The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-08
GEERS AMONG FIRST
TO DEVELOP PAGERS
Veteran Hcrseman Drove His
Initial Race for Tennessee
Preacher i'm 1871.
HAD SCORE OF CHAMPIONS
by w, II. GOCHER.

On January 20. sixty-seven years ago.
Edward II. Geers sailed into port on his
cruise through life. He was born on a
farm near Lebanon. Tenn, In 1881. and
has always been a resident OF that
state, except during "A period OF about
ten years when he was in the employ
OF the Hamllns at Buffalo, n. Y. In his
day he has seen the PAGERS come to their
own in light harness racing, and he did
more than any other driver to maks
them popular
With the exception Of Little Brow
jug and Storm he either developed or
raced the best of the Eais and proved
conclusvely, over all kinds OF tracks.
that they we're the gamest and most
consistent breed OF race horses tina ever
looked through n bride. While doing
this the trump Of fame carried his name
over the land until Il .s now as well
known ms that OF any one who ever lived
In Tennessee. II has also become syn.
onymous with Integrity in the racing
world, while his skill as a trainer and
rensmaN has made him the dean Of HE
profession.
Ed Geers drove his first race in 1871
for Tennessee preacher and his last in
1917 for n New York woman who owns
St Frisco, the greatest racing graduate
or his school, the honor roll of which
presents the names OF over a score Of
champions.
During the first twenty-five years OF
his career Geers developed and shipped
from the southland a formidable array
OF pacing horses whose breeding was
unknown to Northern folk until he made
their blood lines familiar by topping the
race summaries with Matte Hunter, Joe
Braden, Brown Hal, Hal Pointer. his
tIaI IA A,ye
the first horse to beat two minutes IN
hRrness-Frank Dortch and the power
fui Hal billiard They were followed by
the flying squad of winners from the
Village Farm. and when that establish
ment disappeared others took their
places from the new training quarters at
Memphis.
As lad Ed Geers developed and sold
a few horses near his home town before
he made a trip TO Nashville In 1873.
where he met George Fuller and made
ARRANGEMENT to work for him the fol-
lowing year. During the 1874 cam.
paiFn Fuller took in a few Grand Cir
cult meetings and what Geers say there
convinced him that there was> ,nsid-
cradle to the racing business.
Became Trainer in 1878.
In 1875 ne hung ont his shingle az a
trainer at Nashville. where he soon at
.racted the attention Of Major Campbell
Brown. woh had a large farm near
Spring Hill. Major Brown decided TO
send him few horses. and In order to
be near his new patron Geers located at
Columbia and made Il his headquarters
for the next Twelve years.
The Almont filly Alice West was one
~ the first horses trained by Geers at
Columbia. In 1877 her young trainer
made his first trip North. winning with
her NJ Cincinnati where she defeated
Reene Jim ard Kentucky Wilkes and at
Fleetwood Park. New York; she finishei
IN front of IIogarth and Sir Walter,
whose son, Sir Walter. Jr., afterward
sired the dam OF THAN The following
week Alice West appeared at Hartford
and was defeated by Hogarth after a
six heat contest that was spread over
two days The first heat OF this race
was won by Lesser Dore's father with
Galatea, and when doing it she reduced
the world record for four-year to
@:s5% On the next trip Hogarth was
marked for life at 2:2S. Alice West
then won n heat in :29L, after which
Hogarth showed in front again, and
Geers secured the NTH heat with the AL
mont Ally. The race was then postponed
ard after a nights rest Hogarth was
tho ,oco IA vhicI ra,eraroo vas made
last September when the Connecticut
Fair Association presented Geers with a
silk flag In COmmemoration OF the forty
wears since he made his nrs. start over
Charter Oak Park.
In 1878 Geers brought on. Matte
Hunter Her frst races we're paced over
tho sandy Southern tracks that autumn.
and after she had defeated Sleepy
George a few times ne was convinced
that she would do FOR the first flight in
the Grand Circuit. which in 1879 opened
its first series OF races for PAGERS, The
free tar all was the class selected, nut
that did not stop Geers. as a few weeks
after tho season opened he was racing
head and head with Rowdy Boy, Blind
Tom and Lucy. his handsome mare be-
Ing the fourth member of the big four"
That Matte Hunter was as fast and
game as any OF them was shown at Chi
cago. where she was only Seaten neck