view raw text
k » PgsSSis „* -vX-i. : ■■■■4* ■■■■ * :**.. ■■:r- . MMMllMMWIiliMMiAiai atailiah«»JMlMMMito BILL CORUM— Standing before the picture of the late Col. Matt Winn, whom he succeeded in office. Corum Another Mr. Kentucky Derby i Derby Bill Enriches Tradition : Of Big Race During Four Years J Churchill Downs President Builds Up Prestige of Event He Inherited From Col. Winn By OSCAR OTIS ? CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 1. — It has been said of horse racing that opinions die, records live. It also might be added that traditions, that great heritage of racing, grow and flourish, but unlike records, they must be nourished and encouraged from year to year lest they be forgotten by the new generation of turf enthusiasts. And traditions become more glorious with age and observance. I As Bill Corum, president of Churchill Downs, presents his fourth Kentucky Derby tomorrow, a Kentucky Derby he "inherited" with all its pomp and world prestige from the late Col. Matt J. Winn, we believe that enough time has elapsed to permit an ap-prasial of the Corum touch and its effect on the Kentucky classic. It strikes this observer that Corum has retained and in many cases enriched the traditions built up by everyone connected with the Derby in its rise to a sweepstakes of world importance. The hundreds of working newspapermen won cover the Kentucky Derby each year, newspapermen who represent dailies from coast to coast and border to border, plus some Canadian and European agents, are proud to call Bill Corum one of their brotherhood. For Corum is a track president of one of the great race courses of the world who attained that post by unanimous selection on the part of the board of directors following the death of Colonel Winn, through a combination of brilliant sports reporting and a keen insight into what the turf demands, what the public demands, and what the horsemen believe is for the best interests of racing as a whole and the Derby in particular. American Racing at Its Best "The Kentucky Derby is, in almost every way, a true show case of American racing at its best," comments Corum. "I believe that eventually the Derby will attract every notable from every walk of life in the nation and bring to racinc a new prestige to which it is justly entitled. We are making progress every year in this respect and each year we are improving our facilities to cater to a broad cross section of America which annually fills Churchill Downs for the running, and, in more recent years, the millions who hear the race on the radio or see it on TV. * The City of Louisville and all the people of Kentucky join in this for Kentucky hospitality is traditional, and thousands sample it only at Derby time." History is replete with instances where a special combination of circumstances arises which call for a man of special talents and leadership, and there always has been a man equal to the occasion. When Colonel Winn passed to his reward, his aging shoulders, laden with laurois, and the satisfaction of a lifetime of achievement for racing, the Churchill Downs directors sought a man of vision, one who knew and loved thoroughbred racing, who had a basic lik- » — ing for his fellow man, and who was at heart a builder. That the choice was Corum was no accident. Early in his career, he excelled in his studies, his main love at that time being baseball. Some of his friends tell us he might have carved out a career in organized baseball had he desired. When the first World War came, he enlisted in the Army as a buck private, and rose through the ranks. At the time of the armistice, he held a commission as major. After the war, he enrolled in the Columbia school of journalism, and upon graduation was hired by the New York Times. He gravitated to his natural field, sports reporting, and his writing was so vivid and excellent that it came to the attention of the late Arthur Brisbane of the Hearst newspapers. Hearst, on recommendation of Brisbane, made Corum such a flattering offer that he could not refuse and soon after he launched himself as a columnist. It was natural that he should, as part of his "beat," cover the Derby. Thus came about his close friendship with Colonel Winn. He drank deeply of the philosophy of Colonel Winn on many subjects, but particularly the Derby. Corum accepted the post as president of Churchill Downs on a part-time basis. Most of the year, he writes his nationally syndicated column. But his devotion to Churchill Downs and the Derby is year round. While he is not saddled with the details of Derby operation, he is responsible for the broader promotional aspects of the race. Corums first official act four years ago was to assure that the work of Colonel Winn as the builder of the Derby from just another sweepstakes into a race of world magnitude would not vanish with the years. The old "21 club" was converted into the "Matt J. Winn Room" and into it on Derby day step the greats of the world to find an atmosphere that is "as traditional as tradition can be." Here are the trophies and relics of past glories and triumphs, all subordinate to a wonderful oil painting of the Colonel himself. As a payment toward the debt that he owes and acknowledges to Winn, Corum on each Derby morning drives quietly to a nearby cemetery, and, upon the grave of that noted man, places a wreath of red roses, the same color roses which go into the blanket for the Derby winner, symbolic of victory in this greatest of American turf classics. The first "tradition" which Corum founded was to locate an unbroken series of solid silver mint julep Derby cups, engraved with the names of the various Derby winners since Aristides, and put these on display in the Colonel Winn Room. It was decreed that only the owner of a Derby winner may drink from these cups. On the festive occasion which follows a Derby victory, the owner of the winner now may toast the horse from this priceless silverware. As important to the Derby and to racing as important personages are, Corum spends only part of his time with the distinguished visitors. He tours the plant from "stem to stern," seeing what he can do or suggest to make things more pleasant for the average fan. He never forgets Iso-called his pals in the press box, and not only is he always available for a story, but takes the trouble to visit the coop often to see that everything is running smoothly and pleasantly. Nor does Corum neglect the backstretch. As often as not, he has coffee and doughnuts for breakfast at Jewetts, talking over whatever may come up with owners, trainers, exercise boys and grooms. One of his early acts as club president was to build a new kitchen, proof that he has an eye out for the welfare of those on the back-stretch as well as those on the front side. Corum also has been plugging for modern ization of the barns, which work has been done as much as possible from year to year. During his years as a race writer, and Corum has "covered" every Derby since that of Zev, he came up with a designation for the race which has become a Kentucky Derby slogan. He called the classic the "Run for the Roses."
