The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
FEW PLUNGERS LEFT
Men of Iron Nerves Seem to
Have Passed Away.
PITTSBURG PHIL EXCEPTION
Former Cork Cutter Died MiIIion-
aire, hut Most of Those Who Took
Long Chances with Fortune Saved
Little of Their WiBnings-RiIey
Grannnn Bet Much Against Domino

Turf statisticians who have carefully
reviewed the season seem to have neg
lected the pungers. who are supposed TO
have started the financial stringeney by
their many coups. which in stating head
lines added spice to the game. But, as
a matter of fact, isn't the race nearly
extinct2
one day at the old Garfield Park track
in Chicago Frank Shaw called the turf
scribes together ana said I don't mind
IL when you fellows print fellows
losses along with a statement Of his win
nings. That sort Of evens things up,
you know. and fellow wouldn't be
chased by every creditor, cause I'm as
likely to have debts as any one else. Now.
yesterday, for instance, you said l won
$2S coo on the third race. That's true.
but I quit the day S22oOO loser"
Shaw was at one time the heaviest
pIunger in the West and Northwest. He
would bet on the number of hairs in
your eyebrows. But he's gone like all
the rest, says the New York World.
1t takes nerve to be real plunger.
In the olden days of open booking at
the track it was custom with many
employees to bet Shalt their daily sal
ary-on the first race and continue
parlay through the card. betting every
dollar back on their choice in every race.
former judge, now dead, tried this
system one day and picked six winners
and was $4,000 TO the good. His choice
IN the seventh race was l-to-3 shot.
bat he went to it for his whole pile, and
it won. That's nerve Many with $50,
600 would have liked it back 10 town
and quit the game.
Dyvyer Had No Nerves.
Mike Dwyer was probably the first real
plunger to come into public notice. This
man of iron never batted an eyelash,
even when on close finish there depend
ed a fortune The chances are that Nike
Dwyer had no nerves Or. if he did have
them, his outward show of feeling was
so repressed that there was no smoke VS.
ible Of the fire burning within, There
was no time when Mike DWyer did not
present a cheerful. smiling face 20 his
friends. Even when half OF his body
was practically dead he spoke chcerfully
of the future and seemed to take en-
joyment In the fact that he was existing
After Mike DWyer came George r
c'Pitsburg Phn'B Smith. a young cork
cutter, who made "A lucky play in the
pool rooms and finally drifted TO the
race tracks. He reduced racing 20
science. Like Sherlock Holmes, he made
observations and drew deductions
"Pittsburg Phil had a carefully trained
corps Of assistants Nothing escaped
him He was not content with the mere
watching of the running Of a race, bat
he carefully observed the preliminary
gallOps. and after a race he could be
found carefully watching each horse as
he came back TO the judges. Their con-
dition was noted by the punger for flu
tuTe races.
Smith studied the science of chances.
He knew Just where smart money was
being played He knew al the COM
missioners. He knew the connection be-
tween boOkmakeFs and owners. 1t took
cold. patient man 10 aHalyze all these
things and profit by them. "Pittsburg
Phil was that man. and his vigilance
never relaxed. The strain however, fin
ally broke him down.
L'HOmmedieu Another Type.
Steve LHommedieu flashed upon the
betting horizon and was blazing star
for a few seasons I,Hommpdieu was