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1939 NY World's Fair - The Wall of Death
The Amusement Zone (Zone 7)
1939 New York World's Fair
The Wall of Death
(Text taken from the 1940 Official Guide Book)
"Tires sing savagely as stunt riders on specially built motorcycles thunder around a boardwood bowl in this thrill show. The stunters climax their performance by riding at right angles on the peak of the banked bowl. You see it all from a gallery. Admission: 25¢"
Photo submitted by Rose Ami of New York
From Chad Coombs: In reference to the photo of the wall of death riders (top-right photo) the gentleman on the far left is my grandfather Rudolph A Coombs AKA "Reckless Rudy Coombs." My grandmother (Helen Coombs - far right) also rode on the wall of death with my grandfather.
Luck was killed in an tragic accident at the Fair as noted in this article from the New York Times, dated July 21, 1940:
Anyone viewing this web page who has more information about the attraction or who can help identify the other riders is encouraged to contact me at
so I can pass it along to Ms. Ami and include more information on this page.
Photo submitted by Rose Ami of New York.
Lady 3rd from right is Helen Coombs -
identified by her daughter Carol Black
'WALL OF DEATH' RIDE IS
FATAL AT FAIR
Motorcyclists Collide and Crash
—One Rider Is Injured
Two motor cycle riders who climb a twenty-foot wall several times daily at one of the World's Fair concessions, collided last night while they were driving their vehicles along the wall and both men fell twenty fee and were taken to hospitals, where one of them died.
The performers were David Herst, 26 years old, of 145 West Ninety-fourth Street, and John Luck, 40, of 11-04 Santel Avenue, Corona, Queens. Herst was taken to French Hospital with a fractured leg. Luck was taken to Queens General Hospital, when he died of a fractured skull.
The accident occurred at 10:29 P.M. Both riders had started their rides from the wooden floor upon which the circular wall rises perpendicularly. The men circled the wall, gathering momentum, and then began their climb of the "Wall of Death," as the ride is known.
Near the top of the twenty-foot wall Herst's motor cycle struck a cable that serves as a guard rail. The motor cycle was diverted from its path and struck the vehicle operated by Luck, which was coming from the opposite direction. Both vehicles and drivers fell to the floor. About 150 persons witnessed the accident.