Some info about the national air derby in 1927.
Wood was a contestant in a race from NY to spokane.
http://www.drshute.com/archives/000108.html
And a pic of the WACO 8 - the only one made and their first cabin plane seating 6.
http://www.aerofiles.com/waco-8x.jpg
Interestingly the info I can find says the waco 8 was built in 1924 and sold to a KC company that used it for aerial mapping.
One of the pictures of Woods Baby Ruth plane which is also a WACO shows an 8 on the tail. I'm thinking that was the race number, since there are also pics out there with it numbered 4 and 118
Woods Baby Ruth plane is still around, freshly restored.
http://flyingantiqueairplanes.blogsp...1_archive.html
Baby Ruth also sponsored some Waco 9s and at one point promoted the candy by throwing a bunch of it out of the plane.
Makes me wonder if the ball wasn't a similar item, tossed from the plane or as a prize with a ticket tossed along with the candy?
Really cool item overall, and some research could make it even cooler.
Maybe contacting the WACO club?
http://www.nationalwacoclub.com/
Steve B