The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-19

wv form of outdoor sport finds
at some season of the year
some degree of favor at the hands of
Butte people. Even lacrosse has been
played here, though not a great deal,
and SO golf and polo may be said to
be the only games in which Butte does
not take a hand. The only season of
the year when there is not plenty of
sport in Butte is in the early spring
when il is too muddy for any kind of
a game. As soon as it dries UP lit
tie bicycling starts in, followed by
lawn tennis and base ball. In the mid
die of summer come horse racing and
coursing. in the fall come hunting and
foot ball and in the winter skating and
coasting.
OF all the sports horse racing is UNI
doubtedly the most popular with the
greatest number of people in Butte. In
fact it may be said that the interest
in horse racing in Butte never stops,
When the races are not on here the
pool rooms sell pools on races in Cali
fornia and in the East and the rooms
are always thronged. The interest OF
the horse-loving public is held from
the end of the Montana season until
il starts again. But the races in the
pool rooms can only be considered
gambling game and as Montana sport
the racing season can only be consid-
cred To continue during the months of
July and August.
The past season the races were on
from June 26 to July "a in Anaconda
and from that date until Sept in
Butte. During that time the enormous
total of 81. 225, Geo went through the pool
boxes, which exceeds by 5000. 900 any
previous record of the Montana circuit.
The fact that the racing association
had a pay ron of $500 per day midi
Gates the magnitude OF racing in this
section. No worlds records were brok-
en- in Butte the past season, but sew
eral new Montana records We're estab-
iishea, as follows:
Punter. Az furlongs, 54A.
Imp. Missioner. 5Is furlongs, los.
J Ostler Joe, mile and a sixteenth.
1;46s4. which also. equals the Pacific
coast record.
Senator Bland, mile and a quarter,
2:07lk.
J. Q. c. and Sylvester. mile and three
eighths hurdle. 2:35. which equals the
worlds record.
Chehalis. mile pacing, e:07h.
Searchlght. mile pacing. 2;oaI, which
equals worlds record for three year
old.
The coming season the races will be
held in Butte before they are held in
Anaconda, starting here about July >.
Hereafter the races VIII be exclusively
for running horses.
Next to racing football is undoubted-
year ago things looked very dark for
football in Butte, but just now they
look very bright. The Butte team. sus-
pended a year ago, has been reinstated
and will be ready for a very active
campaign this year. The past season
could not be called successful. Only
two games We're played. and while
Butte was victorious over it's old rival,
Reliance, in these two games, yet the
weather was bad and the attendance
therefore disappointing. Weather is "A
problem which may seriously interfere
with the success Of football in Mon
tana. il is risky To bring a team from
San Francisco or Chicago for one game
with an even chance Of bad weather
keeping away the crowd and spelling
the receipts. \ good many people are
of the opinion that the Butte team
would do well TO insure an indoor park
50 that, as in other cities. games can
DO played indoors when the weather is
had outdoors. IL this is done Butte
could have football all winter. The
placing Of a strong team in Anaconda
1nsures some hot football games next
season.
Third in importance as a Butte sport
comes bicycle riding. During the spring
and early summer the fiat south of
town is alive with bicycle riders every
afternoon and evening. The number of
riders usually falls off as the summer
grows, and during the racing season
the number of riders IS greatly reduced.
The riding usually starts early in April
and closes about Nov. /. May was the
best month for riding In Butte the past
season. while the previous year July
and August We're the best months
SubJoined Is a table showing the num-
Der of riding days IN Butte IL each of
1ne past two seasons:
1896 1897
02Tcn -...-- .-....-.--..t-....
April. ...-.. ....-....-.... 20 10
May 49,. -..... -.-+--.-.-..- 10 =
june ..-.t*.- ..--...-.-.....-.. = -
Julr ... ..... .... Is 70