The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-05-31
Pig Racing Next Sport
By FREDERICK c. OTMAN


 Washington, May 31-(UP)- Horse race tracks, you better look out. Leo F. Buck is about to shut you down on the theory that a horse is good for pulling a milk wagon. Period.
 If anybody wants a race, pigs are better.
 I am not, either, drunk. Neither is Leo, who became today my fa- vorite of all the geniuses doing bus mess with the U. s. Patent Office. On March l, 1943, he forwarded his application, serial number 477,623. Then he waited. So did the pigs. For two years three months and no days they waited while pale-taced clerks shuffled the papers, pondered the merits and searched the records. Nobody in all history, they dis covered, had such ideas as Lea; at least they'd never tried to patent them. So it was that they granted patent number 2,376,028, covering what Leo described as aptly as pig racing apparatus.
 T have found,' he said in the dignifled language peculiar to pat ent applications, that razor back pigs. which inhabit the wilds of the south, have the necessary char acteristics to adapt them TOT rac- ing. These pigs vary in size and their size generally Is dependent on their age.
 "Preferably small, young pigs are used. as they are lean and meet, with an alertness for detecting the presence of food and a dormant racing aptitude which may readily be aroused and brought into activity by appealing to their natural glut- tonous instinct"
 So far, so good. You've got your pigs. All you need is a race track, although we'd better inject here one word of caution: "The type of animal herein contemplated, Leo explained, "is not to be confused | with the ordinary, domesticated pigs found on farms and in like places, the two species being entirely dlf1er- ent, one from another"
 Now you build your race track oval shape, with fence around II for reasons which should be obvious; Leo suggested a fence Of a fora- minous nature U1l be danged Il I'll look that one up for yoU.
 You put in your pigs. Leo indl- cated in a handsome picture of his track in operation that four pigs are about right. Next problem is te make 'em race when you want 'en to race and that's the nub of his invention.
 Tn order to arouse the racing in- stinct of the razor back pigs anc to induce them to participate i'll race around the course, or track there is provided a vehicle which is adapted to move about the course or track, under the influence of suitable propelling force," Leo said
 Catch on? A kind of automobile sort of. No pig. you sheer, is silly enough to chase an automobile Right you are. The vehicle pulls g trailer. The trailer carrier trough "The receptacle or conta1ner I adapted to receive food whicf should be preferably of type tha' is most alluring to the particular animals used," Leo added.
 That means pigs are finicky. Some like one kind of food: others an other. You've got to experiment But once you get the right food you've got a pig race. They're oil Or as Leo summed up:
 "The type of animal race whicf is contemplated and herein dis closed provides all the amusemen and thrill of any of the well-knowi types of animal races, and in addi ton thereto, due to the destructive characteristics of the participating animals, creates a novelty that w1l not only allure the confirmed racing minded public, but will attract an< amuse large portion of the genera public not ordinarily given to at tending horse and dog races"
 Leo, it is wonderful world. Tn glad you're in 1t.
 | HEa..so1 koxya pnnnnro fiV