Clifford Ball (aviation): Difference between revisions

Cliff was born November 29, 1891 in [[Pittsburgh|Banksville]], Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. He was one of ten children born to Thomas Ball and Charlotte Ann Burrows. Both of his parents and three of his siblings emigrated from England to the US in 1879.<ref>{{cite census|url = https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGQQ-CKC |title=Clifford Ball|year=1910|location=Dravosburg, Pennsylvania|roll=T624 1293|page=17A|line=25-29|enumdist=51|filmnum=1375306|accessdate=September 15, 2017}}</ref> Cliff graduated from [[McKeesport]] High School in 1910. Cliff spent time working at his father's supply company delivering coal, operating a hoist, shoveling sand and gravel, and dispatching trucks making $90 a month. During this time his father was taking money out of his paycheck and setting it aside for Cliff. Cliff also worked as a clerk for a bank, and an insurance company. Cliff continued his education by taking evening courses at [[Duquesne University]] and business courses at Duffs Iron City College. Cliff joined the Aero Club of Pittsburgh when he was 18 years old,<ref name= "Fascination with flying">{{cite news|title=Parachute Jumpers made him airminded in youth|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=April 23, 1933}}</ref> according to an early story. The club however, was founded in 1909 to promote an aerial demonstration, and was dormant until 1920 or so when it was restricted to WWI pilots and observers. It was not until a decade later that non-military pilots were accepted.

In August Cliff had pilot Frank Dayton take him to Harrisburg for a demand certificate to operate a taxi service there. Along for his firsts plane ride was Pittsburgh Postmaster George W Gosser.<ref>{{cite news|title=Post Master Takes Ride|page=1|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=August 21, 1929}}</ref> During the first week of October Clifford Ball Inc expanding its "Path of the Eagle" offerings from Detroit to Washington DC connecting with Stout Air Lines at Cleveland.<ref name="Open Airline to Washington">{{cite news|title=Open Airline To Washington|at=Part 5, p. 6|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=October 6, 1929}}</ref>

After the passing of the Air Mail Act of 1930 many small Airlines were forced to merge in order to meet the new government requirements. Cliff merged his Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Washington passenger line with the new [[Pennsylvania Air Lines]] (PAL). Officers of the new "Path of the Eagle" were Cliff Ball as President and general manager; [[R Park Marshall]] as Vice-President and Director; [[Arthur Ball]] as Secretary and Treasurer; and [[W C Smith]] as Director.<ref name= "Local aviation">{{cite news|title=Local aviation|page=23|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=May 7, 1930}}</ref> The merger would keep Pittsburgh on the feeder line connecting the transcontinental route.<ref>{{cite news|title=Two Airlines involved by merger|page=21|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=May 5, 1930}}</ref> Synchronizing the "Path of the Eagle" allowed travel from [[Oakland, CA]] to NY using connections with [[Boeing#Before 1930|Boeing]] Lines, [[Pittsburgh Airways]], [[Stout Air Lines]], and [[Western Air Express]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Coast airline open|page=58|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=May 16, 1930}}</ref> With the merger came new services and rates encompassing all Cliff's business. Cliff added passenger service to Cleveland, Chicago, [[St. Louis]] and [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Cleveland, St Louis service|page=1|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=August 28, 1930}}</ref> Service between New Castle, Chicago, and Washington was added.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Castle service|page=21|newspaper=New Castle News|date=May 7, 1930}}</ref> The [[Akron]], Youngstown, and New Castle line was inaugurated by the Tri-motored Ford piloted by [[R L Baker]]. And the use of the new [[Adams airmail pick-up device]] in cities between Pittsburgh and Cleveland was started for the smaller towns without airfield.<ref name= "Local aviation">{{cite news|title=Local aviation|page=23|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=May 7, 1930}}</ref>

Ball testified before the Congress at the [[Air Mail scandal|Air Mail Cancellation Hearings]] that [[Richard W Robbins]] and George R Hann, of Sewickley Heights, in colluding with Postmaster Brown schemed to defame him in order to award his contract to their PAIC, which took over Ball's Pennsylvania Air Lines.<ref name="Air Line Head Charges Plot to Defame Him">{{cite news|title=Air Line Head Charges Plot by Brown to Defame Him|page=1|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|date=February 26, 1934}}</ref> PAIC was supposedly allied with the Mellon interests.

Cliff died of heart failure at his office in the OX-5 club and Aero Club headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh June 2, 1972.<ref name= "Aviation Pioneer Dies"/> According to Flora Balmer, the secretary for decades, Cliff simply collapsed at his desk.