The Irish standard., 1890-09-20

3 IRISH ST "A ND ..RD''
TAKING OFF WEIGHT.
How the Jockeys are Compelled to Reduce
Themselves.
(Blakely Hall In Frank Leslies.)
Little Bergen does not have much
trouble in reducing his weight, as 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, as the occasion warrants. by
going into the hot room of the bath,
curling up in the corner, and simply ~
ing there while the Precipitation rolls off
him. Once in while he uncurls him
self, goes to The plunge and rubs his
head with ice water, then returns 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 a
long while, and returns for another hour
in the intense heat IT this is not enough
he puts on sweater at the track, and
p}ods around in the dust hour after
hour, until he is fit to ride at the weight
set out for him on the card. Jockeys
like Tarral, Cergen, and, say, Grace.
whose weight is about ITO pounds, are
not so much worried by the phantom Of
disaster known as too much weight az
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 other
qualifications that go to make up sue.
cessful jockey; but they have to under.
go such extraordinary fortunes to keep
down to weight which will not place 8
crack horse at disadvantage in race,
that they get nervous, irritable, and lose
their skill. The difference between a
perfectly healthy and robust mau and a
man who has reduced himself by an in
ternal and external means until he is
so nervous and weak that he cannot
hold himself upright, is wide one A
strong dose Of brandy before the race
begins may pull together few of the
failing energies, but it does not give the
rider the cool Judgment and thorough
balance that comes of perfect health
| That is the reason why some of the boys
who are naturally small and thin have d
big advantage on the seasons mounts
over much more clever jockeys who are
handicapped by big frames or a disposi-
tion to grow stout. There seems to be
o great difference. too, in the abilities
which Jockeys show towards reducing
themselves. An hour in steam heat with
one man will take off pound, while II
| will not reduce the weight Of anothe,
three ounces. They tell NE that Spell
! man was one of the readiest reducers
That ever went into BATH He waa
known on one occasion TO take off seven
pounds in four hours. His weight in
! summer was usually 100 pounds, while
he usually rode at Ill pounds. 1T is
said that Spellman on one occasion,
having to ride at light weight at short
notice, reduced his weight in one night
from III pounds to 1O2 pounds in a
little less than five hours. He was al
ways the source OF more or less alarm to
the attendants of the baths, for they
could never tell exactly how he was get
ting 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 a
Sphinx for hours. Once in a while one
of the attendants who knew h1n we'll
would go and speak to him, but the boy
would not answer word or raise his
head. They were always afraid that he
had tainted from exhaustion or had sue
cumbed TO an accelerated action of the
heart, bat they were afraid to disturb
him. After sitting two or three hours
in this position, he would uncurl h,m-
self. drift to the outer room and drink a
bottle of ice cold beer, Then he would
resume lis position and remain there,
with the thermometer at 100 or ITO de-
grees of heat, and the perspiration drip
ping off of him steadily When he
finally got out of the bath and had been
thoroughly we'll rubbed. he vas 1nvar-
iab1y ligat enough to ride. Spellman
died about two years ago. 1t was at first
thought that he had been robbed and
murdered. bu: the coroner decided that
be had fallen and hit his head against
one of the pillars Of the elevated rail-
road. causing concuss1on of the brain.
which resulted in his death.