Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-09-02
NE KNEW MANY BIG MEN
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF JAKE
SUMMERTIME, SPORT.

He Wore the Suit to His Grave-A Man
Who Never Feared a Gang of Toughs.
The measure of mans fame frequently
is taken from the sum total of the years
during which he has played his role among
his fellows. In this respect Jacob Sum
merdyke, among the sporting fraternity at
least, fairly is entitled to posthumous hon
ors, for more than half a century has been
added to the calendar since Jake Summer
dykes name became familiar to the sport
ing men of this locality and when the old
time pool seller and trotting horse man was
buried in Cypress Hill cemetery, only
corporaps guard of his early associates were
on this side to see the last of their lifelong
Wake was born in Mott street in August
tSQA His boyhood was as short as his edu-
ca bn was limited for between his ninth
sid tenth year he was apprenticed to
halter in the Bowery. This same Bowery
was his playground when a boy, and con-
Z tinued to be his favorte haunt until some
fifteen or twenty years ago, when he shifted
up town.
The trade of a halter not being congenial
to Jake, he was bound apprentice to Daniel
Spader, butcher of Washington market,
IN return lOf DOdfu anu ClOJLtS, AlOcf nc
had served his seven years Jake opened
business on his own account in a small
shop at the corner of Canal street and
Broadway, which at that time was about
as far north as Broadway extended.
HE OUGHT TO HAVE had 1T.
A story is told of Jake while he kept the
butchers shop which, although doubted
by some of his friends, is too good to let
A ~ huH "a K
ly account at the shop, and the regular
Joint sent to him for Wednesday was a
shoulder Of mutton. One Monday morn
ing Jake was making out the Doctors bill,
Us usual, when his boy said:
N"Doctor didn't have no shoulder Wednes-
,ay, Mr.. Summerdyke. They said they
had some poultry sent 'em from the coun.
try"
''Never mind" said Jake, "Ill put il
down; he ought TO have had it."
1t is only fair TO Jake to say that while
he was always shrewd, he was never known
TO wilfully take advantage Of any one.
Somewhere in the early forties Jake lef1
the meat trade and started in ~ profes
sional sport, selling auction pools at trot
ting meetings and dealing IN horses.
Then he went into the public house bust
ness up - Harlem village, his first hous
being the Old Hazard, a noted road resor
in those days, standing on what is now tn
northwest corner Of Eighty-fourth stree
and Third avenue. At that time ThirC
avenue from just above Twenty-thir'
street to the Harlem canal was the grea
speedway for gentleman road drivers.
Summerdyke made little money her
and the acquaintance Of all the most prom
hsyt men Of the city. The Old Hazar
-Gs favorfte roadhouse then, just a
dabe Cases was at later period on J'
ZONE avenue. Frank Work first learne
TO drive on Third avenue, and Commodor
Vanderbilt was another Of the daily visit
ors at the Hazard.
Tho story about the suit Of clothes whic
Commodore Vanderbilt gave Jake for al
staining from drink for twelve months wa
not quite as Jake told it himself Sun
merdyke was far from being addicted
rum, and the one sided wager was more
a test of Jake's strength Of will than as q
inducement for him to keep sober. At u
end of the yer Mr.. Vanderbilt called an
asked for Jake.
"He is not in, said his wife.
"Give him that and my compliments
Replied the commodore, "and tell him
get a good suit of clothes" at the san
time ndnQluR ntI a SAoo DlAAs
Jake bought a suit Of black, and whit
next he met the commodore told him VII
he had done, remarking:
'If you die first, commodore, I'll we
them to your funeral; and they will go
mine for | shall be buried in them" Al
so he was.
HIS FIGHTING QUALITIES.
axe was fond Of "A good horse, and
one time and another owned some pref
fair ones, reckoned by the standard ofthc
DAYS, when a horse that could trot thu
minute gait ranked about equal to a 2
horse Of today. Then the possibility OF a
horse trotting mile in 2:40, drawing
pound wagon, was secuted, until 10
Island Black Hawk did the trick in
second heat Of a race at Centreville abe
the year lA5.
Although Jake rarely missed seeing
4 prize fight if it was anywhere near by,
never fought in the ring himself. He v
second, however for Tom Hyer in his ne
with Country McCluskey.
Jake was a small man, about fee
inches tall, and weighed about l45 poun
He was chiefly remarkable for his il
nerve and pluck. Although not by Z
means a quarrelsome man, he was as gu
as a flash to resent an insult, either TO h
self or any of his friends. No odds e
daunted or stopped him, and he would
into a crowd Of dozen or twenty men
cheerfully as he would strip for one.
An instance Of his pluck happened o
in Centreville. A party Of sports ca
from the Bowery healed by Charley b
ley. They took offense at the driving
George Spicer, one Of the best drivers Of
day. George was timid man, 50 to
awsyfrom the BARLEY gang, who thr
g~xenSd 20 lick him, he took refuge across
track at the foot of the judges sta
Some one ran and told Summerdyke
his friend Spicer was in trouble.
where is heY" said Jake. They
him.
IAN right" he said. How many
There against him"
about a score" was the reply.
Jake left his pool stand, crossed to Sp
and said
Come on, Spicer. What are -ou AT
Off"
Gnicer nersuaded bv Jake took his a