smith conceived the idea of an unsanctioned, informal race across the country, replicating the 53.5-hour transcontinental drive made by Baker in 1933. The New York to Los
Angeles
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420:, later shortened to the "Cannonball Run", was staged in 1971, 1972, 1975, and 1979. The stunt served as the inspiration for several Hollywood movies, such as
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239:, in 1882. In January 1912, he left Indianapolis on a two-speed Indian and covered 14,000 miles (23,000 km) in three months, traveling through
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835:"The Climb to the Clouds Vintage Hillclimb at the Mt. Washington Auto Road at the base of Mt. Washington, Pinkham Notch New Hampshire"
354:, better known as the "Cannonball Run", which itself inspired at least five movies and a television series. In 1941, he drove a new
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and began entering and winning local races. His most famous victory came in 1909 at the first race ever held at the newly built
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965:"Indiana’s Daredevil Racer: Erwin 'Cannon Ball' Baker and his 1914 Record-Breaking Transcontinental Motorcycle Run"
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In 2017, an
Indiana state historical marker commemorating "Cannon Ball" Baker was installed by the
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where he based himself for a while and from there he competed in several endurance runs in both
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racer and organizer in the first half of the 20th century. Baker began his public career as a
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in front of Baker's home at 902 East
Garfield Drive in Indianapolis. The home overlooks
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His best-remembered drive was a 1933 New York City to Los
Angeles trek in a
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Methodology: Rides of >30,000 km (>3,000 km before 1930)
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performer, but turned to driving and racing after winning a dirt-track
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776:"'Cannon Ball' Baker Set Records on Two and Four Wheels in Early Days"
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in 7 days, 11 hours, and 52 minutes, while accompanied by an
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or record-setting transcontinental or intercontinental ride
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made his first midwinter transcontinental run in a stock
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Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea
Memorial Trophy Dash
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Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea
Memorial Trophy Dash
745:"AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: Erwin 'Cannonball' Baker"
375:, Indiana, on May 10, 1960, at age 78. He is buried at
885:
Celebrating
Automotive Heritage at Crown Hill Cemetery
335:, and set a record time of 14:49.6 seconds, driving a
1000:
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161:(March 12, 1882 – May 10, 1960) was an American
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854:Cannonball! World's Greatest Outlaw Road Race
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299:in 11 days, 7 hours and fifteen minutes in a
346:model 57 Blue Streak 8, setting a 53.5 hour
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993:
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27:
856:. Motorbooks International. August 2003.
210:Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame
685:
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348:record that stood for nearly 40 years.
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951:Indiana Motorcycle Historical Society
208:in 1947. Baker was inducted into the
16:American motorcycle racer (1882–1960)
1388:People from Dearborn County, Indiana
463:
382:
333:Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race
37:after his 1912 international journey
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706:, p. 192, 2008, archived from
331:. Also in 1928, he competed in the
214:Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
13:
14:
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1060:Zoltán Sulkowsky and Gyula Bartha
939:
755:American Motorcyclist Association
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303:, and the following year drove a
218:American Motorcyclist Association
1045:Clare Sheridan and Oswald Frewen
367:Baker died of a heart attack at
159:Erwin George "Cannon Ball" Baker
1002:Long-distance motorcycle riding
845:
307:8 roadster from Los Angeles to
235:, possibly in the community of
1383:Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery
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810:"Cannonball Baker Run of 1924"
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350:This drive inspired the later
1:
1311:Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge
1065:Augusta and Adeline Van Buren
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624:NASCAR National Commissioner
188:In 1908, Baker purchased an
7:
1393:Racing drivers from Indiana
967:, Indiana Historical Bureau
704:Indianapolis Motor Speedway
700:2008 Indianapolis 500 flyer
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194:Indianapolis Motor Speedway
33:Baker in New York with his
10:
1409:
1363:American motorcycle racers
878:"Indianapolis Auto Greats"
645:"Erwin 'Cannonball' Baker"
454:Motorsports career results
291:In 1915, Baker drove from
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255:. He took a steamer up to
196:. Baker also raced at the
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1300:
1258:Simon and Monika Newbound
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922:Indiana Historical Bureau
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389:Indiana Historical Bureau
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22:Erwin "Cannon Ball" Baker
21:
1368:Indianapolis 500 drivers
1109:Robert Edison Fulton Jr.
1040:Avis and Effie Hotchkiss
1025:Erwin "Cannonball" Baker
753:. Pickerington, OH USA:
459:Indianapolis 500 results
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233:Dearborn County, Indiana
58:Dearborn County, Indiana
1273:Kevin and Julia Sanders
946:Motorcycle Hall of Fame
750:Motorcycle Hall of Fame
327:train from New York to
226:
221:Motorcycle Hall of Fame
204:. He became the first
179:Crawfordsville, Indiana
891:. 2011. Archived from
359:Tigers, among others.
94:1 race run over 1 year
918:"'Cannon Ball' Baker"
898:on September 13, 2012
841:on December 16, 2007.
673:www.champcarstats.com
198:1922 Indianapolis 500
75:Indianapolis, Indiana
1373:NASCAR commissioners
1268:Chris and Erin Ratay
814:GarnderMotorCars.com
795:Hemmings Classic Car
730:Hemmings Classic Car
324:20th Century Limited
200:, placing 11th in a
1210:Carol and Ken Duval
1101:Carol and Ken Duval
1035:Carl Stearns Clancy
889:Crown Hill Cemetery
725:"Cannon Ball Baker"
377:Crown Hill Cemetery
206:NASCAR Commissioner
1283:Claudio von Planta
1055:Bessie Stringfield
669:"Cannonball Baker"
447:Cannonball Run III
435:The Cannonball Run
412:magazine reporter
369:Community Hospital
269:Cannonball Express
231:Baker was born in
46:Erwin George Baker
1340:
1339:
1296:
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1030:William Chadeayne
863:978-0-7603-1633-7
713:on March 22, 2012
649:OldRacingCars.com
614:
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441:Cannonball Run II
429:The Gumball Rally
383:Historical marker
379:in Indianapolis.
216:in 1989, and the
190:Indian motorcycle
181:, in about 1904.
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35:Indian motorcycle
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1218:Kanichi Fujiwara
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837:. Archived from
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790:"ReVere's Ride"
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1188:21st century
1179:Austin Vince
1159:Nick Sanders
1070:James Wilson
1024:
960:Find a Grave
925:. Retrieved
912:
900:. Retrieved
893:the original
884:
872:
853:
847:
839:the original
829:
817:. Retrieved
813:
804:
793:
784:
770:
758:. Retrieved
748:
739:
728:
719:
708:the original
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652:. Retrieved
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407:
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373:Indianapolis
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344:Graham-Paige
341:
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313:Indianapolis
309:Times Square
290:
286:
268:
230:
187:
183:
158:
157:
110:Indianapolis
70:(1960-05-11)
68:May 11, 1960
1358:1960 deaths
1353:1882 births
1248:Danell Lynn
1174:Jūgatsu Toi
1144:Benka Pulko
1129:Walter Muma
1119:John Gerber
1050:Robert Sexé
956:Erwin Baker
760:October 22,
733:, July 2013
423:Cannonball!
414:Brock Yates
293:Los Angeles
277:Casey Jones
1347:Categories
1316:Hyder Seek
1238:Allan Karl
1233:Geoff Hill
1228:Pat Garrod
1154:Jim Rogers
1149:Max Reisch
1134:Neil Peart
1114:Pat Garrod
678:2024-01-16
654:2024-01-16
630:References
568:Front Row
261:California
243:, down to
175:motorcycle
171:vaudeville
167:automobile
163:motorcycle
99:First race
51:1882-03-12
1278:Ted Simon
1169:Ted Simon
1091:Dave Barr
1084:1930–2000
927:April 18,
819:April 18,
257:San Diego
223:in 1998.
202:Frontenac
87:Champ Car
1018:Pre 1930
618:See also
600:Retired
526:Running
495:Retired
337:Franklin
305:Cadillac
237:Weisburg
177:race at
1303:rallies
592:Top 10
552:Starts
511:89.600
486:Finish
356:Crosley
329:Chicago
318:Gardner
283:Records
265:Arizona
249:Jamaica
241:Florida
124:Podiums
1010:Riders
860:
609:
584:Top 5
560:Poles
532:Totals
477:Start
444:, and
253:Panama
89:career
77:, U.S.
60:, U.S.
896:(PDF)
881:(PDF)
711:(PDF)
696:(PDF)
576:Wins
489:Laps
483:Rank
480:Qual
471:Year
363:Death
128:Poles
929:2018
904:2012
858:ISBN
821:2018
762:2011
536:200
520:200
501:1922
492:Led
474:Car
263:and
247:and
245:Cuba
227:Life
165:and
121:Wins
103:1922
65:Died
43:Born
958:at
517:11
514:20
508:16
371:in
295:to
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994:e
987:t
980:v
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778:.
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681:.
657:.
140:0
137:0
134:0
112:)
108:(
53:)
49:(
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