Teach
10-29-2015, 10:07 AM
This story may have been posted years ago, but for you
newcomers...
Everyone Remembers Their First Time
Some do "it" when they’re only eighteen. Others wait until they’re twenty-one. Still others first do "it" in their thirties. I was only fifteen. Yes, 15-years-old. Young. Callow. Inexperienced. I was too young know what ecstasy awaited me. Would I perform?
Yes, I was about to enter my junior year in high school when, in the summer of 1958, I bet on my first harness race. Ike was President and Emily’s Pride (she was later named Horse-of-the-Year) won The Hambletonian.
In late July, I had attended a birthday-party/dinner for one of my Boston buddies. After dinner, my friend’s father took the bunch of us to the then Bay State Raceway (Foxboro Raceway) in Foxboro, MA (now a Gillette Stadium parking lot) That late-July evening would be the first time I would ever see a harness race.
Well, as soon as I entered the track, I was enthralled. It was love at first sight. “She” was beautiful! There was so much to see. I felt as if I were goin’ to an amusement park, carnival and circus, all wrapped into one. I enjoyed watching the horses warming up on the track; seeing hundreds of people milling about on the grandstand apron, and looking at all the drivers in their colorful uniforms.
That evening - as I recall - I only had a few dollars in my wallet. Besides, I was too young to bet. Yet, some of my friends pooled their money and played "partners." They gave their money to my friend’s father who in turn made their bet. Wouldn’t you know it — they won! I remember the driver — Stan Tweedie. The first part of their winning horse’s name was Shadydale. As I think back, my friends had to wait out a photo. In those days, photos seemed to take an eternity. But when their horse’s number was finally posted on the infield tote board, they were ecstatic. You’d think they had just won the lottery.
Although I didn’t make a bet that night, I had a most enjoyable time. I knew that I was coming back. About two weeks later, I returned to Bay State Raceway with one of my friends (a somewhat older boy who already had his driver’s license). As I walked through the turnstile and into the Raceway, I could again feel the excitement build. It was like a crescendo. Only this time, unlike my first visit, I was going to make a bet.
Well, I believe I waited a race or two and then I decided to "take the plunge." I can vividly recall the voice of track announcer, Clayt Smith, as he introduced the pacers as they were leaving the paddock for the post parade. I remember that in those days everything seemed so much more formal. I recall that announcer Smith would call the drivers: Mister Safford, Mister Hansen, Mister Boyd, Mister Day and Mister Copeland.
Then, after looking over the form, I made up my mind that I was going to bet a mare, the #3 horse. Her name (I’ll never forget) — Adios Lucy. I even remember the reason I bet on her. Two weeks earlier, my friend’s father had told us that Adios was a famous standardbred sire. He went on to say that many of Adios’s offspring had gone on to become top-rated harness horses. So there it was. My first bet was going on Adios Lucy. I was going to wager $2 to show. But first, I had to actually make the bet.
Initially, I thought about giving my $2 dollars to my older friend ---- but he looked younger than I did! In those days, I was already six-feet tall and looked more like an eighteen-year-old than fifteen. The question was: Would the clerk accept my bet, or would I be turned away (this sounds like one of those immigrant-at-Ellis Island stories)? I remember anxiously walking towards the windows. I recall nervously waiting in line. I remember calling out my bet: "Two dollars to show on the number #3." It was then that he clerk took my money, and ----without so much "as batting an eye," — proceeded to punch out a $2 show ticket. Unlike today’s "plain vanilla" mutuel tickets, in those days (you might recall if you’re an “old degenerate” like me) tickets had symbols, letters, numbers and squiggles across the top; they looked more like a piece of lithographic art. I remember feeling a sense of relief as I walked away from the windows and headed back down toward the track apron. I recall clutching my very first harness racing bet in a vise-like grip. No one’s takin’ this ticket away from me!
As the race was about to go off, I took a seat on one of the benches near the finish line. "Marshall calls the pacers," announcer Smith called out. "Pacers now in the hands of the starter," he continued. "The starting gate is now in motion." Just then, I did something that, in hindsight, would seem quite immature: I shut my eyes. Yes, like a frightened child about to receive his first inoculation, I couldn’t bear to look. To watch. I just sat there — and listened: "Heeere they come... They’re off and pacing..."
Well, with eyes shut, I listened as announcer Smith call two-plus minutes of a harness race. I can’t recall any of the race details, but I do remember opening my eyes when all the horses had crossed the finish line (I knew that the race was over when the pounding of hooves had ceased). Had my horse hit the board? I couldn’t tell. I opened my eyes and began to anxiously stare out at the infield tote board. Finally, about a minute or two later, I would see the numbers posted. My horse, the number #3 --- Adios Lucy — had finished third. "I won! I won!" I thought to myself. I was overjoyed. Adios Lucy had paid $2.60 to show. I had made sixty cents. I remember thinking, "That’s just .30 cents less than the .90 cents an hour I was making as a drug store clerk." I thought to myself, “I made sixty cents in less than two minutes”.
As I think back, I couldn’t tell you if I made another bet that night. But I can tell you this --- I’ve made many, many more bets, since (many…try thousands and thousands). Yet I’ll always remember that early August evening at Bay State Raceway. That was the night I’d make my first harness racing bet. Come to think of it... Doesn’t everyone remember their first time?
I'll be back with my Monticello picks.
newcomers...
Everyone Remembers Their First Time
Some do "it" when they’re only eighteen. Others wait until they’re twenty-one. Still others first do "it" in their thirties. I was only fifteen. Yes, 15-years-old. Young. Callow. Inexperienced. I was too young know what ecstasy awaited me. Would I perform?
Yes, I was about to enter my junior year in high school when, in the summer of 1958, I bet on my first harness race. Ike was President and Emily’s Pride (she was later named Horse-of-the-Year) won The Hambletonian.
In late July, I had attended a birthday-party/dinner for one of my Boston buddies. After dinner, my friend’s father took the bunch of us to the then Bay State Raceway (Foxboro Raceway) in Foxboro, MA (now a Gillette Stadium parking lot) That late-July evening would be the first time I would ever see a harness race.
Well, as soon as I entered the track, I was enthralled. It was love at first sight. “She” was beautiful! There was so much to see. I felt as if I were goin’ to an amusement park, carnival and circus, all wrapped into one. I enjoyed watching the horses warming up on the track; seeing hundreds of people milling about on the grandstand apron, and looking at all the drivers in their colorful uniforms.
That evening - as I recall - I only had a few dollars in my wallet. Besides, I was too young to bet. Yet, some of my friends pooled their money and played "partners." They gave their money to my friend’s father who in turn made their bet. Wouldn’t you know it — they won! I remember the driver — Stan Tweedie. The first part of their winning horse’s name was Shadydale. As I think back, my friends had to wait out a photo. In those days, photos seemed to take an eternity. But when their horse’s number was finally posted on the infield tote board, they were ecstatic. You’d think they had just won the lottery.
Although I didn’t make a bet that night, I had a most enjoyable time. I knew that I was coming back. About two weeks later, I returned to Bay State Raceway with one of my friends (a somewhat older boy who already had his driver’s license). As I walked through the turnstile and into the Raceway, I could again feel the excitement build. It was like a crescendo. Only this time, unlike my first visit, I was going to make a bet.
Well, I believe I waited a race or two and then I decided to "take the plunge." I can vividly recall the voice of track announcer, Clayt Smith, as he introduced the pacers as they were leaving the paddock for the post parade. I remember that in those days everything seemed so much more formal. I recall that announcer Smith would call the drivers: Mister Safford, Mister Hansen, Mister Boyd, Mister Day and Mister Copeland.
Then, after looking over the form, I made up my mind that I was going to bet a mare, the #3 horse. Her name (I’ll never forget) — Adios Lucy. I even remember the reason I bet on her. Two weeks earlier, my friend’s father had told us that Adios was a famous standardbred sire. He went on to say that many of Adios’s offspring had gone on to become top-rated harness horses. So there it was. My first bet was going on Adios Lucy. I was going to wager $2 to show. But first, I had to actually make the bet.
Initially, I thought about giving my $2 dollars to my older friend ---- but he looked younger than I did! In those days, I was already six-feet tall and looked more like an eighteen-year-old than fifteen. The question was: Would the clerk accept my bet, or would I be turned away (this sounds like one of those immigrant-at-Ellis Island stories)? I remember anxiously walking towards the windows. I recall nervously waiting in line. I remember calling out my bet: "Two dollars to show on the number #3." It was then that he clerk took my money, and ----without so much "as batting an eye," — proceeded to punch out a $2 show ticket. Unlike today’s "plain vanilla" mutuel tickets, in those days (you might recall if you’re an “old degenerate” like me) tickets had symbols, letters, numbers and squiggles across the top; they looked more like a piece of lithographic art. I remember feeling a sense of relief as I walked away from the windows and headed back down toward the track apron. I recall clutching my very first harness racing bet in a vise-like grip. No one’s takin’ this ticket away from me!
As the race was about to go off, I took a seat on one of the benches near the finish line. "Marshall calls the pacers," announcer Smith called out. "Pacers now in the hands of the starter," he continued. "The starting gate is now in motion." Just then, I did something that, in hindsight, would seem quite immature: I shut my eyes. Yes, like a frightened child about to receive his first inoculation, I couldn’t bear to look. To watch. I just sat there — and listened: "Heeere they come... They’re off and pacing..."
Well, with eyes shut, I listened as announcer Smith call two-plus minutes of a harness race. I can’t recall any of the race details, but I do remember opening my eyes when all the horses had crossed the finish line (I knew that the race was over when the pounding of hooves had ceased). Had my horse hit the board? I couldn’t tell. I opened my eyes and began to anxiously stare out at the infield tote board. Finally, about a minute or two later, I would see the numbers posted. My horse, the number #3 --- Adios Lucy — had finished third. "I won! I won!" I thought to myself. I was overjoyed. Adios Lucy had paid $2.60 to show. I had made sixty cents. I remember thinking, "That’s just .30 cents less than the .90 cents an hour I was making as a drug store clerk." I thought to myself, “I made sixty cents in less than two minutes”.
As I think back, I couldn’t tell you if I made another bet that night. But I can tell you this --- I’ve made many, many more bets, since (many…try thousands and thousands). Yet I’ll always remember that early August evening at Bay State Raceway. That was the night I’d make my first harness racing bet. Come to think of it... Doesn’t everyone remember their first time?
I'll be back with my Monticello picks.