Peggy Lennox Finishes Second in Power Puff Derby

Keith Mackey, N4159, sent us this clipping, dated 1950.

PEGGY LENNOX, Hollywood's ace aviatrix, is shown being greeted by a contingent of well-wishers from Hollywood on her arrival at West Palm Beach after finishing second in the 1,500-mile "powder puff" derby flight from Montreal. On hand were, left to right, City Manager A. P. McMann and Mrs. McMann, Mr. Treat, Dorothea Vermorel, Maynard Abrams, Glen (Hutch) Hutchinson, Roy Thompson, George Finkal and next to him his wife, Peggy Lennox. [Photo Couresty Hollywood Police Dept.]

Mrs. George Finkal, of Hollywood, better known to her many local admirers as Peggy Lennox, finished second Friday in the "powder-puff" derby, a 1,500 mile flight from Montreal to West Palm Beach.

She brought in her tiny Mooney Mite at International Airport at West Palm Beach at 3 p.m., behind winner Betty Haas, of Scardsale, N. Y., who flew a Ryan Navion plane and made her landing at 11:25:07 a.m.

Miss Lennox, last year's winner of the Canadian-American race, made the trip in approximately 14 hours, some three and a half hours behind Miss Haas. On hand to greet Miss Lennox, whose participation in the race was sponsored by the Hollywood merchants, were City Manager and Mrs. Paul McMann, Maynard Abrams, president of Hollywood Airpark, Police Lt. Charles Powell, George Finkal, her husband, and a group of Hollywood civic leaders.

Miss Lennox, although winner of a $500 prize for finishing second, probably would have again won the race except for the handicap procedure employed by the Montreal handicapper. The "procedure" was in regard to the estimated speed of her plane.

Miss Lennox said the flight was for the most part "uneventful." She explained that she had encountered "no excitement" during the flight.

2008-05-29