The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31
TALK OF THE TR0TTERS.
TIE REINSMEN BACKING THE
AMERICAN SPORTING LEAGUE,
MANY Men of Prom inenoe VIII be Seen at
the Coming Convention-Againstth the
Pool Box From Experience.


likely that the members OF that body
were insnired by any personal animus
for the treat American sport or harness
racing Nor is II at all probable that
anv of the 100 delegates who voted for the
now celebrated anti-betting amendment
had any notion OF the tremendous rumpus
that would follow the ratification OF thelr
suggestion For all that, the small cloud
that gathered over the Capitol building
at Albany on that eventful and uniucky
Friday OF September, 1894, has spread
I'M n darkens the turf world, not only
of this Commonwealth, but large sec
ton Of the Republic.
Aimed primarily at such abuses as pool
rooms in the cities, which have never
had to do with trotting, electric Hight and
winter racing, at which the galloper5 have
been made the vehicle for much iniquity,
the amendment has no sooner passed
than II was found 10 be direct menace
to what Is popularity known as 'leglu'
mate racing" Experts in Jurisprudence
like General 3. +. Tracy, who is loyal
friend of the trotter, declared that the
moment the Ives pool law became impera-
tive as il must under the new regime 1t
would be unlawful 10 conduct any public
trials Of speed for money consideration.
This IS the present legal condition OF
both branches of racing and the one
which the Percy-Gray bill, now under
consideration. seeks 10 relieve. The dis
cussion which has arisen from the pres
emf aspect Of the turf in New York
state. has stirred up the horsemen OF
the country at large, and the effort IS
being made to unite the voting strength
of those who favor the race tract, so
that the tide of opposition may advance
10 farther. 1t is hoped by the leaders
Of the movement for an American sport
ing League, that The convention which IS
10 meet at Cleveland April 9th VIII be
sufficiently representative to attract the
attention Of the politicians and induce
them to call "A halt in this crusade
against the turf At the present time
those who are directly interested in the
breeding and development Of light har-
ness stock are most active in arranging
for the convention. They hope. however,
TO secure the cooperation of the run
ming turfmen ard ultimately those VINO
conduct other professional sports. Up TO
this time the executive work has been
done quietly, but latest advlces from
the headquarters at Cleveland Indicate
that many prominent men of affairs have
signined their intention Of giving the
proposed league their personal support
LET BETTING TAKE CARE or ITSELF.
An experienced observer Of everything
spcaking of the coming convention, re-
marked: zone thing which / trust the
| delegates will avoid is an expression OF
opinion regarding the betting feature OF
the turf The pool-box cannot be made
| a political issue. for the majority OF the
voters. especially in the Eastern and Mid
| die States, are against H.. There Is plenty
of announcement for the owners or last
horses in the large stakes and purses
t. e he. hmm lrll =
ings already arranged for this season.
| The speculative side a. ne case must take
| care Of itself or be lett 10 the decision OF
| each state. If the men who meet at
Cleveland next month are wise they will
| confine themselves 10 considering the best
method of preserving the breeding inter-
ests and keeping the turf free from any
violation of existing law. These are ques-
tions which are national In Importance,
and if the Legislature OF any state grants
a betting license TO trotting associations
or Jockey clubs then such a league as IS
| contemplated should see 20 il that there
| is no abuse of the privilege"
| 1t is no secret that turfmen are not
! a unit on this vexed question Of the pool
| box Taking the Driving club of New
| York as specimen brick, President An
drew Miller is In favor Of public betting
| and would like TO see il carried on at
| Fleetwood Park without let or hindrance.
| The Vice-president Of the club, General
| Jacob Baiz, who Is also a keen sportsman,
| declares himself against every form OF
| speculation, and says he Will never con-
| sent 10 anything that might be held a
| violation of the new constitution. There
! is an ancient and honorable body called
| the National Association of Trotting
| Horse Breeders which from its organiza-
| ton has refused 10 permit pool selling or
| boolImaking in connection with the con-
! tests for the stakes IL has offered. Yet
| all the breeders are not total abstainers
| from the fascination of backing ones
! opinion, such men as G. J. Hamlin and
| Monroe Salisbury being plungers Of the
most pronounced type. The same thing
| is true Of trainers though strangely
| enough some drivers that are supposed
| to win large sums in the ring have ex-
| pressed themselves as against the con-
| tinuance of this adjunct to their bust
| ness.
During the meeting at Cumberland
| Park, Nashville last October. John \.
! Goldsmith said to the writer: Il would
| about as soon see no pool-bOX for ii takes
| so much attertiOn that ! believe one IS a
loser in the long run. OF course, / have
! won money at times. but the habit has
| grown till | feel like betting on every
| heat and the race as well. This often
| lnterferes with my work in the suky,
and l know that l have lost races that
| might have resulted in my favor If there
| had been nothing else TO think about eX-
| cept the horse" VI. T.. McHenry, who Is
| also known TO be a heavy investor on the
| outcome Of contests in which he takes
part said practically the same thing at
| the close of last season. Other reinsmen
! of lesser note have made a similar con-
| fession this Winter one Of them who
| has a public stable at Fleetwood Park
| expressed himself few days ago to this
| effect. IF 1 had let the pool-box alone
| last year | would have made some money
but all the profit went in trying 10 guess
| the winner
Budd Doble, who at one time was as
| much OF plunger as either Goldsmith
| or McHenry, never hesitates nowadays tC
| put himself on record as the foe OF gam
| bling on the trotting track. With him 81
| IS the case of the burnt child dreading the
| fire, for back in the seventies when Gold.
| smith Maid was queen and he was pre-
| mier knight of the sulky. veterans Of the
| Grand Circuit tell how Doble and his part
ner. Barney" Jackman. dropped a small
| fortune when the Maid suffered defeat.
''sPoRTIYG" WORD TO AVOID.
While the name Sporting League
was adopted in England by the proto
type OF the body which is 10 be formed
on this side of the Atlantic. there are
some wen-grounded objections to the
use Of the British title. Joseph CARR
Simpson, the most prominent turf writer
in California, discusses this point as fol
lows: II am anxious that the effor
should not be adversely handicapped by
the name which in the opinion of a large
number of people Of the United States i'm
! plies a stigma. Sporting is WORD
which has almost different significance
here from what IL bears in England" In