The sun., 1903-12-14
SPORTING GOSSIP OF TODAY.
VATERBOY TO CARRY TOR
WEIGHT IN 1904 HANDICAPS.

Fuller Heads Winning Jockeys-why Cyclic
Race Drew Crowds-Big Offers for
Ball Players-WhO Is the Feather.
weight Champion at Regulation Limit?
Although the racing season closed here
one month ago and the nearest tracks In
operation are at New Orleans and In Cali
fornia. interest in the sport keeps up all
winter among turfmen who prefer to spend
the few idle months between campaigns
in the metropolis. The Hoffman House Is
the chief resort. II has come to be known
ms the Broadway paddock. and every after
noon it is crowded. Men who own valuable
stake horses and have breeding farms and
men who keep few selling platers and ex-
perience difficulty in paying feed bills rub
elbows daily with bookmakers Of wealth.
sheet writer's. cashiers. runners. betting
commissioners trainers. jockeys and regular
patrons who cannot eat meal without talk
ing horse.
Come into the Paddock. said we'll known
bookmaker to a friend last Saturday, "and
III buy you a drink" They found the
corridor filed with devotees OF the turf.
The bookmaker had not reached the bar
before he was surrounded by old friends.
some well fixed for the wintry blasts. others
in need Of assistance. and before he left the
hotel he had been separated from at least
$50 in loans. But he did not grumble. for.
as he said, these unfortunates would be
bettin with him to certainty next summer.
The wonderfully successful season just
closed is the chief topic at the Paddock.
where many great races are run over and all
sorts OF ane cdotes are told. The appearance
of a trainer such as Andrew jackson Joyner.
John W. Rogers. Jimmy Rose. or somebody
in their class. is the signal for general
reunion and a vivid recit al OF conauests OF the
past. Joyner by the way. was visitor to
the Paddock on Saturday and said that both
Waterboy and Hamburg Belle would be
trained next year with success. In the esti-
nation of nearly every horseman who fire.
uuents the Paddock. Waterboy was the cham
pion OF the year. and in proof OF this assertion
many predict that in the allotment OF weights
for the spring handicaps W. S. Vosburgh
will give top weight. about iS0 pounds. to
Waterboy, rating McChesney and Hermis
next on about an even plane. followed by
Africander and Irish Lad. the two best three
year-olds of the year.
According to present indications. there
will be more entries for the spring handicaps
than ever before. chiefly because OF the great
boom in racing and the increased value OF big
stakes. Though the season just closed was
a record breaker in point Of popularity and
financial receipts turfmen say that the limit
has not yet been reached.
As sthe year draws to a close and as many OF
the crack jockeys are going to rest during the
holidays a record for the season OF 1908 IN
point OF winning mounts has been complied.
showing that Grover Cleveland Fuller heads
the list with 1876 winning mounts, SO seconds
and 85 thirds being un placed 297 times. One
year ago Fuller began riding. so that his record
Is all the more remarkable. Arthur Redfern.
who rode for W. L. whitney and earned
sS5, 900, stands second with l29 winners. 100
seconds and os thirds. being unplaced 300
times. Tommy Burns is third with l0s frsts.
lO3 seconds, 81 thirds. and S36 unplaced. Frank
O'Neill another newcomer, is fourth on the
list with lO6 rsts, ss seconds. 81 thirds and 2es
i,inplaced. Then follow Odom, Cannon. Hicks,
seven or eight on this list. it might be said that
the requirements. New Orleans developed
Fuller, and the present campaign at the
Crescent City may produce some more stars
Of this kind.
While tho cycle race was, in full blast many
on on its t.,f merits i wondered how it drew such
remarkable crowds. Some persons under
took to explain the problem with the state
for the sensational but unfounded reports
of mental and physical suffering. Of frenzied
on the track, OF haIf-crazed trainers awakened
from slumber assaulting rider. OF police
m Of Of 9 Tat ana o exes sf
the morbid public to an uncomfortable de-
gree. That yellow journalism played an
this decidedly uninterestine affair there
can be no doubt, and the mana cement from
all accounts. is duly grateful.
Now we are to have some indoor football
games in the Garden this week The scheme
runs, sensational tackilng and good punting
"d s" sean snop no hfs9 doaS again %S Ae
make, college football games 80 interesting.
will be plenty fast enough and rough enough
10 attract those who like to see good scrap
pS~ pSscefui fnp eHsfence aea nc e Football contest
Of physical strength and skill which thrills
one to the marrow and does not appeal t9o
only men can indulge In II.
Harvard's disastrous eampaign on on the the
faculty of arts and science asked the athletic
5seenbtH at
made ready response 70 the effect that foot
ball was popular. that the most friendly rela,
that 1t served to distract the mind from too
much stndyrin WORD. that football was
fodfd IN the
1t is hard to believe that baseball enthusi-
asts who are close students OF the national
certain magnates to the effect that fabulous
sums have been offered them for star players.
1t is we'll known that once club secures
II star there is not the slightest disposition
10 let him 20 John McGraw and John 4.
Brush have both said they could not afford.
under any circumstances, to let Roger Bres-
nahan get away from the New York Nationals.
on the ground that his loss or sale, or trans
fer for another PLAYER. would be taken by
Tho public MS personal ahront. Yet gulibla
persons q re expected to believe that McGraw
has offered $40 900 for Hans Wagner and
Tommy Leach OF the Pittsburgs, in good
faith II Dreyfuss should sell either OF these
men. he would expect to be driven out of
Pittsburg He could no more afford to sell
Mathewson. McGinnity or Bresnahan. i
for the two stars and have the proposition
have perfect understanding before making
such offers. which are always Intended 10
boom both sides in the estimation Of the
patrons who flock to the gates OF the baseball
parks with ready money.
Somebody started a story not many. weeks
ago that the New York American League
club was dissatisfied with Clark Griffiths
management, and tnat he would be removed.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In speaking about Griffith yesterday both
President Gordon and Treasurer Farrell
declared that the manager had done re-
markably well with new team under the
most trying circumstances. and that there
had never been a moment when, his work