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WILLIAMS LIKE MONK COBURN Texas Rider Compared to Former Famous American Jockey. Frank Otis Believes Boys Will to Win One of His Greatest Biding Characteristics. NEW ORLEANS, La., Dec. 6. Whenever veterans of the turf gather for a confab the chief topic of conversation usually veers to comparisons of the riders of old and those of the present, and the horses of yesteryear against the present-day champions. In a reminiscent mood recently at the Fair Grounds Frankie Otis, paddock and patrol judge who has seen practically all of the foremost riders of the past forty years come and go, ventured the prediction that losing the apprentice allowance will not have any great effect on Sammy Williams, the Dublin, Texas, boy who is third on the list of American jockeys at the present time. Otis, a former rider himself and, judging from past predictions a keen judge of riding material, claims that Williams is a replica of "Monk" Coburn in action. The daring that Sammy displays is remindful of Overton, who had a reputation for squeezing his mounts through the scantiest of openings, which was productive of victory more than a few times. "Williams perch on a horse and his every characteristic is of Coburn as I recalled him thirty-odd years ago when I rode in races against Coburn out in California. Williams is also the same cocky type, effervescing with confidence, and his will to win sometimes enables him to get down in front on a horse that might not be the best in the race," Otis mused. NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS. "I have watched this youngster ride throughout the summer and, in addition to having the intestinal fortitude required to be a topnotcher at horsebacking, he has a fine knowledge of how to ride different horses. Quick to learn the little idiosyncrasies, Williams has won races astride horses that other boys failed to get inside the money," the racing official concluded. An eagerness to win with all of his mounts embellished by hopes of achieving the ranking No. 1 position of American jockeydom has been responsible for the young Texan figuring in several crack-ups, which kept him inactive for more than two months during the current year. A fall at Oaklawn Park and another at Thistle Down Park and still another at Detroit put him on the shelf, thereby reducing his chance of climbing to the top of the jockey standing. Williams has only a short time left before his apprenticeship expires, as he booted home his first winner at Tropical Park last December 22 and since that time he has gone great guns, attracting the attention of astute turfmen with his riding ability.
