The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-16


The citizens of our town are
simple, unspoiled children, particu-
larly those who spend their after.
moons around the race tracks, anc
the appearance of a novelty, such
as the electric camera, excites theil
awe and sets them to jabbering.
They had heard reports that the
tracks out in California and dowr
In Florida were using some sort Of
magical contrivance to photograph
close finishes so as to eliminate the
element of human error, but they
supposed it was just a lot of foolish
talk, or maybe a practical joke.
There was only one way to tel
who won tight horse race and that
was to guess at it like the Judges
had been doing at the Metropolitan
tracks for the past so years. Yep
there was only one way, but gol
DANCED If here wasn't that electric
camera, right in little old New York
and blamed if the derned thing
wasn't working, too!
~
This revolutionary innovation was
the feature of the opening day pro-
gram, together with an electric
board which automatically flashes
the numbers of the first, second
third and fourth horses, along with
the time after the race. 1t can not
be said, therefore, that New York
racing is insensitive to progressive
trends. One of these centuries the
citizens of our town may even have
the privilege of walking up to mu-
tual window and making a bet, just
like the sophisticates of Arlington,
Tex, Pawtuckett, r. T. and Havre
De Grace, Md. Boy, that will be
something, won't it?
OF course, it will first be neces-
sary to persuade State Senator
James j. Crawford and some of his
associates that the mutuels won't
impoverish the textile workers of
New England. The Senator was very
strong for mutuels at one time, even
led the fight for them in the legis-
lature, but overnight he changed.
VXTORD had come to him that
wv the aforesaid textile workers
were pouring their miserable dol
lars down the greedy outlets of the
machines. The thought of the tex
tile workers of Broadway who lug
their weary bones to Dinty Moore's.
Lindy's and Dawes Blue Room after
a hard day at the mills. being VIC
tinized in similar manner was
more than his altruistic soul could
stand.
So the Senator, whose heart of
hearts has always bled for the un-
derprivileged, turned around and
led the fight against the mutuels. a
fine, gallant stand which the textile
workers of New England, you can
be sure. will never forget.
There was some talk at the time
that the bookmakers had raised a
large slush fund to defeat the
machines, which would have ended
their monopoly on open gambling
under the states auspices, but this
probably originated in the mind of
some poisonous person who wouldn't
recognize a humanitarian impulse If
one came along and bit him in the
leg.
ID AGING conditions have i'm
N proved here, but they are still
so inferior to those existing in
other metropolitan centers-and
even in some hay-shaking centers-
that it is painful. 1t is possible to
sympathize with the peculiar
problems the commission and the
associations must face without be-
ing altogether satisfied with the re-
suits.
There were books in the club
house yesterday for the first time
twelve of them, and this helped q
great deal. Why they weren't there
last year or the year before nobody
can explain. The betting shed al
Jamaica was built for Nanothei
generation ani another school; 1t Is
outmoded and on active days II
still takes an all-America full back
to place a bet. and three interferers
to 90 back and collect 1t.
There were some $1,000 persons
at the Polo Grounds for the open
ing ball game of the season day be-
fore yesterday. There were less
than $1,000 at the race opening
yesterday. The answer was the race
people didn't have much to offer
Even including the $4,000 Paumonok
the card was very ordinary. WITH
good racin convenient betting ano
a modern layout. opening day here
should draw four times what !:
does.