The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-19
PLAYED FOR The RACES
THE FIRST TIME JOHN PHILIP
sOUsA EVER DID 1T.
The Great Bandmaster Also Got In
terested in n Race and Held His
Baton i'm Midair.

bandmaster. did something at his first con-
cert given at the state fair grounds yes
terday afternoon that in all of his expert
ence he never did before. To be accurate
he did two things which were entirely novel
to his career, but had 1t not been for the
first innovation the second would not have
occurred.
In the first place the march king" for
the very first time in his life actually played
for race meeting. LAS true as l live,
said Sousa, II never did such a thing be-
fore, and you may say that it is altogether
probable that 1t will never occur again"
From the foregoing remark it may be as
certained that Sousa really didn't expect
to furnish the music between the heats
of the several races yesterday, and also
that it was only the force of circumstances
which brought about such an unlocked for
event in his career.
There is an old saying that one thing
brings on another" and Sousa's expert
ence was no exception to the rule. The fact
that he had never before played during a
racing meet was probably unknown to the
major portion of the big audience which
Immediately overlooking the race track. but
il is safe to say that there wasn't a single
one of his auditors but knew he was wit
the conductor OF his great band.
NO EXPLANATION.
Mr. Sousa doesn't attempt to explain how
il happened but to the onlooker it APP
peared as though the whole thing came
about in the following way: Sousa and his
band began the concert programme at 100
o'clock sharp. As usual Indiana people
found 1T almost impossible to be satisfied
unless each number was followed by a
double encore and as a consequence the
programme was prolonged beyond the hour
when 1t was expected it would be con-
Guided. In the meantime the owners of
the horses entered for the days races be-
came impatient and under the rules of the
Grand circuit they compelled the judges
TO call the races. The very first horse That
was gwen warming up on the track at
IFaeted the attention of at least One-third
or SOusas musicians, who were seated on
a platform Immediately over the track
Just at first the musicians who noticed
the poor lone horse on the track didn't
seem particularly interested and contented
themselves with occasional glance al
the nag from the corner of an eve the
remainder or their attention being divided
between Sousa and their music. Presently.
however, there were several horses doing
the Warmlng-up' act, and from that time
on Sousa had his troubles. First one of his
men would pop up 10 take a squint and
tfren another and finally two or three would
take a look together. OF course there
were enough musicians who didn't coo tbo
horses to Keep things going, and probably
no one noticed the difference in the ouaIity
or the music rendered and what il Should
nave been except Sousa. Certain in is
however that the conductor of the band
was next 10 the curiosity of his men
and IT Is equally true that he was fast ger
ting into the same condition The boSSes
were presently lined up for the start ard
ii was at this moment that Sousa began 70
realize what was going on. The horses GOT
away 10 bad start and were called baCl,
Sousa was now watching for the etsrf
with great interest A second bad start
and Sousa grew uneasy. He began beat
Ing his baton in a way that suggested he
was hardly cognizant of what he was do
ing Once more the horses came down fba
stretch and this time they were all to-
gether. ' ~
HORSES WERE OFF.
They're OFF, the crowd shouted and the
shout resulted in Sousa's undoing Lean
ING forward and standing on his tiptoes ne
watched the horses over the backs of his
men. The band kept Oh playing and Sousa
continued to lead with his baton. IT he
came evident. however. that something was
amiss. The band seemed TO be plavinp IN
one time and Sousa was using his baton in
another. And il got worse Sousa was
evidently trying TO reach the happy me-
alum between the time of the piece which
ms band was playing and the time which
the fast disappearing horses were making
As the horses made the turn Sousa stood
on his tiptOes, stretched his neck To itS
uttermost. raised his baton above his road
and stood in that position for fully q min
ute, the horses in the meantime disappear
ing from his sight and the band coming to
a fun stop. Sousa laughed heartily over
the affair afterward, but VOWS he is more
lrejudiced against playing for races than
ever.
After the concert Sousa. ACCOMPANIED bv
nus manager, went 10 the administration
building and formally requested the man
asement TO allow him to substitute a
sacred programme for his concert to-day
instead of the one advertised 1T is ex-
Seedingly fitting that the hour should be
devoted 10 the memory of our beloved
PRESIDENT. said he, land nothing will give
me so much pleasure as the rendering OF
the programme / have selected" The man
agenent was in perfect sympathy with the
expressed wish OF Mr.. Sousa, and at once
accorded him the liberty of arranging his
own programme.