The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-22
CRAPS AND CARDS.
Scenes of a Night Beside a
RaCetraCk.
DARKIES RUN DE BANKS"
How the Men Who Run and Handle
the Horses Pass the Time
After Dark.
DARKIES RUN "DE BANKS. "
Night on a racetTack!

Darkness, desolatlon, dessrtion you would
naturally say.
Not at all. One who has viewed from the
grand stand the exciting events OF days
meeting would suppose that after the big
crowd of spectators had departed, quietness
would reign until the rising sun of another
day ushered in additional scenes Of hustle
aud confusion.
Such, however, is not the case. Are there
not hundreds OF horses Quartered in the
stalls beneath the whiiewashed sheds and
almost as many men employed there?
stay over night" said Bon Wright the
genial lessee Of the Oakland track, 20 TIE
CALLS turf reporter Friday night. "and
see for yourself what happens after dark"
The invitation was accepted. For an
hour after the suns rays had disappeared
over TIE bay stable boys and grooms fitted
about with lanterns. At times they looked
Ike specte-s as the lights flashed from stall
to stall. Small fires were lighted in the
avenues formed by tie long rows of stalls
and over the blazing fagots tempting mashes
were cooked Tor the racers.
Darkles mingled with whites in this work
and the best of feeling seemed 10 exist be-
tween them. All the animals having been
properly fed and CHARTERED for the night, IL
l
and recreation. Scarcely had the supper
bell ceased ringing before attendants were
elbowlng each other in their march 10 the
hotel diniug-rOOm. Many preferred TO take
their Tepast in the open ails and cooked their
evening meal with the embers Of the fires
built TO heat The food Of the racers.
The barroom was brilliantly lighted and
reminded one OF scenes in a mining camp.
Regardless Of color or rank scores of men
l9stled and ''jOshed" each other as they
ranged up 10 the bar and afterward settled
down to what they termed business"
Poker, whist AMI craps" was the bust
ness Of a score or more Of men until long
after midnight. Those who had dust"
and could occasionally show yellow"
money INDUCED in the festive game of
poker Occasionally negro would be
tipped" With a groan or an oath he
would reluctantly arise, stretch himself
and eXclaim, you busted de ole man to-
night, but he's a-comn' back termorreT."
Then the unlucky player would fade away
into the darkness and seek repose on his
bed in 2 straw pile.
PLAY de bankp
Pick EN- out, boYsP
TRY your luck!"
Dust de b2nkr
''De ole man is loser on de horses"
These and other EXPLANATIONS attracted
crowd of grlnning stablemen around a big
black fellow who had started crap" game
In corner, and had stretched himself be-
side the Layout"
The bank" consisted Of two loaded dice,
some chalk marks on the floor, two big sill
yer dollars and IS cents IN dimes aud nick
els. There were three or four 'cappers"
for the game, and they encouraged players
with such remarks as these:
LET de money lay"
DE ole man has got more stuff in his
pocket"
Room Rent is out of luck"
Room Rent" II should be explained, is
the title Of the big fellow who ran the game
II IS not known, however. that he ever paid
rent for room in his life or ever occupied
one, except over stable.
Be this as II may, Room Rent would
rather play craps than groom a horse.
especially when he conducts a sure-thing
bank.
But he had not gathered in many quarters
and dimes before an opposition game started
out on the side porch. Riding Dick" a
strapping representative of the Ozark Con-
ilnent," so named by reason of the fact
that he never rode in race. was the Oppo-
sitl0n banker. He carried up table in the
dark and started up under the feeble light
Of an ancient. battered lantern.
Never mind, Room Rent" be shouted
through the window. come on and see
this chile. He plays on the squar'"
For an hour Riding Dick did rushing
business and gathered in more dollars than
his rival dimes. Biting and uncompi-
mentary were the epitheis the rivals show
cred upon each others heads. Their most
cutting sarcasms caused nothing more ser-
Gus than liberal display of glistening
ivory.
One by one stablemen and Jockeys re-
luctaDtly retreated from the alluring con-
trlvances and sought repose or other recre-
alton. Banl0es and guitars were In order
for some and twanging accom- pan iments
were played for old plantation melodies
Gradually 1t became cooler Jack Frost
began to spread white mantel over the
track and the barroom was deserted. Then
the refrain, My Old Kentucky Home"
died into m0urntul wall, lights were ex-
tingHished and for few hours nothing was
heard and seen but the voices of the watch
men aud the gimmer OF their lanterns as
they passed from stall to stall.
an hour before sunrise the hoTsemen
we're again in activity aud the scenes of the
early evening were again repeated. Train
ers appeared on the track and shouted in
structiOns TO jockeys as they galloped by
with the racers. Men and teams were also at
work narrowing the track, In an hour the
feet runners were rushing in all directions
and the hustle Of another days racing be-
gan,
These are only few Of the nightly scenes
beside racetrack during winter meeting.