Arlington Charity Ball Huge Success: Expect Boys Clubs Will Receive in Excess of 2,000 Raised in 53, Daily Racing Form, 1954-06-23

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; Arlington Charity Ball Huge Success Expect Boys Clubs Will Receive in Excess of 2,000 Raised in 53 The Post and Paddock Club played the prelude to the 1954 season of the co-ordinated Arlington. Park— Washington Park Jockey Clubs, opening on June 24, and closing September 7 — with a pair of the most exclusive social events of the year, one on June 19, and the other on June 20. Both were centered on the exclusive Post and Paddock Club, for which the president is George Russell Carr. Arlington Park-Washington Park Jockey Clubs, for which Benjamin F. Lindheimer is executive director, was one of a group of sponsors for the June 19 event — the third annual summer ball to benefit the Chicago Boys Clubs, directed by Gen. Robert E. Wood, retired, and sponsored by the Womens Board. Mrs. Max Pray, publicity chairman of the 1954 party and chairman of that of 1953, expects that the profits from the 1954 ball will exceed the 2,000 netted last year. This money goes to provide summer vacations for some 2,500 boys and girls in the Chicago area. Other sponsors were Maine Chance Farm, Hasty House Farms and E: Constantin, Jr., Mrs. Lester Armour formerly Princess Aleka Galitzine Romanoff whose first husband would now be sitting on the. Russian throne — if Russia had any thrones any more, and Mrs. William A. Patterson, whose husband is an airline tycoon, were appointed chairmen of the ball. Mrs. Armour was stricken with a virus and Mrs. Patterson had emergency travel duties, so the bulk of the work fell upon the beautiful and ever-alert Mrs. Max Pray — "Peg Pray" — as she signs herself. Both Mrs. Armour and Mrs. Patterson were at the ball, however, with a long train of Lake Forest ex-clusives in their wake. Mrs. Leonard S. Florsheim Valma was the balls instigator. Mrs. Charles Kittle, honorary chairman of the board, was its most ardent developer, aided by Mrs. Barnes Donnelley, president of the board. It is a rule tha£ a chairman serve but one term and then step aside for the "runner-up." Mrs. Kittle is in Rio visiting Ambas--sador and Mrs. James Kemper, so was unable to attend this years function, as were also the Joseph Magnuses. The guests numbered approximately 500. Budd Back From Vacation The Sunday party was sponsored by the tracks. This was open house to the general public- with a private cocktail and buffet party for Post and Paddock members and their guests in the soignee little club. Mr. B. F. Lindheimer and Mr. George Carr had luncheon together at a quiet table on the lower floor. Upstairs quite the beau of the afternoon was founding member Britton I. Budd, just back from Florida and looking younger than he has in 20 years. With him were Mrs. Budd, her sister and brother-in-law, the Bruce Clarks and Judge, and Mrs. Michael Igoe. The George Simmonds, Bernard J. Fallon, president of Washington Park race track, and Mrs. Fallon, the A. D. Plamondons, Jr., and their hurdle racing son, A. D. Plamondon, m., were among the several hundred guests in the club. Surprise arrivals at the ball the previous evening were Mr. and Mrs. John F. Cuneo, fresh that day from Europe, as will be John Denby Allen, president of Arlington Park, and Mrs. Allen. John B. Gallagher, treasurer of the Post and Paddock, entertained a party of six; Ralph Scheu, bon vivant slowly recovering from an accident, was limping about on a cane; Weymouth Kirkland, another founding member, and Mrs. Kirkland were at both parties, but Leonard Florsheim, another of the founders, and Mrs. Florsheim went only to the ball. Mrs. Fairfax Cone and Mrs. George Woodruff widow of another first founder and a sculptor of note were in charge of the decorations. As usual, pink was the leit motif emphasized by the racing silks of the stables of the sponsors, ranging from Calumets devil red and blue to the predominating cyclamen tones of Maine Chance. Maj. and Mrs. Edynfed Williams, the Clarence Prentisses she a niece of the late Jim" Patten, grain king, the Frank Millers, "Andy" Valentine, half-brother of Lester Armour, Mr. and Mrs. John Knight, the Howard Linns and Mrs. Clive Runnells, Phil Armour, Jr. really he is Phil the Fourth , Mrs. Edward Condon, the Edward Cummingses, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Specht, Fritz Ernst, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Patterson, Mrs. Gardner Stern, Mrs. Helen Leigh, Mr. and Mrs. Leigh B. Block, the James Simpsons, Gen. and Mrs. Wood, Mrs. R. Cooper, Jr., the Richard Snidermans, Mrs. Robert Hosmer- Morse, Jr., Mrs. Calvin Frentress, Jr., and the Ike Sewalls were all among the gay party. The flat rate of 0 per plate and numerous liberal-hearted "donors" swelled the intake with their generous gifts,,


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1954062301/drf1954062301_8_4
Local Identifier: drf1954062301_8_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800