Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-16
TAKING OFF FLESH.
The Exhaustion to Which jockeys Are
Reduced-Hardships Endured.

Prom Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspsper
Little Bergen does not have much trouble In
reducing his weight. - he has seldom been
above liz pounds. He runs all the way down
to 100 pounds, and he easily reduces himself
four or five pounds, % the occasion warrants,
BY going into the hot room Of the bath, curling
up in one corner and simply lying there while
the perspiration rolls of Of him. Once in q
while he uncurls himself, goes TO the plunge
and rubs his head with ice water, then returns
to his former position and stays there pluck lily
until he Is down to the proper weight. Tarrai
IL another easy reducer. He usually takes the
hot room for two hours, then swims around in
the plunge for o long while and returns for
another hour in the intense heat. II this Is not
enough, he puts on a sweater at the track and
plods around in the dust hour aftor hour. until
he is at to ride at the weight set out for him ON
the card
Jockeys like Tarral, Bergen and say Grace,
whose weight ia about ITO pounds, are not as
much worried by the phantom of disaster
known az 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 60 to make up
a successful jockey; but they have to undergo
such extraordinary fortunes to keep down to q
weight which will not place @ crack horse of a
disadvantage in a race. that they get nervous,
irritable and lose their skill Tho 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 no cannot hold himself upright Is a
wide one.
A strong dose of brandy before che race be-
gins may pull together few of the failing
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 big advantage 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 q great diff.
ference, too. in the abilities which Jockeys
show toward reducing themselves. An hour
in steam heat with one man will take off
pound, while it will not reduce tho weight of
another ounces. They tell me that Spellman
was one OF the readest reducers that ever went
into bath. He was known on one occasion
to take of 2 pounds in four hours. His
weight in summer was usually $50 pounds,
while he often rode at Ill pounds Il is said
that Spellman on one occasion, Having to ride
at q light weight at short notice, reduced his
weight In one night from Ill pounds to IO4
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 tho hottest corner of the steam room,
wrap wet towel around his head. curl up on q
chair with his head resting on his folded arms
and bis legs crossed. and lit like Sphinx for
hours. Once in while one OF the attenlan
who knew him we'll would go and spsl TX TO him,
but the boy would not answer word or raise
his head. They were always afraid that hs
had tainted from exhaustion or had sue
cumbed to an accelerated action of the
heart, but they were afraid to disturb him.
After sitting two or three hours in this position
an <1-,Sx ~.
room and drink bottle OF ice-cold beer. Then
he would resume his former position and re-
main there, with the thermometer at 100 or ITO
degrees OF heat and the perspiration dripping
off of him steadily. When he finally got out
Of the bath and had been thoroughly we'll
rubbed no was invariably light enough to ride
Spellman died about two years ago on 9Th ave-
nue.. 1t was at first thought that he had been
robbed and murdered but the coroner decided
that he had fallen and hit his head against one
OF the pillars OF the elevated railroad, causing
conclusion Of the brain, which resulted in his
death.