The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-09
IN THE SPORTING WORLD.
HIGH CLASS ENTRY LIST FOR THE
EXCELSIOR HANDICAP.
Jamaica's $4,000 stakes to BE Run on
April 2~s-Another busy Day at Graves.
end-FOOtball Buried In Kentucky
~ southern BasebsliIripS Unpr Ohtablc.

One Of the most interesting hAndicaps
Of the spring meetings is the Excelsior, with
o guaranteed cash value Of $40, 900, which
will be run on April IS, the second day OF
the Jamaica meeting. Secretary Edwards
OF the Metropolitan Jockey Club announced
yesterday that he had received forty-nine
entries for the Excelsior. with other nomi-
nations from the Southern and California
tracks to be heard from. The distance for
this race Ia one mile and a sixteenth and
weights will oe made public by Handicapped
w, 8. Vosburgh on March 70. The class
Of the entries Is even superior to that shown
for the Carter Handicap to be run at Aaue-
duct. Sysonby Is the most notable nomi-
nation perhaps and will probably receive
top weight but he will hardly start. as il
Ia believed that he will not go to the barr Ter
for the first time before the Metropolitan
Handicap at Belmont Park. Roseben has
been named, also Hermis and Stalw art.
probably complimentary entries. Then come
Lord Of the Vale, Hamburg Belle. Dolly
6panker. Delhi. Blandy. First Mason. Colonial
Girl. Tradition. Race King. oxford. Bad News.
,Ormondeis Right. Phil Finch, Rams Horn.
Santa Catalina. Cairngorm, Merry Lark.
Jscquin, Disobedient, Astronomer. Red
Knight. Fancy Bird. Barberloot. Van TrOmp.
Aeronaut, Aucassin. ISRAELI, Red Friar, Bats.
Goldsmith. Mount Henry. %JuRRler, Tokalon.
Hermitage, Ben Holder. Master of Craft.
oNii' vi i'I"'l', b'iVI'lIhi p"i' HN'l II
%ouisitor. Heaslip. Glorlfer. Monet. Grenade
and Ironsides. II Phil Finch or Rams Horn
start the metropolitan public will have a
chance to compare him with the other high
class horses that will go to the gate. As the
weather and track conditions AT present
are favorable for early preparations it Ia be-
iieved that the field for the Excelsior will
be one of the best that have ever run over
the Jamaica track.
There was plenty Of hustling at the Graves
end track yesterday by trainers who want
to have their horses ready for Washington
and AQueduct. Both morning and afternoon
the racers were kept busy bree2ing down
the homestretCh, while n regiment of checkers
and turf sharps hung over the rails, watch
ing every move. Among the horses that
showed surprisingly good form for this time
Of the year were keatOr. Stroller, Joaquin.
Waterbury, De Mund. Proceeds. Radical,
Billy Banastar, Asterisk. Sir Toddington.
Cyclops, Voorhees,. Togo. Tom Cod. Vero-
nese and Wizard. Waterbury. De Mund.
Sir Toddington and'Cvclops. all two-year-olds.
will represent the Bennington stable at the
earliest opportunity, as they are well advanced
In point OF racing trim.
Alex. Shields and his son. Willie. intend to
sell all of their horses at New Orleans. except
Lieber. who will be raced on the New York
circuit. Sam Hlldreth will probably secure
Ben Holder and ST. Valentine.
John j. McCafferty. suspended for one
year by the Los Angeles stewards. has begun
to sell his horses. Potero Grande. Handmaiden
and George Swain having been disposed Of
already. In Boots Durnell's case, however.
II is said that his suspension may be lifted so
that he can race in the East. Durnell has
decided to keep his horses at Los Angeles
..-AI - -Aa h. a.. -..I-l
1t is said that powerful influences have been
brought to bear on the Ascot Park authorities
In his behalf. but McCafferty. it would seem.
does. not possess a similar drag.
The late lamented football, VIII Oh came
to its death at the hands of the board Of cura-
tors Of Kentucky University last week. was
laid tenderly to rest yesterday by he stu
dents on the athletic field where the de
ceased" held full sway during its lifetime at
the institution. The old football dummy,
always used to develop tackling. served as
the corpse, while the former players acted
as pallbearers. Several funeral o~rations
were delivered and the faculty was invited
to attend and shed a few tears.
The Chicago Nationals will do their training
at a resort in Illinois within hailing distance
of home. They are the only tea m repre-
a major league that will not get in
shape in the South, and the experiment will
watched with much interest. In 1898
the New York Nationals went to Lakewood
for a similar purpose, but the men had little
chance to boil ont because of the compare
lively cold climate. and were at a disadvan-
tage when they ran up against the other we'll
teams in the championship race.
Time was when ball teams did not go South
at all, but spent a month or so in gymnaSiums,
2 exercising with the apparatus and playing
one OF the most beneficial methods
of getting into trim that is known to ath-
But il was generally the case that
teams thus conditioned did not strike their
real gait until the pennant race had been
way perhaps six weeks. Nowadays
managers want to have their players ready
to begin the race Mt top speed and that IL
why the expensive Southern trips are taken.
These trips are generally Improbable, as the
of exhibition games is rather
small, because of the lack of interest in them
and the uncertainty of the weather. but the
club owners do not care for the loss Of several
thousands Of dollars so long as their leans.
make a brilliant rush to the front at the
outset, thus causing big gate money to flow
into the strong boxes.
The officials Of the New York American
League Club received an important COM
by messenger at the Flatiron
Building yesterday which read as follows;
Gents: You have a great lot of players.
you do not know how to place them.
Chase on third base. Laporte on first.
at shortstop and Elberfeld at sec
ond. Then put Keller, Chesbro and Grif-
fifth in the outfeld and let the pitchers be
Dougherty. Hahn. Moriarity. Jim Mcclure
and Thomas. Clarkson can catch and so
can Delehanty. | have been a ball crank
for twenty years and am a good American
Lea que man. | hope You will win the pen
nant and will then beat McGraw's team for
the championship Of the world. Good luck
to you all and accept kindest regards. Kindly
send me a season book by messenger so that
J can get II on my mind. | want TO root hard
and often"
As there was no money enclof I'd for the
and the club officials had some doubt
as to. the sincerity Of the letter writer word
was sent back that the application for the
would have to be placed before the
of directors. Another person re-
Gently wrote TO the club officials:
IF you do not send me a free season book
l will get one for the Polo Groundsl" The
League people. it may be said.
marc not at all alarmed when they read this