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■ James THomsoii Dispatches His Second Kentucky Derby Today JAMES THOMSON Took Over in Stand Last Season; Is Twenty-Third Starter Employed at Downs . CHURCHILL DOWNS, Louisville, Ky., May 2. — James Thomson, who will send Saturdays Kentucky Derby field on its way, is the 23rd professional starter to handle that assignment. Thomson made his first appearance in the starters stand here last year. For a number of years after the establishment of Churchill Downs this function was performed by Col. M. Lewis Clark, president of the track, and officers of other racing associations who were invited to preside in this capacity. It was an outstanding honor in racing to -be invited- to act as starter for the Derby, or any other major event at the Louisville course. Colonel Clark and his associates decided that more uniform starts would be effected if the work were done by a man who devoted all his efforts to starting. Thus the practice of paying a starter was inaugurated at the track. Succeeded Reuben White Thomson succeeded the late Reuben V. White as starter. White had sent, the Derby horses away from" .the. starting point 16 times, the second largest number of Derby fields started by any one man. White became s t a r t e r at Churchill Downs in thespring of 1941.-,He replaced William Hamilton, under whom White had served as an assistant starter. Hamilton had resigned to become a steward at several tracks, Hamilton started more runnings of the Derby than any other man. He was starter at Churchill Downs from the fall of 1925 through 1940. In 1923, 1924 a"hd the spring of 1925 he shared the duties with other men. A. B. Dade was the starter from. 1918 through 1922. He followed Harry Morrissey. who was in the stand from 1914 until 1918. Mars Cassidy, best remembered as the New York starter, officiated at Churchill Downs from 1910 through 1913. Other men who worked in this capacity at the Louisville track for more than one meeting include J. J. Holtman, Richard Dwyer, James T. Williams, C. H. Pettingill, J. B. Ferguson and James Sheridan.
