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Sportsmans Park By J J. Murphy • I Johnny Rotz Toast of Local Turf Patrons Rode for Harry Trotsek as an Apprentice Accounted for 133 Winners Last. Season SPORTSMANS PARK, Cicero, 111., May 6.— Men of a bygone era will remember John L. Sullivan, the famous "Boston Strong Boy," and those of a later genera tion will recall John L. Lewis,, the labor man, but present day thor-oughbred devotees are more interested in John L. Rotz, a 107-pound lad riding at this track. Rotz, a 21-year-old from Decatur, 111., recently rode three winners in a single afternoon here, which is a fair . feat of reinsmanship, seeing that he had but five mounts that day. Rotz, who is unmairied, wears no mans collar. He is a free-lance jockey and has been since his apprentice days when Harry Trotsek, of Cicero, HI., held his contract. Rotz has done all right on his own. He won his first race at Washington Park, August 6, 1953, and completed the year with 78 winners. Last season he piloted 133 horses first under the wire. Rotz is a country boy at heart and makes his home with his parents on a* farm near Decatur. One of his greatest thrills came: when he won the New Years Handicap at Tropical Park last year aboard Hasty House Farms Torch of War. His engage- ments are being made by Walter Haljean, nicknamed "Hamjam," who has had many good boys under his wing in his day. Schuler Saw Murphy Win 1884 Derby Interesting visitor Thursday was Andrew Schuler, of Los Angeles, who is en route to the Kentucky Derby with the Jack Dempsey party from the West Coast. Schuler saw the great colored jockey, Isaac Murphy, win his first Kentucky Derby in 1884 with Buchanan. Schuler was nine years old at the time.-. . . Among others in the Dempsey contingent were Ivan Thomas, , former racing "secretary at Arlington and Washington Parks and now general manager of Centennial Park, • Denver; George Franco, sports editor of the Denver Post; Len Cahn, of the Rocky Mountain News, Denver; W. W. "Tiny" Tfaylor, prominent California owner and breeder accompanied by his sons, Buzz and Biff; actor George Jessel and his daughter, Jerryiinj Guy Daniels, of Mexico City, whose horses are racing at Hipodromo de las Americas, and C. S. and C. J. Jones, partners in the California racing establishment of C. H. Jones and Sons, of Long Beach, Calif. Dempsey informed us that Rex Ellsworth, owner of Swaps, was expected to join the party in Chicago, and that the Kentucky Derby starter would be shipped back to the West Coast Sunday night on the same train with the Dempsey party. * Louis Schlosser, who owns a breeding farm in Florida, not far from Gulfstream Park, reports the arrival of eight foals on his place. They are by the comparatively young stallions Poo Bah and New Dough, both of which have raced on Chicago tracks. . . . William H. Bishop sold Sweet Kathie to Glenn Taylor. ... Incidentally, when Chara, one of Bishops string, scored here recently and paid a 4.00 mutuel, it was one of the longest priced winners ever sent out by the Anna, 111., sportsman at this track. Many of the players here follow the Bishop stable exclusively. . . . Ivan Parke brought Quizzed, Miss Olympia and Olympia Lou over from Washington Park. He has 16 others stabled at the Homewood course. . . . Fred Crafton will distribute registration blanks for the Balmoral meeting on Saturday. . . . Schlosser brought Hurricane Dolly and Bergeruk from Florida. Hodgins Due With Dixiana at Washington Trainer Charles Kingsman has shipped Mss. Elizabeth Mucklers Imperial Ace to Fairmount Park along with Steamboat Bill, Our Laury and Dee Me Dee, owned by Joe Broz. . . . Trainer Jack Hodgins is expected to check into Washington Park Tuesday with the Dixiana horses. . . . Two colts by Cant Trust have been foaled at Mikel Farm, Oarlock* 111., one from Lady Hostess and the other from Cloy. That makes six foals born on the farm this year. . . Fine Grader and Dauntless Doge got in from Brush, Col., where they wintered. They are owned by Merle Mitchell. . . . The stakes runner Happy Go Lucky is back on the Chicago scene. He arrived from Keeneland with nine others owned by Harold G. Bockman of Aurora, 111. A delegation of prominent business men of Jacksonville, Fla., visited Sportsmans Park Thursday and were guests of president William Johnston, who accompanied them from the south. In the group were John Rush, Tenis Hagan, George C. Blume, Dr. J. H. Coppege, Dr. H. H. Humphreys, James Patton, Albert Zambetti, Andrew Zambetti, Ernest Anders, S. C. Henderson, William Beckham, George Coyle, George Buchanan, and Joseph Livingston. They travelled by special train and plan to attend the Kentucky Derby before returning home. . . . Milton Monroe of the advertising staff was back on the job following an appendectony. Bill Burke, the travelling telegrapher, is in for his annual spring visit". ... At the spring meeting here last year, Marion VanBerg led the trainers with 12 winners, and Ronnie Baldwin topped the jockeys with 31 victories. VanBergs horses have taken but two races this season, but Baldwin is riding to form and is again at the head of the jockey list. . . . Thursday being an off-day for the Baltimore Orioles, the team that he manages, Paul Richards took time out to attend the races. ... A number of horses in the stable trained by Roy Slomer have arrived at Washington Park.
