A Broken Propeller with Betty Goerke

Join us for a night of hair-raising aeronautical adventure as Betty Goerke shares the story of America’s first transcontinental air race from her new book: A Broken Propeller.
In Oct 1919, fifty-nine pilots flying in open cockpits and with no parachutes, competed in a long distance round trip air race that began simultaneously in San Francisco and Long Island. What began as an ill-advised scheme to promote the future of flight turned into an endless fight for survival amidst crashes, emergency landings, extreme weather, and faulty machinery. Goerke brings a special knowledge to this story as her father, 1st Lt. Ralph (Baz) Bagby, was one of only eight pilots who actually completed the race.
A long time Mill Valley resident, Goerke is a College Of Marin professor of anthropology and archeology, author of several books including Chief Marin: Leader, Rebel, and Legend, and beloved board member of the Mill Valley Historical Society.