Evening star., 1950-05-22
Hard Riding Colonel, 80 Years
|InArnny, RidesH Herd at Rosecroft
By Lewis F. Atchison

Sunday visitors who sWarmed
through Rosecroft raceway for q
last look before tonight's opening
of the 20-day meeting. 1t was
warm and lazy in the sun, with a
sort of holiday atmosphere hang
ing over the place.
Over in the general managers
Office it was different as Col. Cor
nelius c. Jadwin, U. S. A., retired,
sweated over final details to be
sure the second Rosecroft open
ing was twice as good as last
years initial bow. The colonel is
an old horseman of the cavalry
school, although William E. Miller,
Rosecroft president, had to shang-
hal him off a 33-foot cabin cruiser
at the Corinthian Yacht Club,
where he was enjoying his retire.
ment from the Army to get him
for the job. Jadwin has Rose
croft clicking with true military
precision.
Played Polo With Patton.
The colonel used to play polo
with the late Gen. Patton, when
swinging a good mallet was con-
sidered almost as important as
ability to shoot straight. Patton
developed into a three-goal play
er, because he not only rode with
the same reckless abandon that
characterized his military career,
but had a crack stable of polo
ponies. Jadwin became a four
goal man. but the best of all was
Jingle" Wilson, who became the
tops in the whole Army.
Also at "the Point" then were
Bill Jones: Washington boy who
later coached the Army eleven:
Bill Wood. a star halfback whom
the Cadets kidded about falling
OH his pony every time he took a
backhand shot: Elmer Oliphant,
Army's gridiron immortal, and
Gene Vidal. later a top figure in
aviation, and "Quack" Quaken-
meyer, later aide to Gen. Pershing.
"oliphant really was a great
football player" Jadwin recalled.
you sports writer's rave about
Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard,
but you should have seen Oliphant
go. He was built like a flreplug.
fast and a marvellous broken field
runner"
The colonel is an all-around
sports fan but horses are his best
game. He graduated from West
Point in 1913 and a year later was
assigned there as riding instructor.
From '27 to 81 he had another
tour OF duty there as polo in
structor. Meanwhile. he had been
to the cavalry school at Fort Riley
ana IN 1881 was sent to the Italian
Cavalry School at Pinerola. The
following year he went to the ad-
vanced school at Tordiqunto.
Jadwin took the horse Dance
King to Italy with him and sold
him there. The Italian officer
who bought him was amazed at
the horses caution and skill
descending a steep grade that was
part of the training course.
He didn't know the darn fool
had fallen down the thing and
almost killed both of us a few
days BEFORE" Jadwin said with a
chuckle.
Competed in Two Olympics.
After another tour of duty at
Fort Riley. the colonel was as
signed to the Army equestrian
team and rode with 1t in the 1892
and 1895 Olympics. There were
appearances at Madison Square
Garden and Toronto. among other
places, sanwiehed in between, but
the SO Olympics was the big one
for Jadwin. The group included
Maj. (now generaD Bill Brad
ford, Capt. (ColJ Tommy Thomp-
son, and Capt. (Col0 Johnny Will
liams from the field artillery.
I'VE were the first American
team to finish in the Prize Of Ma
tions competition" Jadwin said.
Something like % teams entered
and all three riders of a team had
to complete the course to qualify