Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-02-18
RACE MANAGERS
LACK FORESIGHT
Harness Race Heads Take Too
Much for Granted Says
Frank Trott.
ST. PAUL HOME OF CHAMPS
By JACK VEIOCK.

track managers take too much for
granted.
This is the belief of Frank Trott.
one of the best versed Of racing men
in the country, who protests that the
purses offered these days are not
large enough to induce horse owners
to enter their best steppers in the
various meets which are held around
the big loop.
The managers seem to figure that
Cox will have Mabel Trask along, and
that Pop Geers will enter St. Frisco,
and that purse of 81, 200 will catch
Them says Trott. This is the way
the harness horse turf is conducted,
and it tells palmer than any other
thing why this branch OF racing has
not been receiving its just share of
public approval"
Last season Mabel Trask and St.
Frisco did more to increase popular
approval and interest in harness rae
ing than any ten or twelve trotters
combined, and their rewards were
ridiculously small.
These two wonderful performers
must either be raced for purses
ranging between $1,000 and 81 200 or
remain in their stalls. Trotting
managers either fail to recognize
their value as gate attractions, or re-
fuse to do so because they believe
they can get them anyway.
Foresight Lacking.
When it is considered that the
horses available are numerous and
that free-for-al with reasonable
purse, drawing such entries as the
two already mentioned, together with
Peter Mac, Zomrect, Volga, Mary
Putney, Peter Scott, Donna Iona and
others who have marks ranging from
2:03A to 2:05A, could be depended
upon to draw handsomely, it is ap-
parent that the meets are not con-
Quoted with the foresight that should
be used.
1t is said that such events as the M.
& NJ. and the Charter Oak stake may
be moved back to the 2:l2 class, and
that other promoters of the big purses
are likely to follow suit, and it seems
pity that the managers, instead OF
providing for the best performers
first, have taken the other tack.
The war in Europe has made it i'm
possible for American horse owners
to ship their stars abroad, and there is
an abundance OF material for some OF
the greatest racing meets in history.
St. Paul Gets Honors.
When it comes to the boxing cham
pionship of individual cities it APP
pears that St. Paul, Mimi, has the in
side track, with a good chance to hold
it for quite while.
St. Paul boasts more boxers of the
top-notctf class than any other city in
the country.
First of all there is Michael Glib
bons, the phantom" who, although
extensively criticized by many writers,
is nevertheless the best looking boy
among the middleweights of Amer
lea by a long way. Mikes brother,
Tommy Gibbons, is another wonder
fully clever and capable boxer who is
coming fast, and may some day rank
among the best in the country.
Next comes Johnny Ertle, who
claims the bantamweight title, and
who is recognized as the bantam
champion by some of the writers on
boxing, while others consider that the
bantam division is so tangled up that
no one boxer can be rightfully cred
tied with the championship. At any
rate. Ertle stands out as a bantam of
the top-notch class, and St. Paul is
his home.
In the light heavyweight division
Billy Miske, another ST. Paul product,
has proven to the satisfaction of hstic
critics both east and west that he has
Just claim to a seat in the first
row among the near-big fellows, such
as Dillon, Levinsky and Darcy.
And the biggest of all St. Paulians
is Fred Fulton, giant contender for
the Willard skypiece. Fulton is
working his way to the top, and he
will eventually be matched with Viii
lard for the championship.
Aside from these boxers are num-
Der of good boys who deserve men
ton. They are Mike O'Dowd, good
middleweight; Billy DeFoe, a feather
weight; Bobby Ward, a lightweight
Of better than the average class, and
Buff Seidel, a strong l33-pound boy
who has been making rapid strides in
his division
There are few others, but in the
list named here we have called your
attention to the best of the St Paul
contingent. There is not another city
in the country that can show better
hand of boxing stars.
Coulon Loses Punch.
Johnny Coulon is still the clever,
shifty performer that he used to be,
but he has lost the punch he packed
when he was wearing the bantam
weight crown, and he proved it re-
Gently when he met Jack Sharkey in
New York at the Pioneer Sporting
club. Coulon was given a popular
draw with Sharkey, but had there
been a hairline decision awarded
Sharkey would have been entitled to
it. Couion still can box, and seems
to have lost none of his ring general
ship, but the old punch is lacking.
Age is telling on Johnny, and the
proof of his years is shown by the
sparse covering OF thatch which
adorns his head
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