Suff
06-20-2005, 08:33 PM
Paul Daley of The Lowell Sun wrote a niece article on the New England Hall of Fame inductees. He talked about Carl Gamberdella. A jockey I've mentioned as one I think, belongs in the Museum at Saratoga.
Even if you have no interest in New England racing, this is a good historical look at racing in the North East from the 30's to the 90's.
http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_2809893
But what about Rockingham Park's Lou Smith, and jockeys Anthony DeSpirito and Carl Gambardella? Have we forgotten them so quickly?
Regarding the jockeys, DeSpirito had the best natural ability of anyone to come out of New England, having been born in Lawrence, six miles from Rockingham Park, on Christmas Eve, 1936. At the age of 16, this meteor led the nation in wins with 390, over a third-year West Coast rider, a kid named Willie Shoemaker.
The following year, 1953, DeSpirito followed up his sensational rookie year with another 311 winners despite injuring a disc in his back. DeSpirito was such a sure thing to finish in the money that the bookies instituted “The DeSpirito Rule”, where you couldn't bet more to place or to show than you did to win.
But injuries and the inability to say no to friends would mar his career. Over the years, Tony lost a kidney, his spleen, broke ribs, his back, his jaw, and lacerated his brain. He quit at ages 22, 25, 35, and 37, but got the bug again and was getting fit for another comeback at 39 when he died in 1975 when his mother found him choked to death. He was a true shooting star.
Gambardella was DeSpirito's opposite number, plying his trade for 38 years on the New England tracks and racking up 6,349 career wins from 39,018 mounts and $29,389,041 in purses earned, an astronomical number for a New England rider. His maiden win came on Rollin Warm in 1956 at Hagerstown, Md., and he retired from the saddle in 1995.
Unfortunately, for many, Gambardella will be remembered too often for his prickly relationship with stewards, media and track management, at least in his earlier years. Like the Red Sox's Jim Rice, that may have hurt him regarding the Hall of Fame.
Even if you have no interest in New England racing, this is a good historical look at racing in the North East from the 30's to the 90's.
http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_2809893
But what about Rockingham Park's Lou Smith, and jockeys Anthony DeSpirito and Carl Gambardella? Have we forgotten them so quickly?
Regarding the jockeys, DeSpirito had the best natural ability of anyone to come out of New England, having been born in Lawrence, six miles from Rockingham Park, on Christmas Eve, 1936. At the age of 16, this meteor led the nation in wins with 390, over a third-year West Coast rider, a kid named Willie Shoemaker.
The following year, 1953, DeSpirito followed up his sensational rookie year with another 311 winners despite injuring a disc in his back. DeSpirito was such a sure thing to finish in the money that the bookies instituted “The DeSpirito Rule”, where you couldn't bet more to place or to show than you did to win.
But injuries and the inability to say no to friends would mar his career. Over the years, Tony lost a kidney, his spleen, broke ribs, his back, his jaw, and lacerated his brain. He quit at ages 22, 25, 35, and 37, but got the bug again and was getting fit for another comeback at 39 when he died in 1975 when his mother found him choked to death. He was a true shooting star.
Gambardella was DeSpirito's opposite number, plying his trade for 38 years on the New England tracks and racking up 6,349 career wins from 39,018 mounts and $29,389,041 in purses earned, an astronomical number for a New England rider. His maiden win came on Rollin Warm in 1956 at Hagerstown, Md., and he retired from the saddle in 1995.
Unfortunately, for many, Gambardella will be remembered too often for his prickly relationship with stewards, media and track management, at least in his earlier years. Like the Red Sox's Jim Rice, that may have hurt him regarding the Hall of Fame.