The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-12-18
HorseySet
Guest of
OHara
By KIRK MILLER
Tirnea Sporfs Editor

against people whose pockets
are lined with gold, why, even
tually some of it may rub off
on you.
That is one Of the reasons ]
am looking forward wide-eyed
to supping this week with the
modern Midas of sports, Mr..
Walter e. o'Hars, who is in
town casting covetous eyes to-
ward the flats Of the Eastern
branch of the Potomac River,
otherwise known as Benning, D.
c., where Sir Walter would even.
tually build a race track for the
entertainment of the turf fans
Of the District Of Columbia.
Goofy About Racing
Sir Walter is gathering unto his
board, come tomorrow night, some
of the good townSpeople who are
in, or on the edge Of, racing, and
for some reason or another, he
seems to think my presence will
be no drawback.
I don't even know Mr.. O'Hara,
although I have made some in
quiries about him from such as
Albert Rohrback, ICY" Cummings,
Johnny Gheen and other horsey
folks, and am told he is not only
an interesting person, but plain
goofy about racing.
SO the invitation which comes
to hand to have mock turtle soup
with Mr.. O'Hara, say nothing OF
sailed almonds and other tid-bitS
for which the Mayflower is IA
nous, suspect is the handiwork
of one OF the three above named
fancierS of the thoroughbred, or
possibly that of Mr.. O'Hara'S
Man Friday, Harry Stringer. who
once used to be newspaper man
himself.
Looking for Miracle
Paddock" our racing expert,
whose real name has been as
much Of mystery to me for years
as some Of his selections, if I may
say, so, tells me Walter O'Hara
is one Of those rare long shots Of
the turf, and that everything he
touches turns to gold.
n.
ing up to shake his hand tomor-
row, after which I will step back
three PAGES to observe whether
my right arm takes on a gilded
sheen. I am going to watch the
salt shakers and vinegarettS, tea
cups, etc. also, to see if they turn
to gold, and if they do, when I
emerge from the hosiery, proba-
bly, through the back or Seven
tenth Street exit I am sure the
pockets Of my greatcoat will re-
Semble those Of a Second7Story
worker.
Land Office Business
O'Hara, you see, is the sole
owner of New England's spacious
racing plant, NarraganSett Park,
at Pawtucket, r. I. More people
spun the turnStiles at Narragan.
sett this summer, than flocked to
any other race track the country
over during about 81 days of rae
ing. Consequently the pari mu.
tuel play there was the greatest
Of the year.
This being Mr.. O'Hara's initial
effort in exploiting His Majesty,
The Horse, he is no little encour.
aged, and has commenced to won
der to himself, How long has this
been going on?" If it is good bust
ness on 81 days of the year, why
wouldn't it be good business the
other weekdays where space and
sanction permit, he muses. to him
self.
Thus, as we say, he is casting
covetouS, if not actually envious,
eyes toward Benning, where horse
racing hasn't thrived since 1908,
but where traces Of many a hoof
print are still to be found as
though they were hieroglyphics in
the sands Of time.
Must See Mr.. Hazen
imagine it is for the purpose
Of sounding out sentiment about
horse racing legislation for Wash
ington, Of which Benning is a part
and parcel, that Mr.. O'Hara is go
ing to pour and carve, on the NOR
row.
If. indeed, that Is the purpose
Of the gay gathering, I would adj
wise him to include in his guest
list my friend Melvin Hazen, chair.
man of the Board of Commits
Sioners of the District of Column
bia, horseman from away back,
although some of his horses don't
go much master than those which
OHara himself runs under the
name of the Araho (O'Hara
spelled BACKWARD Stable.
Which reminds me I must
amend my original statement to
say that nearly everything Mr..
O'Hara touches turns to gold. AS
an industrialiSt Che is a brass and
copper tube manufacturer) he has
been immensely successful, as he
has as a race track operator, but
as master of the Araho Stable,
why, his horses seem to run for
that other Irish clansman-
Sweeney.
Barry Fights Pack
"Reds" Barry, local heavy
weight. engages IOrenZo Pack.