Evening star., 1937-12-12

more amazing than Tod Sloan. There
may be q difference of opinion as to
whether or not Sloan was the great
est jockey of all times, but this much
must be said for him-he revolution
ICED the art OF race riding.
Before his time, jockeys sat firmly
In the saddle, but Sloan, who knew
80 much about horses, realized that
rider merely was a burden to a
horse when he sat on the middle of
the horses spine.
Sloan not only removed this bur-
den when he shortened his stirrups
and flattened himself along the horses
withers. He really streamlined horse
racing. His position lessened the
wind resistance and made it pos
sible for the horse to travel faster.
Critics, especially in England, were
contemptuous of his style in the be-
ginning. They said he resembled q
monkey on stick. But when he con-
tinued to bring his mounts down In
front, they stopped making fun Of
him. Other jockeys emulated his style.
Today it is employed all over the
world.
All Animals Liked Sloan.
~SLOAN'S success was not merely
q matter of riding style, how
ever" Jack Doyle pointed out. He
had . natural affection for animals
that was returned by the animals
All animals would do his bidding. Not
only horses, but dogs and cats, for
instance-and I'm sure that, If he
ever had tried it, he could have made
q lion lie down and roll over just by
talking to him.
Animals knew instinctively that he
wouldn't hurt them. He never whipped
horse or used spurs. I've had that
statement challenged, but never con-
vincingly. People have told me they
could swear they saw Tod wearing
spurs. don't say they didn't. What
I say is they never saw him use spurs
on horse. And nobody ever can say
that he did.
"As far as whipping q horse was
concerned, Tod was opposed to it on
two counts-one for the horse and
the other for himself. He didn't want
70 punish a horse-and he always be-
heved that q jockey giving horse a
hand ride could keep his mount on
straight line better than a jockey
with one hand on the reins and the
other welding whip.
Horse Wouldn't Bulge.
THERE are two incidents con-
nected with Sloan's genuine af-
fection for animals that I always will
remember above all others. One had
to do with horse and the other with
. cat.
One day we were walking down
Broadway. It was very hot and a
morse, tired and worn by the heat
was down. A crowd had gathered and
the driver was trying to get the horse
up, but the horse apparently had de-
cided to call it day I didn't blame
him, because it was hot and he was
drawing a heavy load The driver was
doing the best he could and wasn't
being surly or cruel, but the horse
wouldn't bulge. Traffic was blocked
In part and nobody knew what to do.
and then Tod and I came along.
Wait minute Tod said. I'll
straighten this fellow out
He bent over the horse and rubbed
his head gently and talked to him
and I'll be darned if the horse didn't
look at him as though he understood
exactly what Tod was saying. And,
after minute or so. the horse got I'D.
the driver hitched him I'D again and
of they went.
A $4,000 Overcoat.
HE cat-well, I'll have to 20 back
a little way on this one first,
TOO was in England and at the peak
OF his career. Money was rolling in
on him-and rolling out, too. A pop-
ular fashion of the day was a Persian
lamb lining for mems overcoats and
TOO had to have one of those. He
went to his tailor, who also was the
tailor to King Edward VII, and Or
oered one, and, when Tod was picking
out the skins, he saw pile that looked
better to him than those from which
ne was making his selection.
How about those over there?' he
asked the tailor.
I'm sorry the tailor said but
those are for the King
That's all right with me, Tod
said, I'm as good as the King and
besides I'm only a little guy and he
won't miss couple of skins. Take 'em
out OF that pile and put EN- in INV
coat
so Tod got couple of skins out of
the Kings pile and the coat cost him
$4,000. Which was all right with
shim. too. The money meant nothing
40 him. He had coat as good as
gthe Kings.
! He came back to this country
tshortly after that and he and I had
q billiard room together. He used
TO come in Of an afternoon and throw
that $1,000 hogger across a desk in
the ONCE. Now here's where the cat
comes in.
] Pilgrim the Cat.
I'VE HAD black cat called Pill
grim that had climbed in the
4Vndow Of my apartment one cold
nAht. had kept her around the
house for q while and then taken her
7 down to the billiard room, where she
! Eot to be favorite with everybody.
And do you know where she used to
sleep? On Tod,s $1,000 fogger.
I I'VE used to walk around the Cadil-
lac for dinner every night-the room
was on the northeast corner of Forty
! second street and Broadway-and one
{ night I took my $50 overcoat OIL the
rack and put it on and said to Tod,
Come on. Let's go.'"
1 wait minute until I get my
! bvercoat,' he said.
i S9He went back in the Office, but
came out without his overcoat. He
was turning up the collar of his coat
l and he said, Come on. I'm ready
1T was q bitterly cold night and
| the wind was blowing hard enough to
kz1nck you down. Where's your over
i eoet?' asked him.
Never mnid,' he said. Come on
!