The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-08
YOUNGER SPORTS
 TAKING THE DAY Great Crowds Flock to Games
 at Hot Springs POKER J0lNTSARE CROWDED Women Appear at Prize Fights in Large Number and Seemingly Take Great Interest in Con-
 tests-Hotels Crowded.
POKER JOINTS CROWDED
sY HOMER GEORGE.

Hot Springs, Ark, February 7.-(Spe- eial.)-So tremendous has the crowd de- veloped here that it is now almost 1m- nossible to secure rooms at the hotels. At the same time more people continue to come on every train. filling rooms as rapidly as they are vacated. If the crush continues, as everybody seems to think if will. there is absolutely no forecasting the number possible to pack themselves away during the next few weeks.
 An old Baltimore acquaintance of mine who has been coming here for several years in expressing himself at the sur mise with which he was filled said;
 Tt strikes me that the new corners are attempting to crowd out all of the old re- gime and keep those who have been com ing here for years from enjoying them selves to the possibilities in sight for a man who knows all the ropes. You may not believe 1t, but l give you my word some interloper slipped in here several weeks ago and engaged the room l have occupied for three years, forcing me out side. Such impudence is almost beyond conception. I had really begun to look
  l for I had certainly spent enough on 1t to more than pay for it's build and fur nishings. Many of my old-time friends tell me the same story
 Poker Tables Crowded.
 Even up at the clubs. they are trying to crowd us from our familiar places. At one poker table l have played occa- sionally for years, yet when l went in to | take my accustomed place the other night it was occupied and the dealer said would be forced to go to another table or wait for a vacancy. In the old times he would have made a vacancy, if 1t had forced the house player up. So many of these young plungers have come in l that I really find it difficult for a man l of moderate means to get decent consid- 1 eration at all the best clubs.
 1 Instead of being a fixture as in the old days, l find I am now out of the rum ming, such fellows as Joe Yaeger taking my place. That fellow is a marvel, though, and I admire him sincerely. A year ago he was worth $500, yet today he is worth $300,OO0, all of, which he has made l gaming. Of course, he will lose sooner or later. and suppose that is the reason he is now receiving such distinguished consideration. So much am l overshad- owed, where I formerly stood high, am beginning to think my life is some- what like the pollticians-back to a rear seat with age
 The pool-room play which fell off fully | ten per cent when Fred Walbaum and Joe Yaeger left here ten days ago, has returned to the. old limit, if not even in- creased. This return was caused by the arrival of Honest John" Kelly Emil Herz, of the Durnell and Herz firm; and host of other heavy players. They have certainly made things hum about the six rooms since their arrival It is estimated that each place is handling on an average Of $60,000 per day, or a total of $360 000, pretty large amount to be gambled on twelve races each day.
 Several Big Winnings.
 While the rooms are, of course, winners on account of the percentage and the ir- regularties with which the good things have been running, still several big coups have been pulled off this week. One of the biggest was made on a series of bets Monday by the Kelly-Herz- Mart Demar. est combination They had tips on four of the New Orleans races and played them for all they were worth. On the first they lost 5000 in E. J. Arnold's room, where they spent half the after noon, but on the race Ed. l.. won they cleaned the room for $20,000 getting $2 O00 on the horse at an average of 10 to l. ArnOlu played wise, however, and dis- tributed the bet with the other rooms only keeping $500 himself. He more than made this amount for the public played two others at short prices.
 On the race which Nitrate won the trio busied themselves with Arnold, Jim O'Leary and Kid Weller with the result that they got down $4O00 at an average of to 1. With all this good money they plunged $5000 on Becky Rice to win, but the best this game little horse could do was to get the place. Herz was so well pleased with his winnings. however. that l he telegraphed Durnell to refuse Sire Brothers offer of s35 GOO for McChesney. On each of the horses they played the