The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-12

and track this afternoon at Windsor,
Ont. the contest between Man O. War
| and Sir Barton should be one Of the
| memorable events in the annals Of rae
/ ing. Only few times in the century
which has elapsed since the beginning of
authentic turf history in America have
horses OF such prominence come together
and stamina. With no deadwood in the
| field it will be clean cut duel between
| the two great runners of the day. each
! of which has performed feats no other
| ever accomplished. and though not tech
nically a match II will have all the ele-
| ments of a match in which horse is
pitted against horse. with no opportunity
/ for helping and but little for interfering.
| The purse of $4,000 Is the largest ever
hung up for horse race and the win
ner can fairly lay claim to the title Of
| King of the Turf"
| 1t was snch an event as the one just
arranged by the enterprising track man
ayers across the river from Detroit
which gave the first great impetus to
racing in New York and which marked
! the beginning of the turf as an estab-
| lished Institution in America. And It Is
| the two horse contests OF this kind be-
| tween outstanding champions which
constitute the milestones In American
racing annals and which live in turf
history long after other events have been
! forgotten.
! At this late day one cannot readily
realize the important results of the first
great sectional match between the rival
champions of the North and the South
4 Ia f1tp ,frf throughout
the United States nearly 100 years ago
But something akin TO It has been notice
able this season In the widespread public
| interest awakened by the sensational
| triumphs OF Man O. War over all COM
petitors. including Father Time.
"Eclipse Against the World"
American Eclipse was the Man o. War
of 1923. Foaled on the little Island In
the Sound which is now the summer
home OF j. p. Morgan. and owned by
Cornelius w. Van Ranst. who kept
livery stable at the northeast corner on
Beekrnan and Nassau etreets, "contigu-
Gus to the business part or the city," as
he said few years afterward In adj
vertislng II for sale. Eclipse had beaten
everything that could be found to start
against him on the newly built Union
In 1922. In response to a challenge from
North Carolina he had gone to Wash
ington and there beaten Sir Charles. the
outstanding horse OF the Southern turf.
Sir Charles. however. broke. down In
the race, whereupon the spirited South
ern horsemen. led by Col. William r.
Johnston, the Napoleon of the Turf.
offered to wager $40, 900 they could pro-
duce another horse the next spring that
would take the measure OF the Northern
champion on his own ground.
John G. Stevens OF New York. re-
nowned alike as the builder OF the yacht
America and as the hacker of Eclipse.
took the bet on the spot. though the
terms virtually made IL Eclipse against
the world" for while the Southern turf
men had the privilege OF naming their
horse at the post on the day of tire race
the Northern sportsmen were tied UP to
single competitor. named six months
In advance. 1t was a sporting match, &c
ever there was one. on the past of
Mr.. Stevens. and Its terms, as well ns
It's sectional character, Its unexampled
stakes ard the prominence OF the men
concerned made II national event OF
absorbing interest 20 all classes of peo-
pie from the day II was arranged. at n
jockey club dinner. In November. until
Il was decided the following May.
How the Napoleon OF the Turf took
the field early in May with five OF the
best four mile runners he could find
from which 20 choose his starter on the
day OF the race how he finally select
ed the four year-old colt Sir Henry. by
Sir Archy. the sire OF Sir Charles; how
this North Carolina horse won the first
heat In the fast ttme of z IA. leading
from start to finish now Samuel purdy.
an amateur rider. whose grave Is In st.
Paul's churchyard. at broadway and
Fulton street. pulled off his coat at this
critical juncturc, took the place Of Will
lam Crafts on Eclipse. and. riding In
his shlrtsleeves. pulled the great race
out Of the fire by his brilliant jockey
ship and generalship. the Long Island
horse outrunning and outlasfing Sir
Henry In the next two heats In Z :4s and
S:24; how vast throng OF $4,000 per-
sons, coming from every part OF tho
Union. witnessed the grueiling contest.
and how Colonel Johnston. who had
made himself so sick the night before on
Holsters and champagne that he could
not get to the track, Immediately chal-
lenged MIR Stevens for another race al
Washington for any part os $4,000 a
side. which the hacker of Eclipse grace
fully declined all this is as a twice
told tale.
Nineteen years elapsed before rival
champions OF the North and the South
came together again. When they did