The Washington herald., 1914-10-25

the big day" the attendance was To-
600. Some OF the best half mile ring
horses in this country were present, and
the people who attended patroniZed the
fair chiefly on that account. At York.
Pa, the average daily attendance was
200 for two days, and on the third
day was 1900 and 30 per cent Of the
crowd went to the fair to see the horse
trots. The Hagerstown fair this year
played in hard weather luck. and yet the
daily attendance for two days was l0.noO,
and. on Friday OF the week. II was .. 90
in spite Of weather conditions. At Fred
erick. during the past week, the attend
dance each day for two days was 1000,
and on Thursday was about 1000 esti-
mated.
The annual fair held at Rockville Md.
was a frost on account OF the weather. but
on the one DAY that the sun did shine for
a few minutes the attendance was esti-
mated at 1000. II Is safe to say that
had the week been n fair weather one.
the daily attendance would have aver
aged at least 500. And the same aver
age results were everywhere achieved
In 1914, in every county in the United
States where a fair was held. The at
tendance throughout the Grand Circuit
was simply phenomenal. according to the
statistics received. On the other hand,
baseball statistics show that, as a gen.
eral thing. the average attendance, eN-
cept in the world series. was nominal as
compared with previous years. And then
we are told that interest in light harness
events has declined. II Is high time
that lovers of light harness sport rise
up and combat some of these erroneous
impressions. What newspaper owners
and newspaper editors need most at this
juncture. Is to be enlightened with the
hare facts. The misfortune is, in thI>
particular case, that there are So few
persons capable of undertaking the job.
Turn loose for six months the sporting
editors who are devoted to baseball on
the subject. and light harness sport
would stand in public opinion where
baseball does now. Once more turn on
the light. Outside of those clubs inter-
ested in the world series. what other
clubs in three leagues engaged can show
dividends of any consequence? Thomas
Murphy quits the season racing on the
Grand Circuit with $4,000 to his credit;
Cox with about $500: Geers not far
from S25, 900; Mcdonald with about $500
McMahan with $4,000 and the others
with sums ranging all the way from
$500 to Slc.0o0. On the half mile rings
the returns have been smaller because
the purses are smaller. But It Is a good
guess Indl herman NbOn. MCITaLn, our
own Miller, and others that might be
named, are some thousands ahead Of the
game. One mare, bred and owned by a
resident of this city, J. a. Jones, has
alone won in purses upward of s4.Oo6
II Is doubtful II the Nationals Of this
city have that amount OF actually earned
money in their treasury today credited
to 1914
And vet we are tolt there is very lit
tie interest local or elsewhere. in light
harness events. II one we're to refer TO
some Of the daily y-rewspapers Of Wash
Ington for evidence to the contrary one
might logically arrive at that conclusion.
but It would be false one just the same
as we have proved. With the exception
of The Washington Herald little is CLEAN
ed from the newspapers published here
as to light harness events, local or else
where For this condition Of things the
horsemen of Washington are largely to
blame. Were they to go In body and
enlighten the owners and editors Of
newspapers as to the actual condition
OF affairs, some recognition might be
obtained. It is bitter commentary on
the enterprise OF some Washington pa
pers that their readers are compelled to
buy the PhiIadelphia Record each day
OF a week in order to keep posted on
light harness events during the racing
season. L. D. SALE.