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NASRC Committee Report ReportPUBLIC PUBLIC RELATIONS RELATIONSHarry Harry J Millar New York chairman Hugh L Mehorter New Jersey R E Boomer Nebraska A S Drew Louisiana Fred W Pabst California J Wesley Fly Florida Frank Brooke West Virginia Allan M MacLeod Massachusetts ACKNOWLEDGMENT Your Committee on Public Relations wishes to record with grateful acknowledgment the splendid spirit of cooperation extended it by Mr Marshall Cassidy executive secretary and steward of The Jockey Club Mr Sam H McCormick secretary and treasurer of Hia leah Park Mr Fred Purner director of pub ¬ licity for Santa Anita Mr Leo Waldman advertising manager of Harry Millar Mr William PMaloney director of publicity for Batten Barton Dustine and Osborne and Mr David F Woods of the SubCommittee on public Relations for the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of the United States Inc In prefacing this report your Committee on Public Relations places before you today a resume which in substance comes in the nature of an appeal for concentrated action by the NASRC in the interests of further impressing our recreationminded citizenry pf all that is fine in its most popular spec ¬ tator sport In a coasttocoast survey of racings overall public relations for 1952 your committee is convinced that the man in the streets confidence in our sport exceeded even the most conservative esti ¬ mates Racings allout efforts to rid itself of those who would bring our great indus ¬ try into disrepute have been crowned with great success To constant vigilance by the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau plus racings other great policing agencies goes much of the credit for a job well done Alert officials and in some cases progres ¬ sive track mnaagement are jointly respon ¬ sible for other important contributions which make for a fine overall picture pictureIn In Healthy Condition Today TodayIt It is the considered opinion of this com ¬ mittee that basically racings public rela ¬ tions today are healthy iri every respect This is reflected in the publics confidence as manifested by increased attendance and parimutuel figures during the year just past We are all justly proud of this national enthusiasm therefore let us con ¬ tinue to resolve that every resource at the command of the NASRC will continue to be dedicated to improving ever improving our great obligation to the racing public This is no time to rest on our laurels We must go on with the same determination which all of us have shown in the past pastThe The members of the NASRC are being called upon today to lend their individual efforts to racings public relations program of the future Your voice together with the voices of your respective commissions must rise as one in protest against overtaxation which now threatens the very lifeline of thoroughbred racing throughout the nation Those in power in our State governments must be given to understand that the rac ¬ ing fan has long been asked to shoulder more than his share of the cost of govern ¬ ment If we as commissioners do not protect him our reason for being inevitably must cease It is indeed unfortunate that because of his love for excitement glamour and the great outdoor sports theatre that is racing he must pay pay and pay until his recreational budget dies a lingering and painful death on the rack of excessive and unfair taxation It is difficult to justify the attitudes of our lawmakers toward the individual who likes to smoke drive a ear drink an occasional glass of beer and per ¬ haps go to the races Woe seems to be to him who after working hard all year to support his family and pay his1 just income taxes that he dare allow himself a few of lifes fast diminishing pleasures Let us make it clear then such thing are not vices and that patrons of thoroughbred racing are in all truth decent lawabiding and sportsloving citizens of our great land landHumphrey Humphrey Is Owner and Breeder BreederIt It might also be well for us to proclaim to those who could be more friendly to racing that the men upon whom the American turf depends for leadership are firstrate citizens and are in most cases outstanding leaders in their respective communities Today George Humphrey of Ohio racing owner and breeder is Secre ¬ tary of the Treasury and Harold Talbptt of New York is Secretary for Air in Presi ¬ dent Eisenhowers cabinet and both are members of The Jockey Club Then there is Mr Alfred G Vanderbilt still another member of The Jockey Club and with that august bodys permission perhaps better known as the owner of Native Dancer Mr Vanderbilt was one of a select few ap ¬ pointed by a President of the United States to a committee to investigate sports and then lest we forget our own Tom Under ¬ wood who went from the secretaryship of the NASRC to the United States Senate We have always been proud of Tom and his achievements Then there are you com ¬ missioners gathered in this room accredited representatives of racing commissions throughout the United States Canada Mexico and Cuba Racing is proud of you the jurisdictions you represent and that certain something you possess which the chief executive of your State recognized to warrant your appointment as a racing commissioner It is no wonder then that our sport can hold its head so high in the light of unjust criticism We must there ¬ fore continue our previous pledges made while we were in convention at other cities in other times to carry high our banner before press and public proclaiming to all that we are ever proud of the sport we represent representThe The principal steps looking to favorable publicity for racing must always be taken by those who make racing their business If any who derive their living from our sport contribute to unfavorable publicity they need be reminded that they are haz ¬ arding their participation in the business and ours as well Nationwide publicity was given the regrettable incidents involving two major west coast racing associations and the HBPA The Thoroughbred Record of March 21 1953 commenting editorially editoriallyContinued Continued on fage Fotrr NASRC Committee Report PUBLIC RELATIONS Continued from Page Three Threeon on the Tanforan incident had this to say The notoriety given to the sport furnished ammunition to the enemies ofracing in general This same editorial sounded a warning that certain church organizations in California are gathering their forces in an attempt to deal a deadly blow to racing in that State If such a move is allowed to gain momentum in California who among us can guarantee that it will stop there thereGreater Greater Leaning to Religion ReligionIn In view of world events these past few years the peoples of all nations seem to be taking a more serious view of the future of mankind A nationally circulated magazine in a recent article tells of a greater leaning to religion by all faiths There can be no question but that such a movement is for the general good A truly great impression on the entire entertainment world was made in early spring when the Bowie race course in Maryland the Lincoln Downs course in Rhode Island and Tanforan in California saw fit to close their plants on Good Friday Aside from being a splendid gesture racings prestige on the whole was greatly enhanced by this act of complete selflessness on the part of the manage ¬ ments of these fine racing associations While we are certain that there are no reformers or bluenoses in our ranks there nevertheless can be no greater contribution to tiirdoms quest for improved public re ¬ lations than by good works of this kind This committee has noted with pride edi ¬ torial praise for the actions of Bowie Lin ¬ coln Downs and Tanforan on their respec ¬ tive decisions to close on Good Friday FridayA A prominent New York and West Coast motion picture executive informed your committee that in view of drastic cuts in attendance in the theatres throughout the nation on this day it is easy to see that the public has given serious consideration to the observance expected of the amusement world on Good Friday FridayIt It is therefore suggested that the mem ¬ bers of commissions herein present in whose jurisdiction racing is conducted on Good Friday petition race track manage ¬ ment and the members of their legislatures if such be necessary to aid the sport of thoroughbred racings nationwide public relations program by contributing to this worldwide observance This is without question an opportunity for our sport to make perhaps millions of new friends friendsTelevision Television Question QuestionThe The current question involving the too frequent presentation of live television emanating from our races courses appears to be one of considerable magnitude Dur ¬ ing the past year a representative of this committee talked with many racing offi ¬ cials and public relations newspaper and publicity men in an effort to present before this meeting today a brief yet comprehen ¬ sive picture of the video situation and its current relationship to thoroughbred rac ¬ ing The overall comment by these men seems to be divided on the relative merits of these farreaching advertising media mediaFred Fred Purner director of publicity for Santa Anita was quick to admit that the owners and operators of the Los Angeles Turf Club are agreed to sell their classic events to approved sponsors which number perhaps four or five during their season While this type of TV sports show is not without its attractive financial compensa ¬ tion to management Santa Anita is never ¬ theless reluctant to allow the telecasting of its many other feature attractions attractionsOn On Thursday ApriT 30 1953 the New York Times devoted considerable space to a frontpage story on racing being now the king of sports topping baseball in gate appeal In this lengthy news article under a subhead titled Racing Sparring with TV the Times had this tosay There are other reasons for the rise of horse racing in public favor besides betting For one thing the race tracks have been consider ¬ ably more conservative about giving away their show on television televisionIn In some racing localities there is a ten ¬ dency to telecast numerous Saturday and holiday features plus the occasional classic carded during the week Shrewd agency men have beyond doubt sold a few of our racing associations on the idea that such frequent presentations tend to instill a de ¬ sire in the visual audience to attend the races more often This may or may not be true but since some of our major courses literally bulge at the seams on holidays or big stake days it is difficult for your com ¬ mittee to see how any sportsloving citizen in his right mind might be enticed to leave his easygoing slippers and overstuffed chair for a frontal assault on the 50000 gathered at Sardine Downs seating ca ¬ pacity 17000 This committee is in accord with the televising of our great turf classics and an occasional opening day or charity day program However we clannot too strongly urge against the actual giving away of our show at frequent intervals to a medium that might progressively serve to make it easier for people to enjoy the races by staying away On December 2 1952 an organization known as the Turf Publicists of America consisting of race track press agents throughout the country met at the Hotel Plaza in New York The chairman of this committee on public relations of the NASRC attended upon invitation and sat in as an observer At this meeting it was revealed that governmental authorities have for some time and for reasons best known to the Federal Communications System taken an indifferent attitude rela ¬ tive to the interstate telecasting and broad ¬ casting of racing programs The aforesaid is mentioned without prejudice but merely to present additional facts should this Association be asked to take a position in urging greater TV coverage in the national racing picture pictureCharity Charity Days and Taxes TaxesThere There can be no doubt that one of the surest avenues to public approval lies in a recognition of worthy charities Substantial recognition of local charities by the estab ¬ lishment of socalled Charity Days for their benefit has always gone a long way toward establishing value friendships The prime drawback to the operation of charity days is the insistance of the Federal Gov ¬ ernment and those States where income taxes are in effect to extract the full amount of the tax from the proceeds before any distribution is made This greatly re ¬ duces the payments to the charities and thereby reduces the good will which other ¬ wise might be obtained obtainedA A bill was adopted by the Congress in 1952 providing that there should be no Federal Income Tax on specified sports events held for the benefit of The American Red Cross In New York a similar bill was introduced exempting the same organiza ¬ tion from the State Income Tax and it may be that similar bills were introduced in the Legislatures of other States In New York the bill was not reported from Committee While we are in no position to officially quote the reason for a lack of action on the bill it is credibly reported that the Legis ¬ lators were of opinion that local charities should be included in any such legislation legislationIt It does not seem too difficult an under ¬ taking for the Commissions to advocate these charity days in States where they cannot be undertaken without Legislative approval and also to ask for relief v from State income taxes where they are imposed It is not unreasonable to assume that a carefully drawn bill to permit sporting events for the benefit of bonafide charities to be conducted free of Federal income taxes would receive favorable consideration from the Committee on Ways and Means of the House and helpful action to that end by the Congress The meeting might con ¬ sider the formation of a committee to act in conjunction with a committee of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of the United States Inc for the deyelopment of this suggestion
