The Washington times., 1915-05-12
SMILING BOOTBLACK
CRIPPLED BY HORSES
Little George, Ousted From War
Department Stand, Was
Jockey at Age of Nine.

The web barrier snapped. Sixteen
maiden colts shot from its restraint
out upon the getaway. Bunched at the
start, their twinkling legs at once en-
veloped them in a cloud Of dust which
obscured the butterfly colors of the
Jockeys, each crouching high on his
mount, fighting for the rail.
Away across the greensward around
which the track lay brown and barren
and hoof-scored, the Morris Park
grandstand, filled to overfowing, with
the dead game devotees of the Sport of
Kings of twenty years ago, silently
watched the start of the race.
Later, when the field would sweep
Into the stretch, the stands would burst
into roars, each man shrieking the
name of his favorite, but at the Begin
ming 1t was "anybody's race for none
of the mounts out there in the dust
obscured bunch had ever started before.
Bunched At Quarter.
At the quarter the field was still
punched. At the half some of the
riders. hopelessly out, began to fall be-
hind.
Then from the mass of horseflesh a
rangy bay colt shot ahead. Up near
the horses cars perched a little figure,
creeping out into the lead, the rangy
bay left the cloud Of dust behind as
the sports in the grandstand cried:
Rode Old Starlight.
IT'S Pops colt! It's Starlight and
cursed because the veteran of the
tracks. Pop" Daily, stood fair to add
another laurel to his racing wreaths.
Into the stretch the big bay thunder
ed. Behind him the field, now broken,
strung out in a leaping line. just ahead
the judges stand promised an end Of
the walkaway
Toward it the bay leaped-stumbled-
went to his knees-catapultng the little
jock out across the track. where he lay,
q bright blotch of color against the
check the momentum Of the fall,
sprawled behind, his neck broken.
over horse and rider the field swept
with tearing, crushing hoofs, and when
they had passed the little Jock" was
carried from the track.
He was just nine years old when he
rode Starlight. Today he Is Smiling
George" the bootblack with the Grip
pied back. twisted from the injuries
received that day twenty years ago on
the Morris Park course, and who has
just been given notice to vacate the lit
tie stand he has conducted for many
years In the basement corridor of the
War Department.
game. A Washington boy, he was
bound over to old Pop Daily by his
parents. who wanted him made into a
Jockey. Pop DAILY was then famous
for the riders he had discovered. among
whom stood Snapper Garrison, whose
finishes" were to become famous in
the vernacular of the track.
Career Cut Short.
According to Pop Daily, young
George Copeland gave promise of be-
coming a premier rider. and ne already
had ridden and won several races before
his career was cut 81 Crt In that maiden
eN ent at Morris Park.
Only once after that did Smiling
George" put a leg over the leather.
That was at the old Rockville fair
grounds, when. disregarding his in
juries. which had healed by that time,
he stole away from his home in this
city and managed to get up in a race
there. He was pocketed at the start.
knocked from his mount and again in
jured.
That is why, incapacitated for any
heavy work, Smiling George" Cope
land set up his little bootDlack stand.
which, according to the latest adviCes.
he must relinOuiSh next Saturday.