New Britain herald., 1915-01-11
HAVANA BUDS FORTH AS SPORTING CENTER
Bjg Race Meet to Open at kag-
 nifiCent New Park.


 the Pearl of the Antilles, the city which each year extends a welcoming greeting to thousands of Uncle Sammys tourists will try in two new fields of amusement this year. Amusements which, according to the expectations of the promoters will reap a harvest for those backing the huge enterprises and at the same time help materially to relieve the good natured tourists of a large portion of their surplus cash. Racing and boxing are the sports soon to be launched in the metropolis of the West Indies.
 Racing, while not entirely new here, never has had a fair trial in Ha- vana. In past years, men who might have known a good deal about gambling. but who were ignorant of conditions in the Cuban capital, ven- tured into the racing game on a mere shoestring, expecting to come through the season with a wad of coin that would place them on easy street.
 They found. however. much to their disappointment, that the sporting pub lie, especially the Cubans, who must be catered to in order to insure sue cess in any field, wanted to be shown the real article before they would patronize the race track As a re- suit, shrewd promoters soon found a large balance on the debit side of their ledger, and were forced to the wall.
 Change in Conditions.
 This year things have changed. The caliber of the promoters, the build ing of a beautiful track, clubhouse, grandstand. stalls for the race horses and a large hotel close to Marianao Beach in the suburbs of Havana, has entirely restored the confidence of the public. Through the efforts of Curly Brown, the well-known American promoter, who is in charge of affairs at the track, some of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of Ha- vana. including President Menocal, have been enlisted in the cause, and with them interested, the Cuban patronage is assured.
 Senor Munos, editor of Le Munda, on being asked for an opinion on the racing situation yesterday afternoon said:
 The Cuban public doesn't know anything about this game, but the people have a whole lot of confidence in MT. Brown, and in the distin- guished citizens affiliated with him in the Havana Jockey club. In add1- tion to that, they inherit the gamb- ling instinct. and any sport that gives the Cuban chance to indulge in gambling. provided he receives square deal for his money is sure to receive the support of the natives.
 "The success of the experiment to be tried by MT. Brown does not de- pend wholly on the patronage of the American tourists, as some would be- lieve-the Cubans also must be con- sidered In the last racing meet conducted here, about seven years ago, on a track that no how resem- bled a track the local public became thoroughly disgusted with the con- ditions in general. Poor talent, poor riders and betting commissioners who robbed the public, discredited the game. Since then several inf1uen- tial American and Cuban sportsmen often have spoken of reviving the sport, but it remained for MT. Brown to put the project through.
 Boxing Should Pay
 As for boxing. that is one sport that l am sure will yield consider able profits. Plans practically have been completed for converting AL mendares Ball Park, the stamping grounds of the Cuban professional baseball teams, into an arena for staging bouts during the tourists season. Permission has not yet been granted by the government for the introduction of the game here, but there will be no trouble in that line"
 Oriental Park in Maranao, where the racing will be staked, was sched- uled to open for the inaugural race on Thursday, January ', but eight continuous days of rain made it inn possible for the management to put the races were postponed for d week the track in proper condition and splendid weather for the past few days has helped the promoters con siderably to get things in shape for the opening, with the result that at this writing, with the exception of the grading of the approaches to the grand stand, everything is in tip top