The History of Harness Racing in New England PDF Download
Are you looking for read ebook online? Search for your book and save it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Download The History of Harness Racing in New England PDF full book. Access full book title The History of Harness Racing in New England by Robert Temple. Download full books in PDF and EPUB format.
Author: Robert Temple
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1450054722
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 107
Get Book Here
Book Description
New England has played a prominent role in the history of harness racing in America. The greatest horses, owners, drivers and trainers competed here and the sport reached its height of popularity following the legalization of pari-mutuel wagering in the mid-1930's following 300 years of Puritanical resistance to gambling. Today harness racing is barely hanging on as a viable commercial entity. This book details the history of the sport, tracing its rise and near-final fall and the possible solution to saving it.
Author: Robert Temple
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1450054722
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 107
Get Book Here
Book Description
New England has played a prominent role in the history of harness racing in America. The greatest horses, owners, drivers and trainers competed here and the sport reached its height of popularity following the legalization of pari-mutuel wagering in the mid-1930's following 300 years of Puritanical resistance to gambling. Today harness racing is barely hanging on as a viable commercial entity. This book details the history of the sport, tracing its rise and near-final fall and the possible solution to saving it.
Author: Robert Temple
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 146281073X
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 104
Get Book Here
Book Description
For 40 years the most attended sport in New England was thoroughbred racing. Since1933 when pari-mutuel racing was legalized in the region after 300 years of puritanical opposition there were 16 tracks in operation in five New England states. Today there is only one track left and its barely surviving. The Pilgrims Would be Shocked: The History Of Thoroughbred Racing In New England traces the rise and near fall of the sport, beginning with its puritanical background when people were put in the stocks and fined by the Pilgrims for merely racing horses, with or without wagering. Finally, in 1906, a meet was run at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire which was financed by John Bet A Million Gates. His million dollar bet proved to be a loser as the track was quickly closed down by authorities because of gambling at the facility. Wagering had not been legalized by the state legislature and church leaders and others demanded it be stopped. In 1933, Lou Smith, an amazing immigrant son of impoverished Russian parents, came to the Granite State and, through his power of persuasion and political savvy, convinced the legislature during the hard economic times of the Depression to legalize pari-mutuel racing. The enabling legislation was passed and the first race meeting was an unqualified artistic and financial success, producing top quality racing, high employment and significant revenue to Salem and the state of New Hampshire. Seeing the tremendous success of New Hampshire, Rhode Island legalized the sport in 1934 and Massachusetts in 1935. The tracks produced significant tax revenues and employment for these states as well. For the next four decades the greatest horses (including three Triple Crown winner), jockeys, owners and trainers competed throughout New England, producing the highest caliber of racing. There was no shortage of incredible occurrences during that time, including the closing of Narragansett Park by the National Guard on orders of the Rhode Island governor, and a man who ran out in front of the horses at the finish of a stakes race at Suffolk Downs in East Boston. Beginning in the late 1970s the sport began its decline for a number of reasons. This book analyzes the factors contributing to its fall in popularity and possible solution to saving it from extinction.
Author: Robert Temple
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1456840789
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 86
Get Book Here
Book Description
Chapter One Greyhound Racing Comes To New England Before pari-mutuel greyhound racing came to New England in the mid-1930s it had a long uphill battle to overcome the regions puritanical resistance to gambling and what many felt was a moral injustice inherent in the sport which was promulgated by the image of dogs hunting down rabbits in what was known as coursing. With these objections in mind it is necessary to write a brief history of the reasons why the greyhound first came to America and how greyhound racing came about and evolved into a flourishing sport. Later chapters will explain in depth how its critics and changing consumer tastes eventually brought the sport down. A Brief History With the great western migrations of the mid-nineteenth century and the increased use of farmlands to feed the growing populations came the problem of protecting the crops from jackrabbits was paramount. The solution came from the railroad workers and settlers, many of whom emigrated from England and Ireland and were familiar with the greyhounds and their hunting skills. They began importing greyhounds and selling them to the farmers where they became valuable economic assets by keeping the rabbits away from their cash crops. Another purchaser was the U. S. Cavalry, including George Armstrong Custer, who utilized their skills for scouting enemy movement and hunting down game. Sources say that Custer coursed his greyhounds the night before the 1876 Battle of Little Big Horn and that the dogs survived the next days battle. Meanwhile, the farmers, looking for entertainment diversions, started racing their greyhounds in what were called coursing meets in which the greyhounds chased a live rabbit. Gambling at these meets was extensive. Coursings popularity spread rapidly, and not just in the farmlands. There even were meets in such locations as the mill towns of Lawrence and Lowell, Massachusetts and, of course, gambling was part of the action. There was also a spreading humanitarian backlash to coursing . As Frank G. Menke wrote in the 1942 edition of The Encyclopedia of Sports, Opposition to this form of sport developed. The humane people of the state rebelled at the idea of killing of the rabbit just to perpetuate a gambling diversion. They implored officials to make coursing null and voidand this was accomplished. The Mechanical Lure The next giant step to overcoming these objections and turning greyhound racing into a sport that quieted many of the humanitarian objections was accomplished by a gentleman named Owen Patrick Smith. He is one of the key figures in the history of the sport and was profiled in a long Aug. 27, 1973 Sports Illustrated article by Robert Cantwell. O. P. Smith (1869-1927), as he came to be known, was once hired to organize a coursing meet to promote the city of Hot Springs. He then turned his full attention to the invention of a mechanical lure for greyhound racing and in 1910 was granted a patent for the Inanimate Hare Conveyor. His breakthrough came at Emeryville, CA where a boxing promoter and businessman named George Sawyer built a track in 1919, utilizing the new device. In his Sports Illustrated article Cantwell writes of the 1,600 pounds of machinery to carry a one-pound rabbit which at times jumped the rail. Smith had another problem with the dogmen, Cantwell relates. They were of the belief that their greyhounds would feel deceived once they knew they were not chasing a live rabbit and never run ag
Author: Melvin D. Montemerlo
Publisher: Melvin D. Montemerlo
ISBN: 0999576151
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 274
Get Book Here
Book Description
This is the sixth book of my series on Windsor Locks history. They are, in chronological order: Windsor Locks History, Windsor Locks History: Volume II, Windsor Locks History: Volume III, Windsor Locks Musicians, Understanding Windsor Locks History, and this book. They are an encyclopedia. Each book, including this one, has about 40 chapters on important people, places and events in the hsitory of Windsor Locks from 1663 to the present time (2023). The chapters are not meant to be read in any order. There are meant to provide a comprehensive history of the town. Use of a computer allows you to scan the Table of Contents in each book to see the topics it contains.
Author: Melvin Montemerlo
Publisher: Melvin Montemerlo
ISBN: 0999576135
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Get Book Here
Book Description
This is the second book in a four volume set on the history of WIndsor Locks, Connecticut. The first two volumes contain chapters on the important people, places and events of the town's history, which started in the mid 1600s. The third volume has a number of collections of photographs of the town that were taken in various years from 1880 to 1960, as well as chapters on specific people places and events. The fourth volume in the series is about the overall structure of the history of the town. It divides the 350 year history into four phases: Settlers, Main Street Commerce, Bradley Field Area Commerce, and Residential Community. This volume (Volume II) has 42 chapters, 360 pages and approximately 500 old photos of WIndsor Locks.
Author: Robert Temple
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 9781450054706
Category : Harness racing
Languages : en
Pages : 107
Get Book Here
Book Description
New England has played a prominent role in the history of harness racing in America. The greatest horses, owners, drivers and trainers competed here and the sport reached its height of popularity following the legalization of pari-mutuel wagering in the mid-1930's following 300 years of Puritanical resistance to gambling. Today harness racing is barely hanging on as a viable commercial entity. This book details the history of the sport, tracing its rise and near-final fall and the possible solution to saving it.
Author: Melvin D. Montemerlo
Publisher: Melvin D. Montemerlo
ISBN: 0999576186
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 136
Get Book Here
Book Description
This is the seventh book in a series on Windsor Locks, CT history. The first six books contain chapters on important people, events and places in Windsor Locks History. This is an attempt to make a shorter overview of some of the most important things that have happened in town history, and the people who made them happen. Sixty three accomplishments and the persons who were responsible for them are listed and described BRIEFLY. Each accomplishment has a two-page chapter. This book was written for people who are looking for an overview rather than completeness. The first six books contain about 250 chapters and over 2400 pages. This book contains only 131 pages.
Author: Gregg Mangan
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1626196656
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Get Book Here
Book Description
Connecticut's character runs much deeper than breathtaking fall foliage and quaint coastal towns. One day at a time, author Gregg Mangan chronicles fascinating episodes in state history, from the earliest European settlements to the modern era. After a lengthy debate, the state senate voted in favor of "Yankee Doodle" as the official state song on March 16, 1978. Bridgeport's General Electric Company completed work on the bazooka on June 14, 1942. On the morning of December 4, 1891, the only four-train collision in American history occurred at the railroad station in East Thompson. Each date on the calendar holds a nugget of knowledge in this celebration of Constitution State history.
Author: Amanda Becker
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467141968
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 160
Get Book Here
Book Description
Local thrill-seekers at the turn of the century knew that all the action was at the Driving Park. But few today know the drama buried beneath a West End subdivision. At the height of the horse racing craze after the Civil War, prominent Rockford businessmen raised $25,000 to build a harness racetrack there in 1890 (the name refers to the person in the cart pulled by a horse--the driver). The versatile venue evolved to stay relevant, weathering the 1893 financial panic and welcoming bicycle mania. Events ranged from high school track meets to early auto racing. Folks saw a soccer game one week and a circus the next. Controversy erupted at times, from gambling and drinking to a murder and a KKK rally. Amanda Becker reveals this colorful story nearly forgotten since 1938.
Author: Paul R. Wonning
Publisher: Mossy Feet Books
ISBN: 1310220093
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages :
Get Book Here
Book Description
The American History a Day at A Time books present the story behind the headlines. It is easy and fun to learn a lesson in colonial American history facts daily. If you have ever read those “This Day in History” listings, you may have been curious about the events behind the scenes. The 366 short history stories in this collection of history stories are from the pioneer frontier period of American history. They include historical facts and events for a whole year. This complete edition of historical events includes: January 10, 1776 Common Sense By Thomas Paine Published February 9, 1674 English Re-Conquer New York From Netherlands March 17, 1637 - The First Recorded Celebration Of St. Patrick's Day In Boston April 6, 1712 - Slave Revolt In New York May 3, 1654 - First Toll Bridge in the Colonies Authorized June 5, 1752 - Benjamin Franklin's First Kite Experiment July 4, 1754 - George Washington Surrenders Fort Necessity to France August 27, 1665 - Ye Bare & Ye Cubb" Is First Play Performed In North America September 01, 1730 - Benjamin Franklin Common-Law Marriage To Deborah Read October 20, 1720 – Pirate Calico Jack Is Captured By the Royal Navy November 22, 1718 - English pirate Edward Teach ("Blackbeard") Killed December 23, 1750 - Ben Franklin Attempts to Electrocute a Turkey little known, obscure, facts, forgotten, stories,
