Teach
01-21-2008, 12:27 PM
I once watched a video about chimpanzees in Africa. It featured a primate expert named Jane Goodall. Initially, as I watched the video, I noticed that the chimps were generally good-natured and contented. Then, suddenly, the producers of the show showered the chimps with vast spoils: several bunches of bananas. Just then, the tranquill scene suddenly turned into a wild melee. Chimps was screaming at and attacking other chimps. The strong began attacking and asserting themselves over the weak. It was every man...or should I say: "Every chimp for himself."
Isn’t this, metaphorically, a lot of what’s going on with gambling in this country?
Years ago, when I was a boy growing up here in Massachusetts, every one of the pari-mutuel gambling outlets had their own dates. There was no overlap. Everyone seemed contented. Foxboro Raceway, the major harness racing outlet, had its own 60-day harness racing meet; it lasted from mid-June to late August. It was so preditcable, it was like the swallows coming back every March to San Juan Capistrano.
Yet, over the years, there were grumblings. The dog people. The flats. Everyone wanted a bigger pirece of the pie. No pun intended, but it became dog-eat-dog. A few days extra, here. A little overlap, there. Maybe a handful of dates for an agricultural fair. A few extra days won't hurt...
Soon, there was no sanity. No more good will. No cooperation. It was brutal, all-out, no holds barred pari-mutuel hand-to-hand combat. Political IOU's were being called in. Political muscles were being flexed.
Soon, everything was getting diluted. Less and less people were showing up at Foxboro Raceway. The thousands that lined the track apron during the 40s, 50s and 60s had diminished to a trickle. Later, Foxboro would go under.
It's once proud days now a fleeting memory. Today the place where Foxboro Raceway once stood is part of the Gillette Stadium parking lot. Oh, a track did open a few miles down the road in Plainfield, but that too has experienced anemic handles and attendance -- maybe with the exception of its Labor Day card.
Yes, just like those chimps in Africa who lived a contented life, that is until spoils were thrust upon them, the gambling interests in this country may see that their selfishness and greed can lead to the same outcome.
As a postscript, those African chimps that I observed in the film. Well, they are fast becoming an endangered species; that same outcome can happen to gambling interests here in this country.
Isn’t this, metaphorically, a lot of what’s going on with gambling in this country?
Years ago, when I was a boy growing up here in Massachusetts, every one of the pari-mutuel gambling outlets had their own dates. There was no overlap. Everyone seemed contented. Foxboro Raceway, the major harness racing outlet, had its own 60-day harness racing meet; it lasted from mid-June to late August. It was so preditcable, it was like the swallows coming back every March to San Juan Capistrano.
Yet, over the years, there were grumblings. The dog people. The flats. Everyone wanted a bigger pirece of the pie. No pun intended, but it became dog-eat-dog. A few days extra, here. A little overlap, there. Maybe a handful of dates for an agricultural fair. A few extra days won't hurt...
Soon, there was no sanity. No more good will. No cooperation. It was brutal, all-out, no holds barred pari-mutuel hand-to-hand combat. Political IOU's were being called in. Political muscles were being flexed.
Soon, everything was getting diluted. Less and less people were showing up at Foxboro Raceway. The thousands that lined the track apron during the 40s, 50s and 60s had diminished to a trickle. Later, Foxboro would go under.
It's once proud days now a fleeting memory. Today the place where Foxboro Raceway once stood is part of the Gillette Stadium parking lot. Oh, a track did open a few miles down the road in Plainfield, but that too has experienced anemic handles and attendance -- maybe with the exception of its Labor Day card.
Yes, just like those chimps in Africa who lived a contented life, that is until spoils were thrust upon them, the gambling interests in this country may see that their selfishness and greed can lead to the same outcome.
As a postscript, those African chimps that I observed in the film. Well, they are fast becoming an endangered species; that same outcome can happen to gambling interests here in this country.