The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-11
Remarkable Career Of the Famous
Indiana Jockey.

much better than that OF bloomington
Cannon. Wood or either OF the Loates,
who previous 10 his advent were the
Jockeys usually selected by the follow
ers of this kind of speculation.
One rather wonders that American
Jockeys should have adopted a short
stirrup and forward seat. for outside
the race tracks our equestrians rlde
with much longer feathers and much
squarer seat in the saddle than are usuai
with their English cousins. For hunt
ing, road riding and racing the rule
there is TO have the stirrup feathers or
such a length that the leg as far as the
knee sets at an angle of 40 degrees
Nine men out of ten can determine
the exact length of stirrups they re-
uuire by placing the tips OF their fingers
against the saddle and drawing out the
feathers until the bottom of the iron
touches the armpit when the arm is
fully extended. This gives the regu-
lation seat, which lis invariably adopted
by hunting men and jockeys, and which
certainly appears more graceful ana
more secure than that of the subject OF
our sketch and those who follow his
style of riding.
Tod Sloane was born I'm Kokomo, Ind,
and is 90 years of age. His early Ire
was peculiarly different from other boys
of his age. His father being a helpless
invalid. and his mother dying when he
was Is months old. Tod was taken into
the family of Dan and Mrs. Blouser
and reared as their own child, the lad
being known as Tod Blouser. His early
career was one continuous series of
daring exploits and thrilling events
IA kn
began his turf life seven years ago.
Nothing was too dangerous for him TO
attempt. nothing too hazardous for him
TO deliberately walk into. Before he
was years old every man. woman and
child i'm the city and county knew him.
He was a. celebrity in knickerbookers,
"A prodigy in frocks. His daring eX-
ploits and venturesomc pranks were the
wonder of the locality. His actions kept
his good foster parents i'm a state OF
constant alarm. He was wholly unlike
other boys of his age, and invariably
selected grown men as his associates.
Hack barns and livery stables were his
favorite haunts, watching for chances
TO ride the horses. Nothing was too
dangerous for him to attempt. nothing
in the barns too vicious and unruly for
him To mount.
Tod's first notable mount is well re-
membered. one day villainous look
ing Kentucky stallion was brought in
TO the barn and repeated attempts OF
strong men to control the beast result
| ed i'm failure. During the absence OF the
attendants Tod jumped on the horse
from the top of the stall and turned
him out into the street For an hour
the reckless youngster clung TO the
name of the furious animal as IL
plunged madly through the streets OF
the town, TO the unspeakable dismay
and horror Of the inhabitants, who fled
into the houses for safety Finally the
stallion, thoroughly winded, exhaust
ed and covered with foam, stopped.
completely conquered. After that any
body could ride him. Tod was then .
years old. at that time, as now, small
for his age.
one great ambition of little Tod at
this time was TO be minstrel. lie was
clever dancer a good singer and con-
tortionist. "A splendid mimic and had a
fetching makeup. Several times he was
on the point of Joining a minstrel COM
pany. but did not
When natural gas was discovered in
Indiana i'm 1856, Tod went off with a
| gang OF gas well drillers. following
| them as a mascot" He was i'm the
well remembered gas well explosion i'm
December. 1886, that frightfully burned
IA men. but Tod, with his characteristic
| good luck, escaped without a scratch.
though in the thickest OF the melee.
Not getting enough excitement out OF
gas explosions and runaway horses. Tod
! next began to make balloon ascensions