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SOMETHING OF STARTER CASSIDY. j Mars Cassldy, who is entitled to rank as Amer, : icas foremost starter by reason of his connection with the Jockey Club, in the. east, has been actively, vhg.1gexl.0n the tartccR platform since early in 180.1, In those days on the fair ground tracks iu Virginia and Marvland,. where he began apting as starter, the : barrier was unheard if and, the. starting was done witli the little red Hag. , Mr. Cassidv- first started on a Jockey Club track ; in 1S93 at Alexander. Island. He is. the originator ; of the walking-up S3-stem, and practiced it first in Canada and then for two years at New Orleans. All the jockeys riding in the east today have to. thank-Mr. Cassidv for enabling them to collect their sal-ariis In fuil. "without deductions on account of fines. Instead of being disciplllud iri that manner, the bovs are set down. .Mr. Cassldy is authority for tlie statement that fines amounted to from 5,0M1 to 0,000 a year when lie- first relieved Chris 1 1 tz-gerald. while now not a Single boy is fined. Mr. Cassidy believes the boys are more afraid of being set down than being" lined. , Very naturally, when a bov was fined" in the old days, the tine did not come out of the boys pocket, but those who benefited by his carelessness usually, footed the bill. "I always haye- a :talfc With the boys at the beginning of a meeting arid tell them plainly that if they are not satisfied with my intention of giving each boy an equal break that they will be set down if they try to -prejudge me.- The consequence is that tin; boys are afraid oto take a chance. "The responsibility of starting is wearing on the nerves, and a man -requires an iron constitution. I started for two years continually, not missing a day except Sunday, being iii New- York for the entire season, and then at New Orleans during the winter, but that is too exacting;. :. , "I remember that I was. much .afraid to accept the position of starter at first, and if it had not been for the insistence, of ,myir.iends might never have attempted it. Moreover,-, when I did get in harness I found it just as hard a. .job vs I expected. It is easy now because l have had the experience and I have established rules of my own." Mr. Cassidy was born iu Maryland during the war, in 1S02. His father. who was wounded and a home on a furlough when he was born, insisted that his ntinic should lie -Mars, for the god of war. Mr. Cassidys home is on Long Island.
