The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-24
EARLY START Of
OLD Pop GEERS
FASTEST HORSE COULD NOT WIN
THE RACE--DISIIkED
COMPANY,
SCOTTISH CHE F
broke RECORD IN EXHIBITION
HEAT AFTER BEING BEATEN
by THE INFERIOR
STOCK.

the reinsmen, who has pulled as many
trotters and PAGERS across the line to
victory as any living person. started
In Mobile on his route to fame.
Twas the summer Of 1873 to be
exact that Geers first made his bow
as a successful master Of the equines.
In those days Mobile held a State
fair each season, the attraction draw
ing horses from all sections Of the
country, the prizes being worth the
effort of any horseman.
Geers came down from Tennessee
and brought with him beautiful
specimen Of horsefesh. Scottish Chief
q tall, well groomed black gelding,
was Pops prize horse for the gao
trot. the chief event of the day. and
In 1873 2.40 was "some going for
an animal
Mobile was then a member Of the
American Trotting association, and
the judges Of the race course were
the late c. Il. futile, Dan =. Huger,
deceased, and Fred s. Cox.
The horses were lined up fer the
go" and Scottish Chief was made
faVorite in the pools. Down the line
they came, and as they left the wire
Scottish Chief was off 10 a good start
+
position, but as they neared the home
stretch Chief seemed to dwindle off to
nothingness His speed failed him en-
tirely, and the horse was closely scru-
tini2ed by The Judges as he was sent
to the barn to cool down between
heats
The second heat brought Chief out
with bright red nostrils, high head
and fresh as could be desired in
wind. of To the start. Chief showed
q flash to the first quarter Of q mile.
and Geers kept him in nice position
for the final sprint down the stretch.
When the final drive home started,
Chief again failed TO show anything
like speed. and barely got inside the
distance flag. 1t looked too strong
+ for the judges, and Pop was lacked
up on the carpet by them. They in
formed him that in thelE opinion, he
was pulling his horse. and a repe-
tition of his actions In the third heat
would result in his being suspended.
Il vital sentence when imposed on an
association track
The third and last heat was n
repetition of the two first, and as
Pop drove his entry 10 a saluting
position he was ordered to the stand,
# He was severely reprimanded, and
as his turn came to speak he made
this proposition:
ster from the hills OF Tennessee and
am trying hard To make living by
driving horses. One thing, gents,
will at all times bc honest, and l am
cut no the quick at having been CEN
sured by you for something ! honestly
cannot help.
T Scottish Chief, erstwhile my pride
horse. has completely failed me. Why,
+ he should win with the greatest ease
/ in the company in which he IS trav-
cling, but ! am unable to get him to
+ his gait. He is an awful high strung
animal and my only opinion is that
he Will not go when in company. To
prove THIS, gentlemen, give me
chance tomorrow ana I'll. drive Chief
by himself to n mark at least five sec
onds faster than the best winning
heat today"
The judges considered his case. and
Informed Pop that he would be
given chance To vindicate himself
( by driving Chief an exhibition mile
the following morning at IL o'clock
The Judges the following morning
sent Chief off on his speed tour, Geers
IN, and when he was clicked for
the finish Of the mile the watches
read 2:33. or eight seconds faster
than the swift heat of the race the
previous afternoon,
That test proved the speed of Chief
alone. and he was later sent out on a
! mile with an ordinary trotter as an
opponent.
/ horse and went away from the wire
/ like a New York express train, but
as soon as the opposing animal near
ed Chiefs withers the entry Of Pop
! commenced to stall, and could not
he driven out to the front. The scrub
animal defeated Chief with ease. and
4 when the finish was completed there
was a sufflciency OF evidence for the
Judges, and Cfeers was exonerated of
any blame for his horses actions of
! the previous day.
| 1t meant much for Pop" for, had
/ he been convicted Of pulling his en-
T fry the CTAryrus Il tf14tt II .ytrt1f1i
have rclerateci 64eers to oblivion, a.
| the American Trotting association III
| these DAYS are severe in the extreme
on a driver convicted of dishonest
/ driving.
1 Pop" drove throughout the fair,
and had good success. leaving here
and making worldwide history as a
/ driver of horses,
The race proved Geers master of
4 the horse. He knew though only a
novice, that his animal was defeated
simply because he did not like COM
pany, and also that he was an honest
| driver. a reputation that he has zeal
ous1y maintained in his years of SER
vice with horses.
! Years passed. and at one of the big
Eastern meets Mr.. Cox (who OFF,
eiated as starting Judge in 1878 when
| Geers was censured) was present.
and Geers was driving at the races.
Mr.. Cox called Pop and congratu
lated him on his steady round OF
success as a driver: Geers still re-
membered the little incident, and an
swering the CONGRATULATIONS, he
added, "Yes, Cox, | have had nice
lines of success but II you judges
had convicted me in 1878 / guess it
would have been the end of me as
a driver of race horses"
The race of 1878 was held at Ar
lngton race track, which was the
scene Of many a heartrending finish
In the days of the long ago.
In the New York state league the
| Ringhampton club has signed Out
fielder AL Swain, who was idle last
year because OF III health but in 1911