The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-08-24
AN INTERESTING
CAREER ON TRACK
ED. GEERS, THE GRAND OLD MAN
OF THE TRACK TELLS SOME
OF HIS EXPERIENCES.

"The Grand Old Man of the Turf
was seated in feed stall listening to
the music of the hoof beats as trot-
tiers and PAGERS pounded around the
circle in their workouts, says the
Horseman. 1t was late in the after
noon, and a great peace hung over
the horse world at Libertyville, most
of the good racers having worked out
earlier in the day. | asked Mr.. Geers
for the story of his career. He said:
II was born on farm about three
miles from Lebanon, Wilson county,
Tenn, January 25, 1851. My father
was farmer in moderate circum-
stances and during my boyhood, in
addition to this, he also carried on
small country store at the place.
My ambition to drive something
such as horses, mules, oxen and colts
is associated with my earliest re-
collection, and when l was a small
boy my father unwittingly placed IN
my hands the power to commence the
qualification of this desire, by CIV
ing me a pair of calves which were
the pride of my life, and for the time
being satisfied all of my desires.
l Immediately began to train and
educate them. l first put rope on
the horns of each and drove them
singly for a few days and then | de-
cided to drive them together. | put
on yoke and to be certain that they
would not get away | tied their tails
together and started them through
the orchard. They made plunge or
two and finally one succeeded in get
ting his head out of the yoke. In
this condition they started to run.
They went together for a short dis
lance, but coming to a big tree de-
cided that single blesSedness was full
Ter of joy than this race through life
together and so they came to the
parting of their ways, one going to
the north side of the tree and the
other striking for the south. When
| saw what their conclusion was my
heart jumped into my mouth and l
stood still, terror-stricken. Oh, |
knew something had to happen
either the tails or the tree must go,
and it did not take long to see which
was the winner, as the smaller calf
came out of the battle minus about
two feet of his tail.
81 think that was the most miser-
able hour of my life as my treasure
lay on his back with his dimmed eyes
searching the blue skies above and
his plaintive voice mingling with the
gladstone notes of the jaybirds in the
tallest cherry tree and echoing in the
distant hills. There he lay, prone
upon the greensward of Tennessee,
with his life's blood ebbing away. AS
I looked at that sorry sight my ardor
for training and driving was damp
ened to such degree that I came
near crushing my ambitions right
there. I was fearful also of what my
father would say when he looked up
on the remains of what had once been
a living, pulsing calf, and l knew that
my career as a trainer had come to
an ignoble end. But the calf recov-
cred and the two finally grew to be
a fine yoke of oxen, and | spent many
happy hours driving them. After
they had grown up l traded them to
my father for two-year-old colt.
Shortly after he came into my pos
session | went to country fair and
for the first time in my life witness
sed a trotting race. | was so filled
with enthusiasm that | resolved
would have a trotter, and as my colt
did not have any speed at that gait,
l determined to trade him for one
that did I succeeded in making the
trade with neighbor and from that
time on have had horse under my
care.
The first race | ever drove was at
Lebanon, in 1872. The horses name
was Little Dave and belonged to a
minister, the Rev. flaming of Frank
Ign College, Tennessee. Mr.. Tanning
when he learned that had raced his
horse, of course, couldn't say that he
was pleased, but when l saw him on
my return from the fair his face
wore a smile, and from then on he
was prouder of Little Dave than of
any horse on his farm.
81 leased the old fair grounds at
Columbia, Tenn, in the spring of
1876, and used the track for working
and jogging the horses l had in train
ing from that time until the spring
of 1889, when l was engaged by Ma
jor Brown to train a large stable he
had at the Ewell farm at Spring Hill,
and remained there until l went to
Village farm in the early spring of
1892. Commencing with the spring
of 1877, l went north with what
horses I considered good enough and
raced over the different tracks of the
north, generally commencing in July
and ending in September, leaving
good man at home to work the horses
l did not take with me. When my
my northern circuit was over, | went
south and stayed until December,
when l returned to Columbia and
turned the horses out for while.
''While at Montgomery on this trip
south, a very peculiar accident oc-
Cured, which might have resulted
seriously, but fortunately did not,
and only added excitement to the
race. A Mr.. Beebe, the driver and
part ofner of horse called Fred
Tylor, entered his horse in a race
one day and in the first heat of the
race his horse acted so badly and
came very near being shut out. had
an entry in another race which was
being sandwiched in with his race.
AS | was about leaving the track af-
ter a heat in my race, | met Mr.
Beebe with Fred Tylor coming onto
the track ready to start in the Sec
ond heat, and he requested me to
drive his horse the rest of the race,
which | consented to do. | sent my
horse to the stable and when about to
get up behind Fred Tylor l noticed
that the sulky looked weak and I'M
safe.
took hold of one of the wheels
and it seemed loose and unstable. II
told Mr.. Beebe I did not like the
looks of his sulky, and did not think