St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-25
STARTER JIM rowe.
His Rise From Cigar Boy to
the Highest Race Track
Position.
He Has Mastered the Art of
Handling a Crowd Of
Jockeys.
There Is Little About Horse
Racing That He Does
Not Know,
And He Has a "Cinch" on
a Cool 500 a
a.. Day.

dSOs says Glc NV
York World, Maj. McDaniels, who at
that time owned great racing eStab-
lishment. bought a cigar at cigar
stand in small Virginia hotel. The
boy who sold the major the cigar was
only eleven years old and very small
for his years, but he had very bright
eyes and an unusually pleasant manner,
all of which unqueStiOnably materially
changed the career of the cigar-Stand
boy.
How would YOU like to go with the
stable?'' said the major.
"First-rate.' said the boy, ana that is
how James Rowe gave up the cigar
stand for the race horse business.
That was twcnty-four years ago, and
note the difference. Jimmy" the cigar
stand BOY, became Jimmy Rowe. the
Jockey. Jimmy" Rowe. the jockey,
became James Rowe, trainer, and James
Rowe, trainer, is now James Rowe,
starter and financier.
When Caldwell, who had handled the
flag at all the big Eastern tracks for
many years. went over to the enemy,
the board Of control was in quandary
to find some one TO take the old mans
place. OF all the names presented for
It's approval. Rowe'S was the most con-
Spicuous. His varied career eminently
fitted him for this most difficult position.
From stable boy he had risen to be the
leading jockey OF the country. There
was no trick known to the Jockeys
which Rowe himself did not know as
we'll as the best boy who ever stradded
plgSkin. His experience as trainer
had fitted him still further for the
position. for he knew horses thoroughly
and was able to Judge whether the de-
lays at the post were due to the jockey
or the horse And above all Mr.. Rowe
was honest. In long career in pro-
fession where the moth and corruption
have played leading parts Mr.. Rowe
had held his reputation above suspicion,
and so it came to pass that Rowe was
appointed starter, the most important
position in the American racing world
today. Only 10 the professional racing
man are the extreme difficulties of the
position Of starter thoroughly under
so.
MIR. Rowe has the practical distribu-
ton of ali the money that is betted on
six races a day. 1t lies quite in his
power TO leave the favorite at the post
Or give it a start of several lengths if he
50 chooses. Rowe not only controls the
thousands of dollars of plungerS like
Mike Dwyer and PlttSburg Phil, but the
f aud s. bets of the great crowd which
follow the races day after day. In the
season which is now far advanced
neither the DiungerS nor the small bet
tors have found cause for complaint
Personally Rowe is as little like the
starter that one pictures in the minds
eye as round-faccd, genial Bob Pinker-
ton is like the small boys ideal of
Sleuth-hOund detective. Every one
knows that starter has to contend
trio Il nf
unScrupulGuS class Of men in the world.
There are honest jockeys, but it is safe
to say that there is not one who will not
take advantage OF the starter. A com
binatiOn of twenty TWO year-oids and as
many Inscriptions tricksterS is Il hard
combination to handle, and that is why
the appearance and retiring manner
of MI. Rowe are surprise TO those
who first see him. He is quite
short and soIiCly built, his face
is Clearly shayen, and he always
dresses with extreme care and a deep
regard for fashion. In his conversation
his voice is as low and pleasant as his
manners are easy. The Southerner is
still very evident in his makeup. There
is natural air of cordiaIity and eX-
treme civility which the Northerner
never has, and probably now never will
acquire.
A World reporter who could never
quite convince himself that the quiet
young man, James Rowe, who is found
about the Broadway theater every even
ing, was James Rowe, the starter and
great mogul of the race track. So he
lourney6d on "Wednesday last to Sleeps
head Bay to see i it really was the same
man.
1t was few minutes previous to the
fifth race that the reporter drove with
Mr.. Rowe to the starting point. The
starter had changed his black derby hat
for very professional straw one, with
the brm tlrned down, and had dis
carded his cane for the time-honored
red flag. On his way to the starting
point be passed by a number of the
horses on their way to the paddock.
The stable boys touched their hats to
him and the trainers told him to give
their particular entry a good start, and
stated as All excuse that they lad large
sums of money Wagered Oil the result.
Mr. Rowe invariably replied by telling
them that ne would leave their entry at
the post, whereat the trainers laughed
loud and long and cOniided to each other
that Jimmy WAS Il great boy.
When the starting point had been
reached, Mr.. Rowe climbed up on the
wooden platform and quietly awaited
the coming of the horses. One by one
the horses reached the line, and, when
they were all there, Rowe's assistant
read out their positions, and the race
was ready for the starter. AS if by
common consent, the horses moved
slowly forward. Hamilton on Lord Dali
meny suddenly made 4 break and was
two lengths in front. Rowe did not say
ANYTHING, and the rest of the Jockeys
pulled up their hurSes, turned and once
more came down TO the line. Hamilton
was again the first to break, and this
time Mr.. Rowe called the Jockey by
name and told him to go back. Three
times the same thing happened, AMI
each time the colored jockey was repri-
manded for breaking. The fourth time
Hamilton became & little less eager and
the teIe holseS rushed down I'D bunch
Rowe SwiShed the flag through the
air, and the race was begun. For a
moment there was clatter of hoofs
beating on the track. and the horses
turned the curve and were out of sight.
Less thou mile below several thousand
people were on their feet and yelling
themselves hoarse as the thoroughbreds
dashed to the finish.
at isn't much OF a place to see a race,
is it?' said Rove, and climbed into the
carriage to convey him back to the
judges stand.
DuIIIIS lHt HEc minutes Tic SIafI Hdu
taken Rowe bad not spoken ten words.
and yet the absolute control he held
over the Jockeys was remarkable.
at is the young Jockeys" said Rowe,
"that cause the trouble. They are new
iii the business, and naturally want to
make reputation, but not only do they
hurt themselves by trying to get adj
vantage OF a start, but by breaking
away several times they run the dis.
lance of the race before it is actually
begun. Ali Of this could be avoided by
simply glancing on either side to see il
the horses were in line: but they hope
that the starter is going to overlook one
of the horses in the rear and drop his
flag. The experienced jockeys know
enough to wait until there is really a
good chance for start. Thousands of
races have been won in just this way.