Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-02

1HA1 - az ~ NAAN Ao'A NARH ~ 80
one OF the cleverest men in the business to-
day. His gameness was doubted for years,
but he proved to the satisfaction OF the
most prejudiced of his critics that he is
all the word implies in his losing fight with
Mccoy.
All over the country horsemen heard with
genuine regret that II was probable that
Prince Lief, the winner OF three derbies
and the champion 3-year-old OF the year, as
far as the west is concerned. would not
face the starter again this season. If ever.
While at Milwaukee recently the great colt
bowed a tendon in one OF his forelegs. In
stead of being sent from Milwaukee to De
troit, as was originally intended the son of
King Eric was returned to Latonia, where
he is now. receiving all possible attention.
| see. too. that it is the opinion Of many
OF the horsemen that the colt is not nearly
so badly injured as was first supposed, and
that he is likely to round to yet this fall.
However. 1t is certain that the colt must
be given a long rest.
The proposed series Of sprints between
Conner, the champion of this country. who
landed in England the other day. and Bacon,
the Briton crack, smack considerably OF the
fake. These races are to come on in Lon
don and Liverpool, and the Sporting
Life OF the former city estimates the
gate at anywhere from SIS 900 to $25. 900,
which the two runners will undoubtedly
"whack." Then IL they lack cigarette
change they can cross over here and give
New York, Boston and Philadelphia a taste
Of the game. AS I size up the two men. the
American has but an attenuated chance to
beat the Englishman. He is not nearly the
man he was three or even two years ago.
and recently he has been lucky to put up
anything like a creditable race. Yet over on
the other side the races will be advertised
as great International affairs. and nobody
need worry but what Colonel Sidemeat will
allow our Tommy TO make sufficient showing
to rouse the interest to the fever pitch.
Neither man has an oyerfondness for glory,
but both are dead stuck on the root Of all
evil, and that is what the two cute boys
are after, and that is what they will get.
The question discussed some weeks since
in these columns by Scott Mccoy and my
self anent the shortening of trotting races
l see has been taken up editorially by the
eastern metropolitan papers and breeders
owners, drivers, trainers and sporting
writer's on all hands. The New York Herald
says: 1T is a question with two sides, but,
while some are loath to change the present
system. under which it may take eight CT
ten heats to decide a race, the prevailing
sentiment seems to be that a reform is
needed. not only out OF consideration for the
horses, but also in the best interests of the
sport. The fact is that the character of
trotting has changed since the rule OF the
best three heats in five was first adopted.
This originated with match racing between
two horses. when the contest could not be
| prolonged DtyOnQ HNe meats, unless, as very
rarely happens, there was a dead heat"
But now purse and stake trotting has come
into general vogue and there may be, and
often are, q dozen or more horses entered
in a contest, with the possibility of requir-
ing eight or nine heats to determine the
winner. Such lonS-drawn-out struggles not
only severely tax the horses, but often be-
come tiresome TO the spectators More
over, they are apt to be more a test OF
driving skill and cunning than equine
superiority. 1t is claimed for them that they
are the highest tests of the endurance of a
horse. But, as Mr.. David Bonner aptly sug-
sests, IF a man has a horse whose en-
durance he wishes to show we can have a
two-mile dash or two miles and repeat,
which will occupy but very little time
The agitation shows a widespread interest
in the matter and has revealed a strong
sentiment in favor of adopting some plan by
which a trottins race cannot be prolonged
beyond five heats at most.
"In the game of whist. as we'll as in any
other game of cards in which some special
suit is an essential feature. all the critical
situations, all the climaxes, as il were. are
the direct result OF the manipulation OF those
powerful aristocrats called tlumps.' SAYS
Frank Johnson, the champio whist player
OF Omaha. The definition of the word con-
tains no special significance beyond the
suggestion of a triumph for the time being
over the remaining suits-the smallest
trump being OF greater value than the
highest card Of any other suit; such being
the case. II is obvious that they are mighty
adiuncts in the hands of an expert. The
method of employing them does not differ
much between the acknowledged opponents
of the game: in fact, II might be put down
as an axiom that the management OF trumps
is essentially the same among at least 500
players in this country. II the balance OF
the game was as consistent as is the depart
ment Of trumps there would be less dis
sensions. less differences in the style Of
play and a more thorough investigation into
its principles. which up to the present timc
have received little consideration beyond the
development Of how to lead"
The American representatives, Pillsbury
and Showalter, have made a sorry spectacle
of themselves thus far at the great inter
national chess congress at Nuremberg,
Germany. Two weeks have now elapsed
since the opening and nearly two-thirds of
the entire number OF games have been
played. Contectures as TO the final out
come are ill-timed at present, yet sufficient
may be CLEANED from the work. thus far. to
give a fair idea who will lug of the big
prize, and the prince Of Bayarian trophy,
and this is Lasker, the champion. In fact
the old big four Lasker, SteinitZ, Tarrasch
and Tschigorin are in their accustomed
places. in the van. There is really no ac-
counting for the miserable showing OF Pills
bury and Showalter. Pillsbury has com
mitted several egregious blunders. and
ShoWalter seems TO be handicapped by a
lack OF s%teadiness and oversnxiety. 1t
may at once be conceded that, IL the United
States hampton cannot make his mark in
international chess this year, there is little
use in his trying again. Never before has
ne been in such fine fettle as during the last
twelve-month, as is shown by his remarka-
BILE series OF victories in the championship
matches. And as for Pillsbury, a complete
reversal OF his present form would not help
him out much, as he cannot cope with
Lasker. IT was confidently predicted before
the opening OF the contest that the prize
lay between these two, but the Brooklyn
youth has fallen woefully short OF his
wonderful achievements al Hastings, and
there is no chance OF forcing the stars and
stripes 10 the fore.
They are preparing for . very sporty time
over in Shenandoah. Ia, August II, IL and
IS, the occasion OF their third annual ath-
letic tournament. There will be bicycle,
foot and horse races. tennis, war
and base ball. in addition 10 a long list OF
novelty events, wheelbarrow race. slow mule
race, running the bases, high kick, jumping
and fat and lean mans race. lady eques-
triennes, ladies' walk ana a score Of other
events.