Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-02
ARTISTS At It.
British Touts Can Give
Yankees Cards and Spades
And Then Beat Them Out on
BuCking The Turf Game.
Don't Like American Ways and Don't
Welcome Our Sports.

possibilities of racing in England, ana
they invaded that country with
American horses, American trainers.
American Jockeys, and American meth
obs.
Their welcome was not enthusiastic,
but their presence was tolerated until
tEcir methods began 10 show results.
Then there was what is collnquiaily
called in Tins country Il "hollcr." They
We're Wce,lcd out Sinely and in groups,
until now there are Il few horSfIncn
racing OH the tight little isle who have
gone over from this country.
Danny Nahrr is the only exceptional
jockey. And from all accounts he has
mgrHiirted himself with the Eritishrr
through the simple process of becoming
Il confirmed cxpntrlatc Richard
Croker is the only exceptional horse
owner. ana ii is not necessary t. r.
late how dearly j, is beloved by the
stewards and The members Of the
Jockey club 1t is only necessary Il"
say he is not wanted at Newmarket,
" hicn is the cathedral of British rae
ing.
American racing methods We're not
ship was que STONED. Our trainers
were considered too tricky, and the
hur,!c of turf followers who went in
their wake were considered to have an
unhealthful influence on the sport.
All Of which may have been true. As
Il matter Of fact. divers and Sundry
American turf hustlrrS ana Founders.
W hose presence was not considered an
addition to social fabrics on American
tracks, fastened themselves on the
british game.
What they did We do not know. but
with what they We're capable of doing
We are quite familiar We are willing
to grant their work must hay" hccn
pretty coarse; their sins-if they com
mitted any-were visited upon the
reputable American horScmcn who
went ra' ing over there.
Tie methods of those desperate and
iires pon:;ible camp followers should
not have been regarded rs an inlova-
ton in England. Their foibles We're
an old story i'll England threc-quartrri
of - century ago. They were import
cd To this country with the game il
sell. The toutS arrived in America
with the importation OF Glencoe, ami
the tout has been Il part of the gains
on either side cf the Atlantic ever
since.
America las invented nothing in tho
art Of separating men from their
money through The medium Of Il horse
race. and the Americans VINO have in
Vadtd England in recent years had
nothing to show their British Cousins.
unl..sS the latter had forgotten all that
their great gra ndfathers know.
The advertising tipStcr. who is not
as prevalent in This country now as H."
was 4 half dozen years ago. thanks Ia
Il more stringent enforcement If the
postal laws. is not Indigenous to this
country He tlourishcd in England -
years ago AMI came To he regarded as
:, pest over there 50 years ago. He
used the same SpcciouS pleas for
wheedling his clients ana practically
the same terms in his advertisements.
The American advertising tout with
4 System to beat the races had his
prototype in the English advertising
tout with Il moduS as far back as 1916.
English reiOrmerS deplored the fact
that racing was not loved for ITSELF
alone, but as !, convenient peg t. hang
Il bet on.
Quoting from an article printed at
that time:
1T may safely he asserted that
among Londoners not one in 500 could
mention the chief qualities Il racer
should possess: but this goes for
nothing. or perhaps it might be said il
ia h ic N -
faith in the ignorance of his ncighbor.
and his high respect for his own
sagacity and his good luck wherein
resides the secret of the horse betting
mania at the present time affecting the
nation"
That was written in London 60 years
ago How often have you heard il re-
peated since?
The sporting prints Of those days
We're regarded as mediums Of COM
muncatiOn between the ignorant
people who stood in need Of horsey
counsel and the knowing ones of the
turf, who for an exceedingly triflinG
consideration We're ever ready to give
it.
The field cultivated by those knowing
ones was as wide as the kingdom itself,
and the methods they employed to lure
fish to their nets Wcr" bold enough to
make the most desperate turf
buccaneer stand aghast Their
audacity was incalculably greater than
that Of the get rich-uuic!l schemers
who flourshed for Il time in the United
States.
Their future books. called Specs
were Out-anl-out lotteries These
specs" were made on all the classic
events. This feature of race gambling
eventually was suppressed. Then the
advertising tipster stepped in and took
the play. His promises We're extrava-
CANT He publicly boastcd of being III
possession Of the secrets Of even the
stables of the royal family These
secrets he was willing to impart to his
clients in exchange for a paltry shill-
inS's worth Of postage stamps
The man with the moGuS evidently
was no piker. Among the smaller fry
Of advertising tpsters one was known