The Ocala evening star., 1914-07-13
RACING SPORTS
WANT MORE ROOM


Magazine, and the plan has met with /
such genuine approval that it is pos
sible that many Of the largest cities |
in the country soon will build trot-
ting tracks in their largest parks and
either admit the public free, or charge
them just nominal admission price.
1t was pointed out that in nearly
every city of size in the country there
are at least three or four parks that
could very nicely contain a half mile
or one mile trotting track, and that
such a track, including stands, could
be built at only a small cost. In
each Of these cities there are hun
dreds Of horse lovers who have some
rather speedy trotters and PAGERS and
these men could get together, form
a club and stage weekly races during
the summer.
The races could be run off on Sat
urday afternoon when the majority
of the workingmen are enjoying the
half holiday, and the weekly race
meets, without debt, would furnish
much pleasure and excitement to the
workingmen whose salaries are so
small that they never are able to pay
the prices charged for admission to
the regular trotting races when a
regular meet is being held.
The scheme has been operative in
Newark, y J., for many years and
its popularity is ever increasing. Each
week during the summer amateur
drivers stage races at Weequahic
Park before crowds that pack the
stands. The meetings give the horse
owners a chance to get all the pleas
ure they want out of driving, chance
to get speed of their horses, and the
exciting brushes give the spectators
numerous thrills.
The park is owned and maintained
by the county and the cost for up
keep is very small.
For many years the gentlemen 5
Driving Club, in Cleveland conduct
ed weekly meetings that were free
to the public They held their meets
in the famous old Glenville track,
and the club members stood the cost
of the upkeep of the track, the print
ing of programmes and the hiring
of a band. The matinees ceased to
become a feature only when the
march of progress forced the owners
of the track to cut it up into build
ing lots, forcing the amateur reins-
men from the home they had for so
many years.
The amateur drivers later staged
their matinees at the North Randall
track, about 20 miles from the heart
of the city, but the workingmen and
their families who used to be regu-
lar attendants at the Glenville track
could not afford the expense of the
longer trip. If a track had been
built in one of the big city parks
where the car fare would only be five
cents it would have meant a jammed
park at every matinee.
| Organized baseball is worried over
the report that the Ward family, one
| of the principal hackers of the Fed
eral League, owns the Colonial Lea
que, a class C organization which is
operating under the protection of
organized baseball. This league is
composed of teams in the following g
towns: Fall River, Mass; New Bed
ford, Mass; Taunton, Mass; Paw
itucket, r. l.; Woodsocket, r. l.; and
Brocton, Mass.
1t is said that the Ward family
owns the Pawtucket team outright
and that it owns controlling inter
est in practically every other club
in the league. While scouting the
report of the Ward control in their
league, the Colonial officials refuse
to say who are the principal back
ers.
Organized baseball is beginning to
regard the baseball players fraternity
with suspicion according to our lat
est information and organized base
| ball is beginning to think a lot of
| uuhluu buIuSS dUOuI lave uIIZ,
proxy for the organization. 1t all
comes about because Dave, finally
possessed of a club, is forcing organ
lied baseball to play fair and square
do in the days before the Federal
League came into being.
Now that Dave is using the FEEDER
al League as a slap-stick upon or
ganized baseball. Organized baseball
thinks Dave ought to be jailed Oh
lshanghaied or something on that or
der. Dawes getting too darned
fresh for a young man. And as times
go on, Dave grows freshier and sas
ier and more heckling. But the vas