Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-12
IOWA SPORTS Talk
Wet Weather Preventing the
Proper Training of Harness
Horses.
Gallopers as Trouble Makers-..
Solitude Sought for-.-Sum.
mer Outings.
Iowa Golfers After the Cups
Sparrows Used as Live
n


Wet weather has put a damper on
4 horse racing this spring and big
bunch of owners and handlers are Won
dering where the oats are coming from.
! Davenport Was declared off. Waterloo
/ might better have been, and now Alex
ander and Bush have had their next
weeks meeting drowned out by foods
that made the track a more fit place for
the defunct Iowa regatta than for the
bike sulky. 1t is likely that the early
! summer racing will be tame sport. The
horses are not ready for fast time. split
/ heats and the bat on their backs all the
way round Probably not a dozen
horses trained in Iowa are fit TO so u
bruisins mile in fast company. let alone
| fighting out a long contest. The con-
tinuous rain has prevented the steady
work necessary to bring harness horses
| into form. Outside of covered tracks
| if there is one in Iowa. trainers and
to Watching the world beaters' eat hay
that costs SIS a ton and wishing for
clear weather. 1t will take three weeks
of stiff racing to put the horses on edge
and ready for the long. hard finishes
and sharp drives that bring the crowd
to its feet. OF course all this talk is of
harness horses. The Iowa galloper can
train in u pasture, and should be kept
there.
Speaking of gallopers. the secretary
who mikes them into his harness horse
meetings makes a mistake. OF course,
the people demand or seem to demand.
running races. There is something
about the bangtails that captures the
crowd. But, most of the secretary's
grief is bred right at the stalls where
a WATERFALL, n two-pound saddle and
Jock" that smokes cigarets and swears
fluently in assertion of the particular
beast whose destiny he guides. are the
only necessary equipments. The rum
ners' entrance money comes stringing
in after the bell has rung for the race.
The starter goes crazy before he drops
the flag as the crowd guys and con-
starters duties and accomplishments.
Taken all around the race meet would
be better with the gaIloper left out or.
as at Nillisca and few other points. if
nothing but gallopers are received for
entry.
AS the sweltering days of mdsum-
nler approach the eyes of the masculine
world are being turned toward lake.
stream wood, or watering place. Tired
clerks and fagged-out business men, |
gazing on the heated walls and haring
that surround them every
day, are casting about for some quiet
spot where they may spend the few
precious days or weeks that comprise I
their summer vacations. The stuffy
summer hotels at the popular watering (
places are every year attracting lever
than they did the year previous. The I
reason for this is obvious. The aver
age man wishes to spend the leisure
DAVIS of his outing in some quiet spot, /
where casting aside conNentlonalltles, /
he may do as he pleaSes, dresstas suits (
the condition and be fretless free and {
law. Above all else he wishes 10 be (
alone. to lose himself in the less fire. I
quented spots of the Wilderness With I
this in mind more every year are hlelng I
to the streams, lakes o, big I
wods of the far north, where with Il (
companion or two they may
fish or canoe in peace. untrammeled by
the conventional requirements of nollte
society This is as it should be and the i
man who does so is wise. and returns to
the scene of his labors. better able in
body and mind to again bury himself in
the turmoil OF daily business life.
There is a growing disposition among
many that it is "a sin and Il brutal sport
to- slaughter" live pigeons at the traps.
Legislative enactment in other states
has prohibited this and it is not UNI
to suppose that some action
dong this line may soon be taken IN II
Iowa In some of the eastern states the
English sparrow is being used as a sub
,titute and is meeting With success
The demand for SparroWs has become
so great in some quarters that enter
orising persons have begun to make a
business of trapping and selling them to
run clubs. Many sportSmen who have
,hot both the pigeon and sparrow claim
he latter to be the superior target of
he two. and also claim that they can
De procured AT less cost than the larger
bird This would be good matter for
yum clubs to investigate and ascertain
he merits of the sparrow as Il live tar
get.
The news that Tommy" Crooks fight
promoter and old time pugilist was
drowned Yesterday at Des Moines will i
re received with regret by fight follow !
rs and lovers of the tistic game every
where. Crooks WAS probably the best /
-nown promoter OF pugilisln west of
'hicago. He WAS born in England and ,
Iad fought into the championship of his !,
lass before coming to this country. In ,
)cs Moines he conducted Il boxing
chool and trained ''pugs. He taught
rainea and managed Jimmy Graham,
tho was for two years champion OF the
tate and only about two months ago
,hipped big Jimmy Homer to n stand
lin in six rounds at the opening of the ;,
'helma Athletic Club. Crooks had the !.
of a square sport or al amy !,
ate. as square as pusilists grow and his ).
aloon. the Little Turf, WAS headquar- ;,
ars for Des Moines sporting men. /;