When The Crowds Were Huge At A Harness Track

[Sea Biscuit]

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g387/secretariat3/greenwood-1961-1.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g387/secretariat3/quebec-1947.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g387/secretariat3/devonshire-1920s.jpg

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/4-23-11/sc-rewind-when-crowds-were-huge.html

[Canarsie]

Nice pics look at all the people wearing suits. When I started going to the track in you wouldn't believe all the dirty looks I got because my chosen attire was jeans. We used to get stared down by the veterans for a while but they came to accept us.

[Ray2000]

US currency since 1947 ..(inflation rate 950.8%)

$2.00 ticket then would cost $21.02 now

I'd have to take up golf...:D


http://www.fintrend.com/inflation/Inflation_Calculators/Inflation_Calculator.asp

[Sea Biscuit]

US currency since 1947 ..(inflation rate 950.8%)

$2.00 ticket then would cost $21.02 now

I'd have to take up golf...:D


http://www.fintrend.com/inflation/Inflation_Calculators/Inflation_Calculator.asp

Gas prices in 1947 was 10 cents a gallon.

I don't think they had minimum $2.00 tickets in those days.

[Sea Biscuit]

1935 Hambletonian Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxefTabPLzQ&NR=1

1947 Hambletonian video. Notice the peculiar rail gate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfSY4kyFJJs

Enjoy.

[sonnyp]

roosevelt raceway's international trot in the "golden years". packed....wall to wall :



dwWG3nIuBBA

[beaucap]

roosevelt raceway's international trot in the "golden years". packed....wall to wall :



dwWG3nIuBBA

Back then the closest slot machine was Las Vegas....now they're killing us. I guess people don't want to use their brain. They would rather pull a handle and hope to get lucky. By the way Sea Biscuit that's the year the great thoroughbred Sea Biscuit passed. I'm sure you knew that....and the year I was born:jump: :jump: Yes,Yes a great year indeed.

Bo

[wilderness]

I don't think they had minimum $2.00 tickets in those days.

You know what they say about a-s-s-ume ;)

I've two images of wagering windows from the 1940's.

1) Unknown location 1948 offered $5-3-2
2) 1947 Hambo at Good Time Park, unfortunately there were not any signs, rather the $$ were painted on the outside building and not legible in the photo.

In most instances there were only Daily Doubles in the early days and $2 was the min.

The dollar options (short of one-night track promotions) didn't start until the newer machines (one window; cash-sell) came out in the early 80's.

[Overcall]

a horse would brush and it sounded like a football game

[Sea Biscuit]

You know what they say about a-s-s-ume ;)

I've two images of wagering windows from the 1940's.

1) Unknown location 1948 offered $5-3-2
2) 1947 Hambo at Good Time Park, unfortunately there were not any signs, rather the $$ were painted on the outside building and not legible in the photo.

In most instances there were only Daily Doubles in the early days and $2 was the min.

The dollar options (short of one-night track promotions) didn't start until the newer machines (one window; cash-sell) came out in the early 80's.

Care to share those images with us.

[wilderness]

Care to share those images with us.

you still using the 18 account?

Sure!

I'll email them to anybody that provides me (via PM) with an verified email address.

I've never uploaded images to free hosting sites or sites which prevent the removal of images.
In the past, and while my former websites were active, I provided temporary links. Unfortunately the inability here at PA to edit those "today dead and spam links (the domain name has been taken over by a pharmaceutical spammer) makes the entire past works look bad.

[Sea Biscuit]

you still using the 18 account?

Sure!

I'll email them to anybody that provides me (via PM) with an verified email address.

I've never uploaded images to free hosting sites or sites which prevent the removal of images.
In the past, and while my former websites were active, I provided temporary links. Unfortunately the inability here at PA to edit those "today dead and spam links (the domain name has been taken over by a pharmaceutical spammer) makes the entire past works look bad.

Photobucket is a very reliable free host site once you register and become its member.

I have been using it for the last 6 months with no problems.

[wilderness]

Photobucket is a very reliable free host site

More power to you.
I'd suggest you read the fine print in their TOS and UAG regarding the images you upload (that's a standard practice for free sites as well).

Kinda doubt they offer raw visitor logs or the users configuration of htaccess?
There's never been a free hosting site (images or otherwise) that's provided either.

Some free sites offer stats in a very limited and otherwise useless capacity, however that's not the same as having a server and a domain.

[wilderness]

6. Proprietary Rights in Content on Photobucket.

o 6.1 Photobucket does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, applications, or any other materials (collectively, "Content") that you post on or through the Photobucket Services. By displaying or publishing ("posting") any Content on or through the Photobucket Services, you hereby grant to Photobucket and other users a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, worldwide, limited license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce and translate such Content, including without limitation distributing part or all of the Site in any media formats through any media channels, except Content marked "private" will not be distributed outside the Photobucket Services.

[Sea Biscuit]

6. Proprietary Rights in Content on Photobucket.

o 6.1 Photobucket does not claim any ownership rights in the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, applications, or any other materials (collectively, "Content") that you post on or through the Photobucket Services. By displaying or publishing ("posting") any Content on or through the Photobucket Services, you hereby grant to Photobucket and other users a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, worldwide, limited license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce and translate such Content, including without limitation distributing part or all of the Site in any media formats through any media channels, except Content marked "private" will not be distributed outside the Photobucket Services.

Gosh Don You are so technical with these things.

Just give out link address with the images/pics like I did with the 3 pics I posted here.

I am pretty sure you'll be just fine and they won't be sending the FBI after you.:D

Best

Sea Biscuit

[wilderness]

you still using the 18 account?

I'll email them to anybody that provides me (via PM) with an verified email address.

[RaceTrackDaddy]

Think it is same all over the racing sport. Technology, though great for us, is not good for the sport. Three main causes:
1. Off Track Betting (OTB) Parlors
2. Phone wagering with Television broadcasts of the races
3. Internet gaming (horse racing and other forms of gambling).

It is so easy to enjoy the sport from home now a days when back in the hey day of racing, one had to actually attend the track to place a wager (if you wanted to be legally, if not, you had the bookies). IN fact, I came across some old tape recorders from my youth and got one workinig and I recorded the conversations in our kitchen with KDKA radio in the background. Believe it or not, they, KDKA radio in Pittsburgh was broadcasting race results from the major flat tracks like Bowie, Belmont et al. This was in the late 60's and the radio covered the tracks nation wide. I can only assume the bookies took all the action then. Guess they hated the technological changes more than the tracks..lol

[Sea Biscuit]

Andrew Beyer himself admitted in one of his books, either it was 'Picking Winners' or 'My $50,000 year at the races' I don't remember which that he was placing bets with the bookies way back in the 70s.

[wilderness]

placing bets with the bookies way back in the 70s

"coming out of the closet" (so to speak), with anything that was revolutionary (in action NOT innovative) and would shock the general public was an accepted practice for most in the late-60's and 70's.

[sonnyp]

when i first started in harness racing, around 1973 at saratoga harness, the owner of that beautiful little facility, ernest b. morris, was embroiled in a battle with the new york state government over a new concept, state mandated off track betting.

mr.morris fought this with every fiber in his body since he believed this would lead to the demise of horse racing. naturally, the state and government knew better as they jammed down his throat.

[wilderness]

sonny,
All the tracks and other industry orgs were dead-against OTB.
There were numerous articles published with same opinions in the "trade rags".

An approximate decade later they all were hailing simulcasting as their "messiah", and there is literally no difference between an OTB and simulcasting.

Today the "messiah" is slots, however that won't last forever as well.

The Harness Racing industry just doesn't have enough audience and/or "clout" to influence their own livelihood.