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I " Sv~ - . i McCarthy Has Derby Anniversary Noted Broadcaster Will Airj His Fifteenth Running of Race Believes Black Golds Win 1 In Golden Jubilee Year Most Exciting of Those Hes Seen By EVAN SIIIPMAN i NEW YORK, N. Y., May 6.— "Now, old :• timer," said Clem McCarthy, taking a seat : opposite this reporter at Sardis the other day, his words ticking with the precision of the watch he laid between us on the tablecloth, "we have just 33 minutes before I must leave for Louisville. So where do we begin? How many Kentucky Derbys have I broadcast? Thats easy— 14. This year is my Crystal Anniversary and Matt Winns Diamond Jubilee. -First visit to Churchill Downs? Ben Brushs year— 1896. Most exciting Run for the Roses? Black Gold, without a doubt — and well come to the reasons for THAT. How did I start the broadcasts? Well, old partner, it was this way— "During the twenties, I was a big bettor. Had my first good season after two or three bad ones in 1927. Then, the next spring at Jamaica, things began to go wrong. Decided on a change of air— a trip to Louisville for the Derby. Damon Run-yon, Phocian Howard, Bill Corum and I — all in the same car. We got to Cincinnati. I take a stroll on the platform. Buy all the papers. Now Quin Ryan began broadcasting the Derby for the Chicago Tribune in Bubbling Overs year — or maybe it was Flying Ebonys year. All local stations at that time, mind you. No hook-ups. Only reached Kentucky, Southern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. So-o-o-o, what do I see but this year— 1928 — Quin Ryan and the Chicago Tribune are out. Hearst is going to broadcast the race, and when we go over the papers back in the club car, we see that Hearst has picked an all star cast for the big afternoon. Cover the race from every angle — society, politics, business — " But hold on a minute, I said to the boys. Wheres your horseman? Whos going to describe the RACE? Announcer Stranger to Racing "They had a lot of names listed, you see, but wed never heard of a single one of them around the track. It looked to us as If the Hearst organization had forgotten about the HORSES. Damon Runyon says, A perfect spot for you, Clem. Ill fix it with the office as soon as we get to Louisville. "But it turns out Hearst has a man after all. Had broadcast fights, baseball and Xootball games. Thats why we didnt recognize the name. He hadnt ever seen a race in his life, except at a county fair. "Day of the race is dark and gloomy, drizzle of rain. All the colors look alike. Our broadcaster comes up to the press box with a little pair of 4-power binoculars. Starts on the first race. This is an all-afternoon program on the air. Cant see a thing, but hes game, knows all the tricks of the trade, ad-libs on anything until hes eertain, but as far as that first race is concerned, hes not giving them anything more than the finish, and hes waiting for the numbers to be posted at that. "Now I have a good thing in the second race, a first time starter, the Three Ds Stock Farms Vermajo at 4 to 1. The stable ►wins by six lengths, and Im standing in line cashing a big ticket when who comes running up to find me but Damon Runyon with the broadcasting people. Been looking all over for me, panting from the push through the crowd. An Assist From Phocian Howard " Clem, can you take over, right away? Damon says, and before I get a word out of my mouth, Phocian Howard, standing there beside me just to see I get that ticket cashed, pipes up with, Why, of course. Certainly. Clem will be glad to fill in. Courtesy of the New York Press — you see, I was writing a little column for the Press then — 5 a week, when Phocian was in funds. "No time to haggle. Up I go to the press box. Take over for the third race, and — Im on the air! It was a head and head finish with Roderigo getting the call over Grand King, but I was never in any trouble. Had been on the horns the previous summer at Arlington Park, and the field was right in my lap from the break. After that, the Derby itself was easy. Misstep set the pace, but when Reigh Count was ready, he came on to romp." "When you said that Black Golds was the most exciting Derby, it was because of a winter-campaigned horse, owned by an Oklahoma Indian woman winning the classic?" we ventured. "Hold on a minute, hold on a minute," Clem checked us. "There was a lot more excitement to the 1924 Kentucky Derby than THAT. Dramatic enough, if you will. But there was a race where judges and records were wrong, and it just so happened I was in a position to realize the fact before anybody outside of the press box. Stations Himself at Finish Line "I was working for Daily Racing Form at the time," Clem told us, "and I wanted a perfect picture of the stretch battle and the finish of the race. So I leave the press box and go to the little grass plot, right in front of the judges stand. When the field gets away, I see Black Gold turned sideways and off stride. When they pass the stands. Black Gold is running ninth, then sixth around the first turn, and, from there he gradually closes on the leaders. "Now listen close. Rancocas Stables Bracadale with Earl Sande up is the leader most of the trip. At the mile, Transmute, Black Gold and Chilhowee are right at him, with Altawood coming strong, clear out in the middle of the track. I was there by the judges stand at the finish line, looking at the horses coming at me, face-on. So-o-o-o Transmute fades out of the picture. Black Gold takes his place, but there is another horse inside of him, on the rail — Bracadale. On the outside, the fight is between Black Gold and Chilhowee, with Altawood still coming strong on the extreme outside. I register all this in my mind and clamp my glasses on Black Gold and Chilhowee. "Black Gold wins. And Chilhowee, I make second. But who is third? Id taken my glasses off Bracadale in the drive, but Id sensed him hanging on there on the rail, even though he was completely covered by Chilhowee. Then the judges hung up Beau Butlers number for the show — a colt who had never been in the hunt. Mistake in the Colors "I rubbed my eyes, but there it was — Beau Butler third to Black Gold and Chilhowee. And suddenly it came to me. The Rancocas colors then — Bracadales — were Continued on Page Eight Clem McCarthy Broadcasting His Fifteenth Derby Today Continued from Page Two green and white halves, with the green the only half the judges could see when the field was going down the backstretch. In the home stretch, the judges could see the white, but not the green, and Beau Butler, 1 from Idle Hour, carried white with green hoops. The judges must have assumed that Bracadale had faded right out of the money, while Beau Butler had come from nowhere to land third, a nose behind Chilhowee." "Being right there by the stand, couldnt you say anything to the placing judge?" we inquired. "No. Not on your life, boy. I was a nobody at that time. I just looked at the board and rubbed my eyes. But up in the press box, Jack Dempsey, chart caller for Daily Racing Form, caught the error. Tried to get a messenger down to the stand before the red sign went up. No telephones from the press box to the stand in those days. No use. Couldnt force his way through the crowd. "Down on the track, I began to think I must be crazy, but the jocks are going back to their quarters and I hear one of the boys ask Lyke, who rode Beau Butler, Howdd you get up there? I passed you in the stretch, and I wind up eleventh. Lke shrugs his shoulders and walks on. I KNEW I couldnt be that blind; Bracadale HAD to be third. Twenty Grand Turns It On "A week later," Clem concluded, "A friend sent me a picture of that finish, taken by an amateur photographer in the infield. There on the third horses blinkers, in big, white letters, was R. S., for Rancocas Stable. Now you see why I call the Black Gold year my most exciting Derby." "And the best race?" we persisted. "That I dont know; that I dont know," Clem answered, taking a sidelong glance at the watch Clem grabbed it and hied himself for the train to Louisville and the Derby.
