Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-11
PitrshuTg Phil.

SKETCH OF The DARING YOUNG PLUSGER WHO RISKS
THOUSANDS on HORSE RACES.
From the New York sun.
The most conspicuous and daring better OF the
lot Is Pittsburg Phil, who Is known from New York
TO san Francisco and from Maine to Florida Phil,
whose name is George smith, and who. as his
sobriquet indicates Is resident OF Pfttsburg, is,
along with Michael Dwyer, probably the heaviest
and most daring better on the turf to-day. lie is
but twenty-five years OF age, and mas been follow
Ing the horses for the last eight years. and Is to-
day worth quarter OF a million, all OF which
he has gathered since 1850 by 1udicious betting
neetIOOJed thOrOughbTeda- This young man
may be seen at any OF our great race tracks.
HIS slim ngure IS well known 10 race goers
and his popularity Is wonderful He makes u
study OF race horses In the same manner that
a broker interests himself in the nne details OF
IallrOading. anu adopts betting on them as
means OF livelihood just as the broker buys seat
on the stock exchange in order that he may spec
ulate on his knowledge Of railroad and other cur
pOratiOns- The secret OF Pttsburg Pills phe-
nOmenal success Is his close attention 10 public
FORM From the day that yearling Is sold Phil
never loses sight OF him until the colt appears on
the turf twO-y ear-Old TO begin his racing career
He Is carefully watched during his ''maiden" ef-
fort and his good or bad points noted and marked
down Tor future reference. When Phil thinks the
colt Is well placed-that Is, engaged with young
sters or an Inferior class-Jhe money goes ON In
good Jumps, and Is generally landed.
The same policy Is pursued with Older horses,
and days pass without Phil making a single bet.
He occupies prominent seat ON the grand stand
and, racing glass in hand. closely scans the field
and follows every movement OF the horses under
supervision during the contest. When the time Is
ripe for action he bets his money and wins or
loses with the utmost sang frOld- Mr.. Smith ac-
Quired his title several years ago IN a Chicago
pool room. PItts0urg was too slow TO suit his
tastes, and desiring 10 see some lie he went 10
Chicago and invariably replied phil 10 the cali
OF '.Name, sir, from the auetioneer. His wonder
1ul success set the town by the ears "WhO was
he7" He was Phil 'Phil whO?" Don't know.
He Is P1ttsbuTger, and that was all the inforna-
lion The tn4ulsItlve received he has since been
known as Pittsburg Phil An incident OF Mr..
CHICAGO i He 4.
very bOyish IN appearance, and looks more like a
divinity student than a snrewd better. He was
seated In Rlley's pOol-rOom, back OF the Old board
OF trade, on the afternoon OF TIE day three years
ago when NOlante and DrwdrOp met at Monmouth
Park. Mr.. Riley was a firm believer In the West
eTn horses powers, and mounting the rOstrum
offered 10 bet any body present any part OF - 900
that NOiante would win. I'll bet YOU" calne
from the lips OF youth seated IN chair in the
corner OF the room, ana all eyes were turned In
that direction Riley was nettled at being picked
up by mere boy, and shouted angrlly. ANY part
OF 5000 more NOlante beats the nily." The bet
was accepted with u calm nod "F1ye thousand
more" came from Mr.. Riley's lips with much less
nod. and Mr.. Riley, recognizing that he had met
his match, Weakened, saying: Have you got
enoush?' mot OF a good thing" was Pills re-
Spouse. "Haye you got enough on Nolante?' Mr..
Riley thought he had and sat down TO await de-
velOpments- The wires shortly after announced
DewdTOp's victory, ami Chicago had sonethln 10
talk about for weeks afterwaTd
The young PennsylyanlanS nerve Is remarkable
The writer sat by his side one day last summer at
hOnluOltu ucdu-dLU-ucdc nElSl
between CambyS>eS and Banner Bearer. IL Cam
Dysses won II would mean sl2, 600 In Pills pocket
and yet not an eyelash Quiyvred as the horses
darted under the wire, nose and nose. As Cam
bysses' number was holsted on the telegraph board
Phil smiled quietly and remarked Wei that lands
NV money" He Is always followed by "A horde Of
small Dctters when he appears In the betting RIM
eager 10 learn which animal h Il playing His
influence with this class Is So great that
not many years ago, he Was approached By
Western pOOlrVom owner, who offered
him a very large sum 70 make "stin" or
crooked bets IN order 10 mislead those who
followed him. Phil Is as honest as the sun Is
bright, and refused the other with scOrn. Like
most betting men, he Is a tribe superstllious and
has his mascOJ-twO Of them, IN fact one is a
small golden horse; the other, and Just now fav-
Ored emblem. Is gold horseshoe Last season
was a good one for the youthful plunger from the
keystone state, and his earnings have been esti-
mated at sl25. 900. He won alone on the horse
Richmond al different tunes 5000 One day at
GrayeSend last fan he landed 900 on the brown
sou OF Virgil Many people think that Phil con-
trUlS this horses running qualities receives In
formation when the horse Is ready 10 win. This
l. an error" said PM a few days ago. 81 have nc
Interest IN him whatever, and receive no inforna-
lion from the stable. always play Richmond on
the form he exhibits IN preliminary work. / am
~ familiar with his pecaliarites that can always
placr him