Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-29
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAW By FRANCIS STANN
Three Men on q Horse

1EtEE NUKE FABULOUS Sports personalities than
Isaac Murphy Tod Sloan and Johnny Longden would be
difficult to call short notice Or long notice for that
matter Now Longden the spirits Murphy
have marched into the Jockeys Hall of Fame at Pimco
John Eric Longden 46, transplanted Englishman who
had to borrow saddle first race in 1927 is still
riding and shooting the incredible mark of 5000 VIC
tories He is too well known to the present generation
bear discussion but time has dmmed the the
flamboyant Sloan and the amazing Murphy Negro who
was born in slavery in 1859 Their credentials the book
however and of such validity that all
raise them to pedeas alongside Eddie Arcaro Earle Sande
and George Woolf.
Sloan possibly was the most colorul of all the Hall of
FamerS including Sande His real first James
and he was born into Army family at Kokomo, Ind
1874 But before his death of liver ament 1888 he was
destined to become known admired and hated throughout
world Todhuner the he adopted after association
with British royalty but whether became Tod" because of
that or because his father used to call him Toad
his small size, has not been explained
SLOAN, 1T WAS who perfected the monkey -a-stck
style OF riding which all jockeys today he came to
develop the shortened strrup subject of much con-
troversy but probably the most widely accepted version
mat Tod watched another jockey try to pull runaway
horse He noticed that Jockeys horse responded we'll
although the rider was high up on his wthers
Sloan riding in California at the time and having
little success But after adopting the monkey" style of
riding his rise was meteoric The famed pittsburgh Phil
whose real name was George E. Smith, paid the Jockey
England in 1898-to remain through the early 19OOshe
became national figure.
Back home George M Cohan wrote his immortal song.
Yankee Doodle Dandy about Tod exploits London and
IN l9O7 also produced Broadway show Little johnny
Jones' based on Tods life Cohan himself played lead
role
Almost all other riders detested him because he re-
FUSED to dress with them insisted on his own room in
the clubhouse He boosted trunks of clothes and
personal valet When other jockeys dubbed over prices
sloan would say I'll take it, although he demanded and
received $4,000 and expenses to ride Balyhoo Bey to
victory in the 1900 Belmont Futurity
THE LOVE AFFAIRS of Sloan drew almost as much
publicity as his riding featS He married Julia Sanderson
en young musical comedy and must have been one
OF the shortest marriages of all time There was lavish
wedding breakfast at New Yorks famed Rectors Shortly
a1ter noon OF the same day they separated for good
He was gay spendthrift and his courtshp of Iilv
Langtry regnng English actress the day. became an
international topic Once he went the pooroom bust
ness with John McGraw of the Giantsths was after his
riding career the downgrade-but this venture lust
OH llmes Square failed He took fling the stage and
acted in movie
When Sloan was at his peak there was no better rider
In days OF short cards he twice won five of six events
IN this country and once in 1893 he with five con-
secuve winners at Englands Newmarket But for all of
his fame and fortune Tod Sloan wound up with nothing
When he died in Los Angeles he barely escaped
pauper's burial.
PROBABLY NO OTHER NEGRO achieved the greatness
IN racing OF Isaac Murphy Once newspaperman referred
70 him as The Black Archer token of esteem in that
compared Murphy with Fred Archer perhaps the greatest of
riders Certainly jockey approached Murphys
"A per cent vctories-628 wins in 1,4l2 races
Isaac could have been the only rider forced to ride
Kentucky Derby winner. Once Nashville he had leg
up colt named Buchanan Finding the horse unruly
Murphy vowed that he would ride him again But
when Derby time arrived the Louisville Jockey Club issued
an edc that ne did not ride Buchanan he could ride
period.
SO in the Kentucky Derby 1884 Murphy rode Buchanan
and the record shows that he lengths II was one
OF his three Derby triuphs Murphy having the first
Jockey to win many.
Murphys services never cheap. In his day when
dollar was 100 cents Z. J. Lucky Baldwin gave the
little Negro $4,000 Just to have first call his services
Yet Murphy. like Sloan died broke
Only Longden of the Hall Of Fames new threesome is
apt to escape the funeral end Of Sloan and Murphy Johnny
can slide off his saddle for keeps right and with more
than SIG millions in purses back Of him. retire as wealthy
man Not many others would 90 on but Johnny APP
parently wants the exercise Certainly has no other
worlds 70 conquer