Connors Corner: Hear Foreign Tongues at Track Modern Tower of Babel Chattings Atkinson Honor, Daily Racing Form, 1953-06-24

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I i Connors Corner ■ * By "CHUCK" CONNORS Hear Foreign Tongues at Track Modern Tower of Babel Chattings Atkinson Honor Guest at School AQUEDUCT, L. I., N. Y„ June 23.— Many years ago when these broad United States were in the growing stages, some one ppnnnppMii] characterized the land as the melting" pot of the world. Well, conditions from that time have changed, but a great and glorious opportunity faces the 8 student of languages today. Any given afternoon at Aqueduct he can stroll through the grandstand and a chat-assail his ears and for the most part concerns horses, jockeys and what do you like in this race. Spanish, Portugese, Chinese, Italian are the predominating alien tongues but every now and then Hindustani, Dutch, a smattering of Brooklynese and the hodge .podge of pig Latin can be heard over the incessant chatter that prevails between races. The babel of alien tongues confused Mickey Miles, the Brooklyn, N. Y. alumnus of the school of equestrianship presided over by Father William Daly of past memory, Miles later took a post graduate course in Germany and Austria, and thus "can be looked upon as competent to discuss the subject. The other afternoon he deserted the sacrosanct confines of the clubhouse searching for a friend, whom he had been, informed was seated at the far end of the stand. Miles failed in his hunt in the grandstand but came back with the information that, a modern tower of babel assemblage was on hand, and doingr more talking than the United Nations representatives at a big meeting. He compared the Aqueduct chatter, between races, that is, to a chance encounter with a detachment of French foreign legionaires prior to the outbreak of World War I. These worthies, recalled Miles, spoke every language under the sun and were proficient in profanity of all types. Linguistic habits on a race track have changed greatly in the past few decades. The influx of Spanish speaking help, this can be traced to the invasion of Havana over 35 years ago and the latter day influx of Mexicans via Agua Caliente and the southwestern parts of Texas. The great number of first or second generations of Italians now in racing is another characteristic of the changing times. A glance through the list of trainers and jockeys today reveals the steady decline of Anglo-Saxon names of the past. Well times have changed and who knows what the future has in store? It could be possible that a race-tracker a few years hence minus a smattering of some foreign tongue would be lost in the daily conversations that pertain to the stable chores and the orders of the day. Joe Eitinger, master of Marlboro Stud, said today that this was to be the last season of campaigning for his four-year-old Jet Master. The son of Jet Pilot is destined for Kentucky and the stud next spring. . .Joe M. S eider is a regular these afternoons. He reported that the track was as cold as the customers who once swarmed to his theaters to gander at the Hollywood movie picture product... Trainer Max Hirsch reported that To Market, owned by the King Ranch, is through with racing. The X-ray pictures revealed a broken sesamoid, suffered in the Massachusets Handicap and that the son of Market Wise would be shipped to Kentucky later, and enter the stud next ■ spring. Ben F. Whitaker, the Dallas, Texas, owner and breeder said that Hitex would remain in his Belmont Park stall until later in the summer. The colt will then be turned out for rest and treatment for a broken bone in his left front foot. . .Trainer E. E. Russell returned Clean Broom, Riddleton, Blen-fly, War Bill and Stage Lover to Jamaica following an invasion of New Jersey... Trainer Sol Rutchick returned Ednas Pick to Jamaica from New Jersey. Rutchick is slated to return to the New York scene tomorrow.. .Hueso, owned by Robert P. Levy, and winner of the Shevlin Stakes on Monday, was returned to Monmouth Park this morning. Jockey Basil James* came up from Monmouth to ride the colt.. .Jockey Teddy Atkinson was among the missing yesterday. He was guest of honor at the, Continued on Page Thirty-Nine - Connors Corner 5 ~ • By C. J. CONNORS Continued from Page Four graduation ceremonies of the senior class at the Corning, N. Y., high school. Atkinson was slated to ride Bassanio for Ogden ! Phipps in the Shevlin, but the colt failed j and therefore the day was not too costly for the Greentree Stable booter. Not to be outdone by Hialeahs f lamin- i goes, or Saratoga Springs swans, Aqueducts track superintendent Lennie Lit-wak- replenished the miniature lake yesterday. There are three ducks now swimming on the placid waters where yester- . day morning there was one . The weight assigned Tom Fool, the Greentree Stables candidate for the Carter, 135 pounds, was pronounced exactly right by the paddock gang. Their collective answers to the poundage — name any horse thats near him right now? Aqueduct officials have ordered 500,000 colored post cards of the -Carter Handicap triple dead, heat finish between Brownie, Bossuet and Wait A Bit in the 1944 running. This finish is the most popular with the card mailingfraternity . Maurice Hamburg, of the "tote" department who is on the sidelines with pneumonia, is recovering steadily and his physicians hope to have him out next week . Dr. Alex Kaye showed up for a few races and reported that the riding fraternity was in good all round health to date . Jack Amiel, the restaurateur from Times Square, was among those present. The kitchen he reported was too hot for comfort and that was a good excuse to go racing.. Col. Abe Hallow and Linus "Buzzy" Appleton, the Bostonian, comparing handicap figures daily, before the first race that is. 9 Joe W. Brown, the New Orleanian, hopes to head this way for a vacation, reported Johnny Theall, who has his horses in training here...F. Skiddy von Sfade returned from a business trip to Saratoga Springs and later reported that the stall allotments have been set for the year. The list will be made public in the near future. . .A. W. Abbotts Blue Man is doing nicely in Kentucky and his return to the racing wars this winter is looked upon as very promising .. . Harry Stevens IDT., of the catering clan, and Mike Casale, of the press box, celebrated their natal days. A couple of cake eaters, judging by the destruction of the chocolate layer cake that was presented during the afternoon.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1953062401/drf1953062401_4_1
Local Identifier: drf1953062401_4_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800