The sun., 1896-10-18

was bred. like trotter. almost as high behind
"a forward, and his action was As loose and
timber q string of fish, the great horse doing
all Of his work with his legs. There was hardly
q trace Of the weaving. swayinE motion which
characterized his pacing-bred contempora-
ries, the body moving In true line forward,
90 true that IL would bother the novice who
stood at the foot of the homestretca when
Johnston was coming directly toward him to
tell whether he was PAGER or trotter.
The smooth going geldinR with his matchless
flight Of speed did much to uplift the once de-
epised PAGER in the estimation OF horsemen,
but II was not until 1887 that the stewards
class TO the list Of events for side ~heelers Mt
the big meetings Of the year. Jewett and Cos
nan and Lillian. Cricket and Dallas were a
few of the iresh cracks that went down the
line in succeeding CAMPAIGNS before the mem:
orabie series of races between Hal Pointer and
Direct In 1891 furnished u further imnetu, to
tho budding boom OF the pacers Executing
lerton and Nancy Hanks. tho rival aspirants
for the championship OF the trotting turf, no
Interest and enthusiasm MS these duels of the
PAGERS In which the Tennessee champion and
the little olaoA stalllcn from California met.
1892. Mascot and Flying Jib. and their kill
ing contest at Terre Hauts, in which tho for:
the race. and both were finally beaten by the
old white stallion Guy, Who had laid up the
HroJ Two nohIS. nOD6TU kept Ln0 eN eS Oh
tho horse world on tho PAGERS in 1893, closing
brilliant campaign the un disputed champion
OF harness horses, nthouEh = was not until
ord TO 2:ol18 This ives the year that brought
Joe Pstcbsn, John R.Gentry, Directly and other
though Aix was then In the heyday of her
oSreer, the doinRs of tho star sidowheele.s
the rivalry between Alix and Directum, and
were among tho leading features of q great
In 1895 and s.,ain this year the pacing
champions have fatty monopoliz sd the atten.
sion or raoeRoers. and 1t may we'll be doubted
ness racing has created more widcspread
public interest taan the serics of brilliant
which Robert u j.. SI Joe Patchen. @ JohS r. t Gen. m
try, Frank Frank Agan: and Star Pointer have been
the Il. f., In the In,
It Is the star PAGERS that the driving clubs try
hardest to secure as the features OF their meet
inRs. the PAGERS that draw the largest crowds
| everywhere. and the wonderful performances
Of the pacers WHICH attract most attention in
superior speed. While Fantasy is defeating
Sniop M onSESa and the
In the neiRhborhood of 2:1o, John R. Gentry,
Star, Pointer, Robert j., and Frank Agan arc
onds faster. and smashing tho records week
after week In q way that Is wonderful u be-
man who doesn't Ike the PAGERS remarked a
few days ago. that II the free-for-ell trotters
|
| and Nancy Hanks, and were bowling over
| worlds records In every other race that the
| siuewheelers would have to take = back seat,
| but oven those who see nothing - admire in
| the PAGERS must admit tnat these performers
| now have the call. Wh,re the best field Of
| trotters in training attracts 5000 or TO- 900
spectators, the Big Four" of to-day bring is, y
| 900 or 20 900 persons to the grounds.
| Steadily and rapidly the pacing horse
| has grown in numbers, well as In public
fAvor since the days OF Sleepy George and
| Sweetser. At that time the trotters in train
ing outnumbered the PAGERS more than twenty
to one. and there was gap still moro mRrke
between the earning capacity Of the one and
the other. Within a few years after the stew
ards Of the Grand Circuit recognized the side.
wheelers, o noticeable increase In thei. num-
bers took place, and when two class races and
then three were added to the programme at
the big meetings the horses of lateral action
seemed to spring from the bushes all over the
| West. Ten years ago the ratio was sonnet hnH
| like 10 to in favor of the troIters according
| to the Off ,lal returns OF tho Year Book. In
| 1890 there were elk trotters to every PAGER on
| the turf, but each succeeding season has
brought n reduction Of the odd, until the sta
tistius of 1895 show aboIt three PAGERS tc
every Ave trotters. All horsemen agree tina,
| the returns of the present campaign will dis
close h near approach TO equality of numbers
| for the proportion OF pacing races is much
larger than in any previous year. with grent.
er number of PAGERS taking part. In the Grand
| Circuit OF 1896 there were sevont y-three trot.
ting races and hfty four pacing races, the figure,
at each meeting being as follows: