New Britain herald., 1929-05-18
HANDICAPS WERE ALL THE
 RAGE IN GOOD OLD DAYS
Entry Cards for Two Events Run 46 Years Ago Bring
 Back Memories of Rentschler's Park - Runners From This City and Surrounding Towns Used to
 Compete = List of Rules Governing the Events

It is 50 often these days that one hears the expression "Oh! Those were the good old days!" that one begins to wonder just what made the old days so good. This applies not only to the days before Voistead rot in his bN of legislation which has become the most discussed law in the history of the country, but 1t applies also to sports.
 Just the other day. while digging through an old trunk in his home while the Missus was doing her spring house cleaning. D. J. Dona- hue, proprietor of the Sportsman's Exchange on Railroad Arcade. came across something that should be of interest to . great many of the sport followers of two score years ago. The something was | set of entry cards for two handicap foot races which were conducted at Rentschler's Park 4s years ago. In those days. they tell us, handi- cap racing WAS the thing and was in vogue all over the country. Out of the group of athletes from this city and other surrounding places. there arose one of the greatest handicap men of his day, bunce Flynn of Southinston. Names, piles of them, familiar to almost every-
 one in the city. dot the entrance cards and men who today seem any thing but athletes. have . past in sports that could allow them to swell their chests. If they ever felt 70 in- clined.
 Rentschler's Park. that paradise of fun in the old days, lying on the elevation at the foot of Arch street between Shuttle Meadow Avenue and places south. is now but mem- ory. In its place there rear homes and residences. the result of the progress made in this city in the last 20 years. The park, originally Rentschler and Zeiner's Scheutzen Park. was one of the best known athletic gathering places in the state and there, weekly and sometimes more often. meets would be held in which were entered the leading men of all events.
 Though we adhere strictly to the sports angle of these affairs, one can never forget the ever-present picnic table with its sandwich counters and its keg for the flowing bowl to ap- pease a gnawing hunger or . thirst such as can be raised only in Au- gust. We can hear the sishs escap- ing for 'The good old days.'
 The cards loaned us by MT. Dona- hue are not only relics. they are treasures. To the uninitiated. they give an insight into the fun and hill arity of the days gone by To those interested in sports. they give an insight to the mode of athletics in the old days. To those still living who were either spectators or par ticipants, they bring back memories of g youth bound up in activitiea which this section of the country knows no more.
 Handicap racing was all the rage at the time these cards were used The date on one is May so. 1883 and the date of the other is July o5 of the same year. Both were the entry cards for a 135 yards foot handicap run under the rules of the American Sporting Association and hailed as the third and fourth All United States event.
 First prize offered was $100. Se- cond was 80. third was S12.50 and fourth $7.60. In these days of high finance. the amount of these prices doesn't appear to be much. but in those days. the competition for places fin the money" would put to shame many . race run in more modern times.
 | Rules 10 Govern
 The rules to govern were as fol- lows:
 Rule 1-At the first time of enter ing accompanied by the entrance fee. must the proper name and ad- dress in full of entry and all names he has assumed for the purpose { running, also results of last two races. where and with whom. The association having any doubts what ever of the runner having entered falsely. reserve the right to disqual- ify him.
 Rule 2-Any man leaving or get ting over his mark with either foot before the pistol is fired. will be put back one yard for the first offense and one yard more for the second offsnse. and for the third offense, disqualified.
 Rule "A miss fire 10 be no start.
 Rule S-Each man allowed one at- tendant on the mark. who must re- tire behind the pistol firer before the start.
 Rule s-1f any man gets over his mark and after being put back runs . dead heat in running off the said heat. the man penalized must start from hts original mark.
 Rule e-In the event of any dis turbance taking place or darkness coming on. the promoters shall have the right to postpone the running of any heat or heats.