Mower County transcript., 1890-11-26
TURFMEN'S BELIEFS.
Signs Th at Point to Good or Bad
Luck.

How tho Transa ctions OF a Gambler Arc
Affected by Various Onions - RAco-
coers' Superst;tlons In Regard
to Lucky Horses.
to-day"
why, what's tho matter now?"
''Well, the man I bought this pro-
gramme of is cross-eyed, and I met his
gaze. That's one of tho worst signs Of
bad luck know, and guess I'll let the
horses run to-day"
This conversation was overheard at
the entrance of popular racc-course,
says A. F. Aldrich, in the New York
Star. Gamblers, and particularly turf
men, are worry superstitious- Every
thing they SEQ is either IN omen of good
luck or bad, and by these signs they arr
governed in all their transactions. The
dread OF a race-soer's life is cross
eyed man. If a man meets cross-eyed
man when he is going to make bet, it
sends cold shiver all over him. He
will put his money away, and very often
leave the track. If q cross-eyed woman
10 AACG tAilo 4CE lsAS AS c1COUAt0Icus d
man will havo luck all day.
At one of tho winter tracks q woman
who is little cross-oyed is regular
patron. Sho gets tips from all the
prominent turfmen on the track, and is
said to make lots of money. She gets
these tips because tho men think it
lucky to meet her gaze. She is hoodoo
to tho women, though. and their partic-
ular mascot at the Clifton track is tho
cross-eyed young man who sings out:
Get your programmed! Get your pro-
gramme!' at the gate. His patronage
chiefly comes from the women. and the
men avoid him as they would a plague.
Many turfmen have very childish
superstitions If they see tho name of
horse placed in any prominent posi-
tion while on their way to the races,
they invariably take that as tip that
that horse will win, and will play 1t.
Tho horse may win, and then the man
will tell his friends how he got the tip
Should the horse lose, he will declare
that tho name was placed prominently
before him so that he should not play
it and he mistook the sign. On tho way
down to the Monmouth Park races
those who journey by the boat to Sandy
Hook arc always on the lookout for
pilot boats. These boats are known by
mum bers, and the numbers are painted
in large black figures on the mainsail.
Should they be lucky enough to SEQ a
number, they will play the horse that
that number points to on the pro-
gramme in each race.
ways to be seen number of blind men.
Some have been there for several years.
Nearly all of them are beggars. A few
Of them peddle pencils and other small
articles. Many Of them are growing
rich, and they arc getting rich simply
through the superstitions OF the bet
ters. An habitual race-goer thinks it
is bad luck to pass blind man without
giving him penny, and if penny is
dropped into the blind beggar's hat it
will act as a mascot and bring the donor
good luck for the remainder Of that day.
Ibid you back White Nose in the last
race?' asked race-goer of his friend in
the betting ring at Sheepshoad Bay on
the last day of the meeting.
NO" was the reply.
"Well, hurry up and get your money
on Ftzjames for the next race. It's
one of the best things of the season, and
Barnes is riding"
II guess I won't touch it to-day"
''Why, what's the matter?"
''Well, laced my shoe up tho wrong
way this morning, and then unlaced it
and laced it up properly. That's sure
sign of bad luck. IT l had let it be
laced wrongly I would have had good
luck all day, but, like a chump, didn't.
Doing such thing as that is such q
hoodoo that if Salvador and Big Brown
jug were in race together and were
to back Salvador, Lovell's plug would
win.'' -
Many Of the big betters always carry
a mascot of some kind or another with
them. With somo it is a cane, with
others an umbrella. Some carry pieco
of money, many Of them having an cid
copper piece. Lots of them believe in
some article of wearing apparel, which
may vary from sock to an old coat.
The bookmakers seem TO be particular
ly partial to coats.
A hunchback is always looked on with
favor by patrons Of the race course.
This is where turfmen differ from
theatrical men, as actors think a hunch.
back is hoodoo, and have been known
to refuse to play because they saw one
in the audience. Turfmen thihk that
to be able to touch the hump Of a hunch-
back will bring them good luck all that
day. They scheme in all kinds Of ways
to do so, and if one of these deformed
men or women should happen to get
into a crowd, his hack is rubbed very
considerably before he gets out
Dreams have always boon afavorite
superstition with betting people. TO
lream Of seeing q certain horse, or Of soc.