The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1937-11-27
CHATTER OF
HOOPS
BY gazz Brown


that the horses are running on
Toronto tracks. tall well dress
ed colored man takes up his posi-
ton usually under the lee OF the
grandstand W h r he can
without being seen too promment-
ly himself, catch good view of the
backfield
Soft hat pulled over his eyes.
binoculars jogging against his
abdomen when not glued to his
eyes, he observes the morning
works. catches the times OF the
galloping horses. makes odd labor
ed jottings in various little books
or on the back OF envelopes. over
night sheets or discarded race pro
grams.
Soon a little group OF flea-biften
old timers collect around him. They
compare matches. times of the
works, gathered Information of
this and that around tho track and
the stables.
Henry Thomas Ellison. born
about half century ago in Gin
cinna'i. has been coming to Tor
onto race tracks annually for 81
years.
For over 80 years he has been
coming as the clocker for Racing
Form and as the special envoy at
The tracks OF the late A. NJ Open
You of the race track fraternity
though may not know Henry Tho
mas Ellison. He may be Long
boy 10 you. name wished on
Henry Thomas when skinny long
legged lad OF III he galloped run
ming horses around Louisville for
the late Ed Corrigan.
THAT kid can't ride my horses
Corrigan said after his first
glimpse of the ebony turf soldier
his laigsis too doggone long
They'll trail and slow up my III
lies"
LorgbOy had two Jobs that he
faithfully fulfilled for his beloved
Toronto employer lie clicked
o'mornings and was price or morn
Ing time maker for the Toronto
man.
In the afternoons al Long Beach
and nj Dufferin II was Longboy's
special assignment to mark pro-
gram for Mr. "Opens lady guests.
II guess" said Lorghoy Il music
marked 500 programs daily for
pretty near 30 years straigh; for
Mistuh Orpen'
That's lot Of programs DID
YOU give them many winners?'
II musta been pretty good"
Longboy gave his throaty laugh,
they allus KEEP comm right back
for mo-"
After galloping horses for year
or two. Longboy ate himself right
cut of the saddle He first came to
Toronto with some horses owned
by j. j. McKessy for whom he
trained. He brought the celebrated
colored rider Teen Williams to
Wocdbine with young stuff like
Courtesy. All Souls and Her Letter.
the latter a colt never beaten in
three annual appearances here.
Before he worked for the Orpons
Longboy was price-maker for
American bookies like the late
Tip O'Neil. Fred Cook and Davis
The late Tom Lynch started him
with the Racing Form and that is
he Job to-day that keeps longboy
rom race tracks to race track. Tic
summers In Canada and the north
ern states and winters In Florida
His father was Methodist
preacher In Cincinnati and his mo-
her deeply religious herself. was
Ill for bringing Henry Thomas NJ
in celestial ranks.
But on the distaff side Longbo.
races his lines back several gen
erations Of horse lovers. His ma
ternal grandpappy trained horses
for Peabody. very famous Ken
lucky Colonel in the days when &
colonel sub. was something. and
two mint juleps would make a
rabbit roar at line, sub.
Longboy today Is an exceptional
" tall placid-faced man who walks
slowly, wears clothes that some
1 times almost scream at you anc
covers several miles daily morning
and afternoon as he ambulates
around the lawns and the PADDOCK
that he knows so well and with
such intimate detail when you con-
suit him OF matters turfy.
He completes the round trip be-
tween paddock and stands dozen
times daily often he stands near
the head of the stretch. Always he
clocks the race for his papers and
Il IL Longboys tabulations, not the
official track timers findings. that
20 down in the puniers bibier al
over this and the neighboring land
T.onchov has the soft eyes or MS