Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-24
THE FOUR GREAT PAGERS.
One Race That Splan Determined "a
Win--Old sports etory.

Vno mace Inot Splau Determined 70
Win-Oad sports story.
From the Pittsburs commsreiai 0ssessa
When Old Sport entered the club room last
evening several members who had preceded
him were engaged in lively discussion on the
base ball situation, but ceased their tAlk 10
greet the veteran.
81 think" he said, hanging his coat and hat
in their place, shat you all should get enough
base ball talk during the week. I like base
bali. as You know, and during the winter 10 .
good time to discuss it; but We are getting IN
unusual food Of it this winter"
The old mans remarks were applauded a. he
took his seat, and without further ado the con-
versation turned on other matters. Mr.. Bon
ner's recent purchase of trotters in California
was talked Of, and "reminiscences Of the trot-
ting turf began to be told and . good many
jobs that had fallen under the observation Of
the members were talked about This reminded
Old Sport Of funny incident.
There IL not one OF you," he began, "but
remembers that famous quartet Of PAGERS,
Rowdy Boy, Lucy, Matte Hunter and the old
blind horse, Sleepy Tom. They were a great
lot and all very fast. They have been seen on
every trotting track of note in the country and
for magnificent seesaw racing their like was
never seen before or since. / don't really be-
lieve they were ever in a race that was not
pretty well fixed up before the start by their
drivers, with the exception Of the driver of
Lucy, and don't believe he was ever let in on
the plans as he would not make any agree
ment with them, and they always thought they
could beat the gray mare, any way.
The funniest incident Of which am cog
INFANT, in which this precious lot of PAGERS
were the prime figures, occurred at East Sagi-
nav some years ago. That track was Q fine
one then and very popular, enormous crowds
of people attending the meetings and great
sums Of money changing hands on every race.
Michigan to see the race, among whom was Q
gentleman who now holds Q high official posi-
ton and who at that time had Just been nomi-
mated for sheriff OF this county. They were all
in the best kind Of humor and they carried
with them big rolls Of money to back, as they
thought, the invincible mare Lucy. The race
was a cut-and-dried one, with Lucy fixed to
win it, though without the knowledge Of her
driver. John Locklin of this city was also
there reporting the races and acting as a COM
missioner for several sporting men in the pur-
chase Of pools He received q commission 10
wire to Reilly's pool room, Chicago, and place
81 600 on Matte Hunter against the field for
Mr.. Armstrong. He did SO.
''The race created the most intense excite.
ment Lucy had won two heats and Matte
Hunter two. Sleepy Tom and Rowdy Boy went
to the stables and left only those two in the
the Pittsburg contingent jumped at them like
chickens picking up corn. They crowded the
pool stands and took all they could get on
Lucy. For some reason or other John Splan,
who was driving Hunter, got his Irish up, and
when John Locklin went to ask him about the
race he was hopping mad about something.
For heavens sake, john said Locklin, is
Hunter going to lose this race? I've Just sent
81, 900 on her against the field
You can bet I'll win,' said Splan decidedly.
"A moment afterward the bell sounded and
he mounted the sulky. They got the word and
Splan began to make his whip burn from the
start. The good little mare put in her noblest
efforts from string to string. The crowd that
had the cinch on Lucy looked on in confidence
until she reached the half. Then they began
to wonder where Splan would let up on her.
There were no signs Of it, and they became
nervous, and when Hunter came painting under
the wire, her foam-fecked TANKS trembling
from her effort, and Lucy was swinging past
the three-quarter pole, they were dumbfounded.
Lucy had won so often that they thought it
would be impossible for Splan to throw her
down in this race; but there it was and their
Doodle was gone.
Armstrong was the most excited man in the
crowd, and Locklin could not understand what
made him SO angry. Armstrong went to Splan
and exclaimed in reproachful tones
What have you done2 | made arrange
ments for LOcklin to play 81 900 on Matte
Hunter against the field. with an understand
ing at Reilly's that il wired them the money
should be placed the other way. Now you've
driven away 81 900 for me-
GAS the telegram that was received at Reil-
ly's was signed by Locklln, they placed it as in
structed had it been signed by Armstrong
they would have coppered it, and consequently
he thought he was loser, when in reality he
was about s9O0 winner. Locklin could not
understand, therefore, what the matter was
with Armstrong. He thought he must have
gone crazy. He asked Armstrong if he ex-
pected to win more money with the 8 $1,000. and
the latter replied that he had lost. The Pitts
burg boys were not near so sore as Armstrong
was, and it was late at night, after about S37
was expended in kilograms, before he UNDER
stood that the money had been played as in
structed in the telegram and not according to
his private arrangement with the pool seller,
and that he was winner"