Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-05
AGED VETERANS
ARE SPORTSMEN
SAWTELLE MEMBERS WATCH
AUTOS IN PRACTICE
NOVEL WAGERs ARE MADE BY
OLD SOLDIERS
Preparations for Sah:a Monica Road
Race Cause Former Warriors to
Forget Injustice Perpetrated
at the Home

That the aged veterans at the Sol
diers' home near SaWtelle are keenly IN
terested in sport and embrace every
opportunity to witness exciting con-
tests when they are not discussing the
pure food laws, why they don't have
real meat for breakfast or any other
meal, why the milk has formed a close
alliance with aqua pura, or other sub
iects of vital importance at the home,
can be judged any day by the NUMBER
of enthusiastic railbirds that line the
road along SaWtelle watching the big
racing automobiles getting in condition
for the Santa Monica road race.
The veterans have taken keen IN
terest in the sport, and as early as D
o'clock in the morning a number OF
them can be seen perched at points OF
vantage sizing up the putting "honk,
honk," cars as the chauffeurs test
them and get them in condition for the
grueling contest to be held next Satur-
day. So enthusiastic have these former
defenders of the country became over
the auto speeding that they have in
vented a novel game called dulo
poker"
The game is simple when understood
One veteran willpick a machine that ne
sees in the distance and another vet
eran will back the next machine that
comes along, no matter how long that
may be.
Then they make small wagers on the
numbers of the auto, figuring the same
as in poker For instance, car num-
bered 11,220 means TWO pairs, aces up,
as the figure one counts for an ace.
The next car may be numbered l2,340,
which would be a straight. The ngure
0. zero, counts for 10, and after a little
practice the person gets so that he can
rapidly arrange the figures into poker
hand.
Make Novel Wagers
Then the veterans bet. One viii bet
that Governor CoChrane Will be re-
moved within three months, standing
to forfeit half of his days ratlons,
which he considers lightly, if he loses:
Another will bet that there Will he
salt on the table and agrees to give ms
share of the pumpkin pie If he loses
1t is innocent sport, for such pet IS
regarded as absolutely safe, as there
is no pumpkin pie
A. good many hours and some novel bets
are made that are never pald out
simply speculated on, and not In d
literal sense at that.
In writing of the automobile practice
one veteran says;
1.-THE National automobile race prac-
tice has accentuated and continued the
the recent disclosures at the nome
The autos, which pass over three
quarters of a mile through the GROUNDS
of the home, furnish one or the most
exciting sports we have ever witnessed
The old soldiers crowd down to the line
that circles the track every morning
from 5 o'clock until 10. / have seen
chariot races and at the time thought
they were exciting, but they are not In
it with an auto race. Pen cannot
describe the whole sensation. The
blood of us old soldiers pulsates anew
and one has tingling sensation from
head to foot. =
GAS the auto passes at a speed Of
more than a mile a minute the Vlgor-
Gus clapping of hands shows the ecstasy
in which. the spectator is enthralled
But. oh! to see two of the monsters
racing side by side, as was the case
Yesterday morning, when they went
eight miles and three-tenth miles in
1928 by the watch. That was more than
one veteran could stand, and he leaped
to his feet in excitment and exclaimed
in Jim Lanes celebrated phrase, Great
God, amt that going some!
Autos Make Great Noise
''From the home grounds on Nevada
avenue one can see the racers coming
for two miles, and the noise of the rae
ing auto at this distance is louder than
that a trolley car makes going over
crossing at high speed.
every one remarks at the great
noise they make when they are so far
away that they seem but black specks.
In going round the curve here in the
home grounds at a mile a minute the
two outside wheels raise several inches
off the ground.
This morning, and indeed every
morning, there are a large number of
women present, and they appear as
much interested in the speeding autos
as the men. Several from Beverly and
The Palms were excited spectators. So
far there has not been a single accl-
dent and we sincerely hope there will
not be one during the entire sport. We
believe the track the prettiest course In
the United States and appreciate the
fact that we have something to take up
our minds and afford us little
pleasure"