Evening star., 1952-02-15
Urges
Pirlllico-b|oWiie
Consolidation
Calls Step Necessary
In His Latest Blast
At Maryland Racing

Larry McPhail. head Of the SYM
|dicate which holds an option for
purchase of Bowie race track.
favors merging. that plant with
Pimlico and nsolidating Mary
land racing 10 meet out-of. State
competition. he said today In q
statement issued from his winter
home at Naples. Fla.
Speaking freely and at length.
the former baseball higwig criti-
cized the brand Of racing and
facilities at the two plants as
only . little better than at the
|half-mile tracks" He said he
was convinced the only answer to
Maryland's racing problems was
the eventual olidation Of two
OF the three existing tracks.
This would undoubtedly In.
yolve Pimlico and Bowie, z he said.
MacPhail apparently wants to
close Pimlico, which he said has
no room to expand, and enlarge
Bowie. Bowiess location, ap-
proximately halfway between
Washington and Baltimore, also
would be q big consideration.
No Comment at Pimlico.
A spokesman for Pimlico said
the track management had no i'm.
mediate comment ON the sug-
geStion.
MacPhail also criticized the
Maryland Racing Commission for
It's reluctance" to try to find any
constructive solution for the prob
lem. He said under existing con-
ditions Maryland's three surviving
mile tracks couldn't agree on dates
because leach track is endeavor-
ing to save its own skin and devil
take the hindmoSt.'"
MacPhail. who has until next
Wednesday to decide whether his
syndicate will complete the deal
to buy go per cent Of Bowie's
stock for q reported 81 million,
said his opposition to completing
the deal because Bowie has been
assigned some December racing
dates. was true in part. But his
objections were founded on four
basic reasons, he arnplified.
Predicts Dire Future.
MacPhail said it was impossible
to get good horses In Maryland
ION account Of inadequate purses
and programs, short meetings and
poor facilities (except at LAUREL |
He said 1t was difficult for the
tracks to offer purses to compete
with out-of- State competition and
improve facilities because there
are not enough non-competitiye
dates in good weather and reyen-
ues must be split three ways.
The stocky, red d-necked Larry
said every operator, owner and
breeder, and those among the
press and public who have made
even q cursory study Of the prob
lem. know that racing In Maryland
has been deteriorating under the
strain. Of competition. If per-
mitted to continue unchecked,
these conditions. he predicted. viii
lead to tllird-class racing, fourth
class facilities at Pimlico and
Bowie. an exodus Of horsemen and
subsequent loss OF revenue to the
State.
Wants Governor 20 Act.
The racing commissions inac-
tion. MacPhaiI said. caused him to
suggest that the Governor appoint
a qualified and non-partisan COM
mission to study Maryland racing
problems. MacPhaiI also would
have this commission decide
whether to close Pimlico and
merge it with Bowie.
The one-time baseball firebrand
said that with two major. mile
tracks instead of three, It would
be possible to provide modern and
adequate plants for fans and
purses and STAKES for taorsemen4
that meet out-of State competi-
ton. He thinks everybody would
profit by the move, including the
State treasury.
For q precedent In closing
Bowie. MacPhail can point to the
case Of Havre de Grace, which
was bought by Laurel and Pimiico,
who then divided its Is days Of
racing between them. In negoti-
Iating for purchase Of Bowie, Mac
Phail's group was given the right
to get In on this deal for $3.50, ,OO0,.
which would entitle Bowie to
eight additional days Of racing.
Pimlico and Laurel would have
SO days Of racing each under
MacPhail's latest scheme. They
now have 33leach.
F