New-York tribune., 1909-03-01
COMMENT on SPORTS
RACING STILL N DARK.
Nc7cs and Tfezrs on Current Topics,
4mateur and Professional.


ing season vas at hand, RuInor went SO far as
actually 10 name tie tine and place OF meeting
of the racing associations that had never been
called so far as can be learned, and naturally the
ho-sernen and those interested n the sport were
doomed 10 disappointment With F. R Hitchcock
n the South, Schuyler Parsons and F X St1rsis
out OF town and August Belmont, chairman o. the
JOCKEY Club away convalescing from an operatlon'
there telling when meeting Of the stewards
can he held. and until that ti.ne the dates and
plans 1or the season must remain in abeyance-
Another rurnor Is current that the racing associa-
ffons have agreed & tentative allotment OF dates
znd that the various programmes have been out
lined. There appears 20 be good reason TO believe
rhat this Is a fact. but those in the know are
10 secrecy until such time as the stewards
- -he Jockey Club rstify the dates, which may
not he until early 81 April. The delay max be for
the best interests Of the turf in this state but.
Whether II is not. those interested in the sport
1lust possess thei- souls with patience
In talking with = man who stands high IN the
councils of the National SteeDlechase snd Hunt
Association on Friday, the assurance was given
that rh= friction between some OF the hunt clubs
snd the controlling body in 'Cross-coUntry racing
Rad been grossly exaggerated. and that there vas
1st1le Or no chanCs OF split disagreement over
she control OF the amateur and hunt club meetings.
which quite likely 70 he a feature OF the sport
this season This borne out when ths com
r7rrce Of nine ratified Saturday The mis-
understanding arose as 10 the purpose or the
National Steeplecllass srd Hunt Association in
taking more (athery interest than heretofore IN
these meetings and II appears that some Of the
hunt clubs were impressed with the fear that their
rights would 5eopardized- There should be 10
grounds for this fear, the real purpose Of the
eteeClechase association Is n arouse and foster
fresh interest cju for the sake Of racing. and
through rhe committee OF nine, of which six mem
hers are from TIE various hunt clubs. 10 revise the
rules 81 racing If recessar. n see that the dates
s-e 50 ARRANGED as 10 avoid conflict. and 10 insure
the T7rope- granting Of licenses 10 trainers and !
-,--HF -7-~N SrTf70v
Davis who said IN recent letter on the subject;
The question Of organization for the proper
regulation cE racing in this CoUu-rT IS = oe-lca1e
cre and fn order - Re effective must be q unit
zr slvavs ready 70 change when conditions can
- rst-ered hut feel that should e very
SLOWLY. lest our last condition b worse than or
%rs- The National Steeplechase and Hunt Aszo-
-tsrc-- allied = * with the Jockey 1lub NUS
zrd should reEllats racing of ell kinds N THIS
co-1-r-y-'
tco much - expect that the various amateur
.rd hunt club meetings VII assume the Importance
rHer K rcped for them IN one season, o. even N
10 - rhree seasons The rove Is 4 good one
l7rz-ever and properly begun, as there - every
~easca - believe II will be much good may result
Ecrd comes from California taat Bara-z Schrei-
1.r-has decided 70 ship Jack Akin. one Ct the
best srrtnte-s ever developed n this country, and
: horse which has proved his ability 10 50 dis
lance also under proper conditions 70 LngIsHo
sor1a tine this spring a number O. hcfsS11en
r-7ss-for +be wisdom OF this. and 7 quite eEree
nth them ara would nor be surprised TO md that
the report was uaisea ding Jack Arlz1n would have
- -ur in overnight races ebroa6, and while he IS
= remarkable horse, particularly over sprlnJlng
distances the chances appear brighter for his earn
f-g more money IN this country, even considering
+re unsettled condition OF racing N this stats
While Jack stlzin has W mile and 2 fur
long his best races have been over sprinJing dis
ss-oes under 2 high scale Further than that
rhiIe fhe mantle OF old Bit1en. the iron horse
s-pears 70 have fallen on his shoulders, he has
beer csnpaigned winter snd summer Cor three
wears and this, on top Of = journey TO strange
Zines would n ell probability affect his useful
r.ss Jack Akin Is OF the most Popular horses
- the day, and il IS hoped that he may pe seen
nth -o1crs I'D On metropolitan tracks this year
In nfs last winning race IN California Oh February
Il he took up 40 pounds and ran six furongs IN
s.7715 which is within one-ffth of second of the
--orld's record for the distance over q circular
track.
= seems 2 pity that the basketball teams of
Columbia and New York University. both Of which
have come through the season without P single
acct co,,Td not arrange q game series Of
rz,reS SO that the intercollegiate championship
row that the league has been disrupted, might he
5efrttely settled Columbia played through the
stronger schedule. and would undoubtedly have
ruled favorite If the two teams had met. but tae
~ew York five could be counted upon 10 give
good account OF ttselr The only games the hves
vlsve6 IN common we're against Princeton and
WESLEYAN and these games indicated that the two
teams YER. well matched. Speaking Of basketball
tx general there been decided tnnpToVeI1leI
shks year over last far as rough ana Unfair
-lsv i. concerned, thanks largely 70 q revision IN
the rules There IS room for more irlI'ToV VeIlleht'
+oz,e,,e- g the game Is 70 live and prosper. The
Brown Herald" IN an editorial On February ?
sounds e note OF warning. and shows that tho
sport Is none TOO popular. by saying
%, .o-1e 3n5oo~ a-rIezSc contest which would take
~. Place Of basketball winter sport Tor the
-vfrra7
upon dusty floor It's present Tues plaGe s a PR r.
= a -fsir contest because Of the advantage given
20 The home team through familiarity Win VII , me
as there types OF gymnasium aren't & aLl-
there very nearly as many |asS o ass lie ne
as college game. At least one INSTITUTION AIN
herSt, prohibits IL
II. 5I-yi7ritv has deserved well Of the New
vo-lx Baseball Clcb. ana the words OF praise II
NJ Prylsh's telegram giving him his release N
stead Of seIi7g him. no less than his cue, he
rznne 70 the club with John J McIraW "heh MI.
F7-usb made his wholesale raid on Baltimore IN
-o02 and ritched superbly in the three following
seasons Time after time IN the desperate sTug-
ries OF 1so4 and 1905 when e pennant rewarded the
efforts OF the Giants. lie pitched and Won TWO
games in a single afternoon. and hence came his
s~4ctionats christening q the Iron Man
an sorry 70 see him 60. every lover Of what
IS fest in baseball here IN New York must be. but
l-e rss Won the right 20 better himself by years
= faithful service and s. is pleasant TO think that
-,s~e 8 no chance his being lost 70 the game
As owner or manager he cannot fail to do as much
- fl,e game as lie did as player. and every New
York rooter viii join IN Mr. Brush's hopes for
MS success.
Harvard has acquired the E:nnlng habit in
way that must bring great JOY to the wearers OF
-,a Crimson Not with beating Yale a.
baseball winning the eight-oared shell race at