The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-20
HOOdOO
Taylor.
MAJOR HAD NUMBER
In Nearly All of His Win
ming Races.

"eeu " d cram, ana Wnen ne joined the
Y. M. c. A. yesterday, and found that
he had been assigned gymnasium lock-
er 19, he was not bit SURPRISED
NO" said Major in conversation
with Spy man; 81 don't mind the hoo.
doo,' as they call it; l rather enjoy it.
I'm not superstitious as long as things
come my way Why, look here" pro-
ducing a small pocket memorandum
my number has been '13 in about every
| race 1 have entered this season, and ]
have taken--let's see-20 firsts, includ-
ing the match race with Freeman; nine
seconds, and Ii thirds. Talk about IL
being a 'hoodoo,' I'm satisfied with it;
that is, as long as 1 win. If 1 lose l
shall want a different number
How did I come to get it? Well, it
began this way When 1 left the city
to begin the seasons riding | was liv-
ing over here at No. 13 Parker street.
When l registered in the L. A. w, l
was given number Is, and in the first
meet | entered my competition number
was 10, being given to me because the
other riders would not take it. I was
Manhattan Beach, May 81. I went in
as No. 10 and won second prize in the
mile championship.
After that, when it was found that
didn't kick on Is, as all the other rid
ers did, it was sort of reserved for me,
and got it in about every race l en-
tered. 1t has stood me in good luck,
though, and I've got no fault to find
with it. I'm the only rider in the cir
plIit M no toll f1sef in mn
day. and mind you every one of 'em
has had from five to twenty more starts
than l have had. Compare my record
with the others, and then pick your
champion. Oh, I'm satisfied with 49,
THE funniest combination of IS that
ever ran up against" said the Major
and a smile spread over his face as he
spoke, was in New Haven. 1t was
on September 10. At the hotel where
stopped l was assigned to room 13
That would have been enough to have
discouraged most any man, but at the
track | got more of it. | was given
No. 10, as usual, and the two mile hand
leap in which l was entered proved to
be the 18th event on the program. The
climax was reached, though, when we
lined UP for the start, and l found
that there were 10 starters. 1 didn't
back out though, l kept in it, and won
first place"
Another pretty heavy combination of
thirteens was when l raced in Water
bury in the match race with Freeman.
was here in Worcester training just
before that and when | went to the
depot / got my trunk checked, as usual,
and on the train | gave the check to
my trainer, Frank Spatcher, without
looking at it. He said: "Hul1o, 10
again; and sure enough it was. When
we put up in Waterbury we were given
room 10. by gee" Spatcher said, ''it
looks as if you was going to take this
race; and sure enough, did.
Yes; 10 has been my number in
about every race 1 have entered this
season, and it has been of good service
to me. From the Manhattan Beach
meet I went to Philadelphia. There /
took two firsts, one in the half-mile
handicap from scratch and the other in
the one-third mile handicap, also from
scratch. In both of these races my
number was 10. I then went up into
the York state circuit and there my
'hoodoo" followed me. AS No. IS I
took second in the mile open in Utica
on June 6, and first and second in the
two-mile handicap on the same date.
In Binghamton, on June g. took third
in the mile open and third in the two
mile handicap. In Buffalo, the day
following, l won third in the five-nlile
handicap. On June 10 I took first in the
two-mile handicap and third in the
mile open in Elmira. In all Of these
races 1 was given No. 10,
From the York state circuit I went
back to Manhattan Beach, winning
there in the match race June 49, June
p I took second in the half-mile handi-
cap in Rochester. June "a took third
in the two-mile handicap and the next
day, az Manhattan Beach, l took the
quarter-mile championship. July 2 /
raced in Philadelphia, taking two
thirds, the tWo-fnile championship and
the half-mile handicap. On the Fourth |
took the mile handicap in Philadelphia.
and on the 9th l took third in the two
mile championship in Buffalo July Is.
in Philadelphia again, | captured first
in the mile championship and second in
the mile handicap. Saturday, July %,
won second in the two-mife handicap
at Manhattan Beach. July 81 I caught
first in the third of q mile champion-
ship at Asbury Park, and Aug. 10 I
won second in the two-mile champion
ship second in the mile championship.
third in the mile handicap and third in
the multieycle race in indianapolis.
Aug. H. at Greenbay, Wis, took away
first in the third of a mile champions
ship and first in the mile open At the
same place, on the day following I
these events my number was 10.
August rs / won the match race with
Michael at Manhattan Beach. In
Springfield, Sept. 5, l took first in the
mile championship, and on Saturday.
Sept. 10, l lost in the twenty-miie
match race with Michael at Manhattan
Beach. Tuesday, Sept 10, I took the
mile championship and second in the
two-mile handicap at New Haven"
Sept. II was a good illustration of
what "hoodoo will do for a man. /
was in Philadelphia then and was in
excellent trim. They couldn't hold me
that day, and 10 took three firsts. l
captured the mile championship the
two-mile championship, and the mile
topen. In Trenton, Sept. 26 1 took sec
ond insthe five-mile championship, and
oct. l l wound up the season at Wash
ington, where / took second in the
quarter mile championship, still riding
under my welcome 'hoodoo' number 13.
No" said Major as he Strengthened
himself up to his full height and closed
his memorandum book, with satisfied
sanp, "13 has no terrors for me. / have
no fault to find with it as long as
things come my way. Hope this wealth
er will let up while, and give me a
chance to train. Good night, sir"
MASS. BOARD OF TRADE.
Boston, Oct. 19-President Charles E.