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JOCKEY GANNON VISITING HIS OLD HOME. New Orleans. La.. January lf . — Jockey Willie Gannon, a native of this city, who has won fame and fortune in the saddle, has returned home to visit with hit* parents. Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Gannon. 2424 Napoleon avenue, for the first time since 100$, He will be remembered by old-time racing follow m as the winner of the Crescent City Derby on Sam Hildreths Wit full in 1903. and as one of the leading jockeys of the country that year. ••Still riding? Well, you bwt I am." said Gannon last night. "I was for eighteen months in Russia anil Germany and fourteen months in Australia accenting mounts. I have signed a contract to ride for Baron Von Craft in Austria during the coming s.-ason for a 0,000 salary, and this looks pretty goad, although it isnt as much as I formerly earned." Gannon, smiling regretfully as he recalled the "good old days" when I SI Ing flourished here and attracted thousands of pleasure seekers every winter. He thought it simply shameful that racing is now tabooed at New Orleans. Memphis and Little Rock. where he had his early begtnuings and where he earned thousands of dollars by his skilful riding. His new employer. Baron Von Graft, formerly had the famous Fred Taral as regular jockey. Taral has retired and is now training for Baron Schles singer. Gannon makes 115 itounds without much diaVnlty and. while lie admits the life of a jockey is no continual round of pleasure, he looks the pic lure of health and says he feels good for many more yens of riding. Gannon is thirty-nine years old and explains his i_.m»I condition by saying he never drank anv al cobolic beverages aud uevcr smoked cigarettes.
