The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-06
TAKING OFF FLESH.
The Exhaustion to Which Jockeys Are
Observation-Disclosures Epdurad

Ano 1pAhauSIioh W w nlCn Jockeys are
Reduced-Hardships Endured.
From Frank LesIie's Illustrated Newspaper.
Little Bergen does not have much trouble
in reducing his weight, as he has seldom
been above 1l2 pounds. He runs all the
way down to 100 pounds, and he easily re-
duces himself four or five pounds, as the
occasion warrants, by going into the hot
room OF the bath, curling up IN one corner
aud simply lying there while the perspi-
ration rolls off of him. Once in a while he
uncurls himself, goes TO the plunge
and rubs his lead with ice water, then re-
turns to his former position and stays there
pluckily until he is down to the proper
weight. Tarral is another easy reducer.
He usually takes the hot room for two
hours, then swims around in the plunge for
long while and returns for another hour
in the intense heat. If this is not enough
he puts ON sweater at the track and plods
around in the dust hour after hour, until he
Is tit to ride at the weight set out for him on
the card.
Jockeys like Tarral, Bergen and say
Grace, whose weight is about ITO pounds.
are not as much worried by the phantom of
disaster known as too much weight as the
broad-shouldered and big boned boys. Many
jockeys of the latter build are sure, steady.
clear-headed boys with plenty of pluck and
strength and the other qualifications that
go to make up a successful Jockey but they
have to undergo such extraordinary fortunes
to keep down to a weight which will not
place crack horse at a disadvantage in a
race, that they get nervous, irritable and
lose their skill. The difference between
perfectly healthy and robust man and
man who has reduced himself by internal
and external means until he is SO nervous
and weak that he cannot hold himself
upright is wide one.
strong dose of brandy before the race
begins may pull together few of the fall
ing energies. but it does not give the rider
the cool Judgment and thorough balance
which comes of perfect health. That is one
reason why some of the boys who are
naturally small and thin have a big advan-
tage on the seasons mounts over much
more clever jockeys who are handicapped
by big frames or a disposition TO grow
stout. There seems to be a great difference.
too. IN the abilities which jockeys show
toward reducing themselves An hour in
steam heat with one man will take Off a
pound, while it will not reduce
the weight of another three
ounces They tell me that Spellman
was one OF the readiest reducers that ever
went into bath. He was known on one
occasion to take off seven pounds in four
hours. His weight in summer was usually
100 pounds, while he often rode at III
pounds. Ii is said that Spellman on one
occasion, having to ride at light weight
at short notice, reduced his weight in one
night from Ill pounds to 104 pounds in a
little less than five hours He was always
the source OF more or less alarm to
the attendants of the baths, for
they could never tell exactly how
he was getting on. He would walk into
the hottest corner of the steam room.
wrap a wet towel around his head. curl up
on a chair, with his head resting on his
folded arms and his legs crossed, and sit
like sphinx for hours. Once in a while
one OF the attendants who knew him we'll
would go aud speak to him, but the boy
would not answer a word or raise his head.
They were always afraid that he had
tainted from exhaustion, or had succumbed
to an accelerated action of the heart. but
they were afraid to disturb him. After
sitting two or thres hours in this position he
would uncurl himself, drift to the outer room
and drink a bottle of ice-cold beer. Then
he would resume his former position and
remain there, with the thermometer at 1902
or 10 of heat and the perspiration drip
ping off of him steadily. When he finalfy
got out of the bath aud mad been thoroughly
we'll rubbed he was invariably light enough
t ride Spellman died about two years ago
on Sixth avenue. 1t was at first thought
that he had been robbed and murdered, but
the coroner decided that he hal fallen and
hit his head against oEe of the pillars of the
elevated railroad, causing conclusion Of the
brain, which resulted in his DEATH