SC Rewind: Years Ago - 1940s

This week's Rewind column is the regular monthly version of Years Ago;  this time focusing on the decade of the 1940's.  Robert Smith has assembled a number of short passages and vintage pictures related to this period in history.  Once the war was over in the fall of 1945, harness racing launched a new era as night racing brought out many new fans  as new tracks were opened and the existing ones reopened. 

1946 - Night Racing At Northville Downs 

In 1946 racing under the lights was quite a novelty.  One of the earlier spots to offer night time racing was located at Northville, Michigan, a small quaint community not too far from Detroit.  Because of its proximity to the U.S. - Canada border a number of Canadian horsepeople were among the early participants. In the photos displayed below I have indicated a few Canadian drivers.  

Drivers at Northville. Front row, left to right: Francis Rousseau, Gordon Fraser, Al Worline, Earl Carrieveau, John Jamison, Mark Kyler, Jacob Endress, Bill Jewell, Elmer Conrad, Ken Cartnal, Fred Siefert. Back row, left to right: Roy McIntosh, Maury McDonald (Can.), Mac McIlmurray, Stan Adams, Foy Funderburk, Lindley Fraser (Can.), Archie Niles, Leo Carter, Tom Mills, Blake Buchan (Can.), Hank Harjes. (Hoof Beats photo) 

Above is a photo of the original paddock at Northville Downs.  Immediately following WWII building materials were in short supply so the track used a large tent to serve as the paddock which was somewhat of a new addition to racetracks (Harness Horse photo) 

A view of a large crowd at Northville in the early years.  

1947 - Mobile Starting Gate Introduced To Ontario Harness Racing - 75 Years Ago 

May 24, 1947 - Tom McDonnell of Hamilton with his new fangled starting gate was quite a hit at the Sarnia track on this day.  Harness racing in Ontario took a giant step as an important new piece of equipment went into action for the very first time.  The mobile starting gate, the brainchild of Mr. Thomas McDonnell of Hamilton went into action at today's races held at Sarnia's Bayview Racetrack. 

McDonnell, who served as a starter for a number of years under the old system, decided to build the new device the previous year.  With the assistance of a gentleman named Fred Metcalfe, a welder and metal fabricator also of Hamilton, the new rig was manufactured.  The automobile used for the new apparatus was the McDonnell family car, a 1939 Plymouth.  

Soon after its debut at Sarnia, racing associations across southwestern Ontario eagerly sought the services.  Racing centres such as Strathroy,  New Hamburg,  Stratford and numerous others adopted its usage.  Later that same year Art Whitesell of Tillsonburg, Ont.,  another pioneer in the history of the coming of the starting gate,  introduced his new gate at Grand Valley, Ontario. 

The original McDonnell starting gate is shown here in use at Wallacetown, Ont. in 1947 (Photo courtesy of Elgin County archives) 

The following caption accompanying the above photo was taken from the St. Thomas Times-Journal:

1947: "Used for the first time  at the Wallacetown Fair on Friday was this mobile starting gate, owned by Alex McDonald, Hamilton. The machine is here seen as it approached the starting line with horses entered in the free-for-all closely following in an even line for the start. The machine eliminates the necessity of having the starter recall the entries in sulky races, which require running starts, to make repeated starts until they get away in a close group and the proper positions. At the moment this picture was taken, the operator had just begun to close the wings, which project from either side of the car, preparatory to pulling away from the field to leave the horses a free run of the track."

1947 - Delilah B Enjoys Great Season 

This great old stable photo was reportedly taken at St. Stephen, N.B. Delilah B. was flanked by Jerry Walker on the left and a veteran local horseman Billy Keyes, who was at least 75  at the time this photo was taken.   

The 1947 season was a successful one for the nine-year-old pacing mare Delilah B pictured above. The daughter of James R Braden was owned by Geo. A. Walker of St Stephen, N.B.  Her campaign that season took her and her owner and sometimes driver to a total of at least 18 stops for the season.  They raced at different tracks in New Brunswick and also went across the border to numerous spots in Maine including Cornish, Topsham, Gorham, Lewiston, Houlton and Fryeberg.  The international border posed no problem to those wishing to engage in competition in either country. 

Most of the racing action took place in the summer and fall, with many stops at fall fairs in the region.  In addition to several starts with her owner George Walker in the sulky,  a couple of others Emmet Burke and Wm. Burt  had winning trips behind Delilah B that season.  When the mid-summer race day was held at St Stephen that year one driver won eight of the nine heats held.  The only time this fellow missed a victory was when Delilah B won the heat. (See below for today's trivia question ) 

A racing scene at St. Stephens, N.B. fairgrounds during the 1940's.  Located near the Maine border many people raced on both circuits. 

1949 - Sam Hy Has "Payback" Season 

Sam Hy on the day of the W.J. Hyatt dispersal sale in 1949.  On the left is Wesley Litt, the successful bidder and new owner.  Holding the horse is Alex Parsons of London, the sale organizer (London Free Press archives photo) 

Stratford hotel owner Wesley Litt, the proprietor of the Windsor Hotel may have given renewed meaning to the old saying that "you have to spend money to make money."  Back in February of this year he paid $10,500 at a London, Ont. auction to purchase the rising four-year-old pacer Sam Hy.  It was certainly one of the highest prices shelled out for a horse in this area,  if not the largest ever.  In today's dollars that amount would be equal to around $125,000.  

Sam Hy went on to a successful season on the racetrack that year as he made a total of 25 starts and took a new mark of 2:07h.  Racing at several locations, Buffalo, Batavia and Northville, all in the U.S.,  the four-year-old son of Bob Lee won a total of 17 heats, as some starts were of the double heat format.   At year's end Mr. Litt had recovered nearly $10,000 ($9,982.00 to be precise)  of his original investment.  Following the purchase of this horse Mr. Litt hired well-known trainer and driver Harold Wellwood, originally from Merlin Ont., to handle this horse and several more in his string.  I doubt that anyone else ever drove him. Harold and his young family moved to Stratford and remained there for the remainder of their lives. 

Quote For The Week: "We have two lives; and the second begins when we realize we only have one." -  Confucius 

Today's Trivia Question: In the 1947 item shown above it mentions that one driver won eight of nine heats that day. Who do you think that "Gentleman" may have been? 

Who Is It? 

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Can you identify this quintet of young fellows? It looks like "M" was their favourite letter, maybe there was a reason for their choice.  

Who Else Is It? 

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Can you identify this rather young gentleman? He drove quite a bit at one time.  

Blast From The Past 

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This great old photo caught my eye because it goes back to the "soft hat" era of racing, probably taken in the early 1950's.  These three fellows were all well known on the New England circuit and are probably not recognizable by most of the reading audience.  I am going to give their initials and if anyone cares to take a guess at their identity please do so.  I'll list their names at the usual time. (Photo courtesy of North East Harness News) 

From left to right - B.R.; M.H. Jr.; A. "Red" B. Jr. 

Be sure to stay tuned during the upcoming week to see the correct names and the answer to the trivia question.