The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-01
FAKE "RUBn" As A "RINGER."
with n Partner He Manages 10 "DO"
Promoters of Foot Races.

From the Washington Post.
"A little story of the Omaha exposition
that didn't get into print" said a Nebras-
kan, who was connected with the athletic
department of the exposition, was the
outcome of a l00-yard dash for all entries,
that was run on the last day of the games.
There was a purse of $50 for the winner
of the dash, besides the sweepstakes,
which amounted to $1O5, for the entrance
fee was S., and there were twenty-one
starters. A few days before the last day
of the games a tall, shaky, gawky-looking
chap called al the headquarters of the ath-
letic department, and said he'd like to get
into the lO0-yard DASH
u kin run some-used to, up L hum
anyhow he said, and need the money
I'd like to come In. podner, eff it's all the
same to YOU.
The man was so angular and queer
looking that the clerk of the games only
gave him the laugh, but he finally be-
thought him that the appearance of the
jay In the race might be funny. So he told
the applicant that he would have 60 de-
post s. as an entrance fee The RUDE side
stepped at this proposition, saying that he
didn't have a cent, but he finally said he'd
go and see IL ne couldn't get the necessary
five. Later on In the day he returned and
deposited his grimy $5-Wiliam, and his
name was duly entered as a contestant in
the 100-yard dash. He got out on the track
and worked with the rest of the boys two
or three days before the final day of the
games, and he surely was funny sight in
his first few tries on the first day OF his
practice.
"On the day before the race, however he
actually went the 100 yards in 10 fiat, and,
although this didn't give him even a look
in to win the dash, considering that most
of the men entered had done their 100
yards before in 1919 or thereabouts, he was
tremendously cheered by the other TWEEN
ty who were going to try for the purse and
sweepstakes.
"Ou the day Of the games a number of
local bookmakers put up prices on the con-
testants in the lC0-yard dash A couple of
the runners were at Odds-on in these
books, few more were bit better than
even money, and the jay was the rank out
slider at 30 to / I'm the betting. A bulky
guy that pretended to have a large talka-
tive jag on looked over the various books
on the race. and then pulled out a slim
wad of ten-spots and said he'd take a few
flyers on the long shot, viz, the RUDE. He
put down three $40 bills on his man at 30
to 1. the bookmakers taking the money
with as much confidence as If they were
picking il out of a registered letter.
Well the tan, gawky-looking duck was
first off at the crack Of the pistol, and he
won The race by about block in ten Sec
onds nat lie collected the purse and the
sweepstakes, and the bulky man with the
imitation jag collected his $500 from the 10
cal bookmakers, and il was all over before
we thought that the jay might possibly
have been a human ringer We went in
to investigate the matter for our own sat
isfaction then. and a couple Of weeks ago
we cot to the bottom of the facts The
rpalte-un Rube was one of the most fam
Gus professional sprinters in the world.
and for The past few years, we found out,
ne has made a business Of doing the ring
err act on state and county fairs in the
sprinting events The man who had the
imitation Jag and cleaned up 5000 was the
runners pal They're are both keeping out
OF sight. but when they are collared there
will be Two or three red-hot local bookies
from Omaha to appear against them"