Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-09
SKETCH OF P1TTsBuRa PHIL
The Turf PIunRer Who Started with
Aaa Cnillinl While a Factory HIND.

George Il. Smith, better known as
"Pittsburg Phil" whose death Wednes-
day at Ashevillc, N. G., was reported IN
these columns. will go down In history
of the turf as one of tho greatest "sports'
that ever stepped on u race track. aud
in his day the terror Of the bookmak"rs.
for he sometimes left the track says the
Boston Globe. with as much as 500, 900 of
the 'bookcs' good money in his pockets.
He was a good winner, but at times.
of course, he was also a heavy loser.
Still. he was always ahead Of the game,
hs VOL II" might be. for lie started III
betting ON tho horses with II capital of
Sao when he was - boy IN Pittsburc.
working in factory and cutting corks at
cont each
Bui what life Of excitement this
young man has led for the past is yeas
since he left Pittsburg at the age of y
and began his career In Chicago. where
h" first got the soubriquct which stuck
10 him ever anerward--"Pittsbur Phil.
He cleared up s3J0,ofn in the poolroons of
Chicago in few years and then n" cauio
| East to try his luck around New York
VI" wasn't long in New York before he
was reputcd To be worth s500n0. What no
actually WAS worth few eyer knew. as
| "Pittshurg Fhil'' was close mouth"d and
kept his business strictly 10 himself II"
had great command nf his feelings and
although he might be boiling with en-
element inside he was as - cake of ice
I" tn" casual observer. This continued
repression of his feelings is said To- have
had much to do with his physical collaps"
before he was 80 years If age.
TERROR or CHICAGO POOLROOMS.
When he was in Pittsburg working IN
III" factory he began b.tting with u capt.
til "i MD IN tn" poolrOoms of that cit Y.
fio backed III" horses that were raced
by tn" bwN.i Bros and that year tlnsa
horses swept everything before theta. lie
found horses 50 much NOR" prontnhlo
tl,an cutting corks that ho gave IN his
position in the factory and DEVOTED hi.
entire time To- - study of the racine
horses Of the country. Then ho went f..
Chicago 81. Iittsburg was altogether toe
small - place for his style Of "plungins. -
'l"re he founded lis reputation and hi,
fortune He WAS the terror of The pool.
rooms in the Windy city"
Luck seemed to follow this keen. COO
and collected young man At every turn
and it was not strange with tn" well
known superstition of sports" that Il.
became a sort Of idol, whose lghtcst wor,
wnS regarded Us a "suro thing" Thcs.
followers ofton came to grief in follow
ing "fhil' ana he advised them ncvc
to follow him, for he was never dead coy
tain how lac would hot until lc put hi
money up on q horse. II" freuuonti,
changed his mind at tho last moment. am
usuallv for som" good reason. II mch
hHvo boon u slight shower. the heat, IN
Immediate condition Of tho tracts tn
Jockey or something elso. Hc Calculatr
on all these things before hc placed Ia
bets. but once he placed a bot he uAiiaii
went the limit ami plunged right ana lof
on the horses hN haA finally picked t
win.
He had a stable Of his own back j.
1891 and that year he Won. on one of HI
horses--J<ing Cadmus-- ~ Sheepshea
bay IN Il single race ilonSl. but prior I
| this race he had lost Siss0o. The year he
fore it WAS said he cleared $4,000 an
, that particular year he came out hca
Of the game. One day at brighton bcac
, in 1897 he won s,j,ooo-hc backed iiv
, winners that day.