Railbirds

By William Hutchinson

WE ARE ALL RAILBIRDS
The folks who religiously go to the racetrack are different. They are quirky. They are superstitious. They are impulsive. They are petulant. They are unpredictable. Just like you and me. But different.
These habitual devotees of the Sport of Kings, greyhounds and jai alai are collectively called RAILBIRDS. The railbirds keep the place engaging and mysterious. Within this colony we introduce dandy’s, misfits, degenerates, Mensa members and everything in between. No matter what race track in any country you are in....from France to Hong Kong, Chile to Saudi Arabia....you will meet the Railbirds. They’ll be a little difficult to identify at first; but over a short observation period they expose their daily regimen, their passport to winning the big one-- in some cases at the expense of others.
The group as a whole is bizarre. But individually, they become real and fascinating: There’s arithmetic wizard and betting savvy Binocular Bob; the Sheik complete with his security guards, food tasters, mysterious entourage; Meadowlark, the would be pro-golfer who mastered the new technology of wagering and used it to his own advantage; Miss Universe’s unannounced visit to the track; the professional wrestlers who always finished their bouts just before the next race started; El Senor, the legally blind Cuban refugee senior citizen with quirky bets ; Pete the Roofer with his constant fist full of cash and shady background; Park Avenue Willy, the dandy of the clubhouse but in reality a scammer....and more.....

Close your eyes and listen. Hear the gates slam open and bells ringing, feel the oncoming thunder of hooves; strain to hear the announcer getting aggressive, hear the crowd roar echoing all over the building: coaxing...coaxing....coaxing man and beast toward the finish line.
When every race ends, there’s a dramatic catharsis. There are winners and mostly losers with their woulda, coulda, shoulda bets. But for all the railbirds, there’s always another race...another superfecta paying five figures or another $200 win bet for a $2 investment.
As an added insight, the authors describe events and often unplanned circumstances to further add to track lore. There’s the night that the entire Miss Universe competition dropped by much to the chagrin and confusion of the inveterate gamblers; or the night the professional wrestlers had bouts in between races complete with “battle royal”, tag teams and a healthy number of good guys vs. bad. Another surprise involved a bogus Greyhound Racing Commissioner from Great Britain, who insulted just about every owner and trainer in a gin infused key note speaking engagement.
The railbirds we describe are all real. The names have been changed, and we’ve embellished them a bit: each one entertaining and a story in his/her own right. The writers, occasional RAILBIRDS themselves, spent a combined century watching, knowing, on occasion celebrating with Railbirds.
Bill Hutchinson, as general manager and vice president of four race tracks, got to know many of these characters intimately as he worked his way up from teller to executive. “The race track is a great people watching venue,” he said, “and, no matter where you attend the horse or dog races or jai alai, these same individuals are part of the daily fabric of the game. The names may change, but the personalities and their schemes do not.”
Baird Thompson’s marketing firm was in the forefront of promotions and events at many normally staid and conservative race tracks. “The nature of gamblers, their superstitions, their quirks, their scams, their garb, and their body language is very entertaining. Anywhere in the world the Railbirds are predictably unpredictable.” he said.

• Language: English
• Publisher: William Hutchinson
• Release date: May 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301998319

William Hutchinson

Bill was a college football player when a bad injury sent him in a different direction. He became a disc jockey, and while taking college classes at the University of Miami went to work at the many nearby race tracks. He quickly worked his way from being a bet runner to teller and later department head at Hialeah Park; he was appointed assistant to the mutuel manager at Gulfstream Park and eventually Senior Vice President at Flagler Dog Track. Bill was chief administrative officer for the four race track conglomerate of the Hecht/Havenick family for a dozen years. Along the way he had stops at a variety of venues where he encountered many of these railbirds: the Great Barrington (Mass) Fair, Merv Griffin’s Teleview Racing Patrol, NYRA, the legendary Miami Beach Kennel Club, Tampa Bay Downs, Oaklawn Park, Tropical Park, Calder Race Course, Naples Fort Myers Dog Track--- to name a few. During his career Bill Hutchinson was instrumental in the implementation of technology into betting, thereby helping separate the money from the customer as quickly as possible. He helped champion the introduction of cross track betting and out of state(simulcast) wagering in Florida; introduce live poker rooms in race tracks and commission the research which ultimately led to slot machines at South Florida tracks and frontons. He was a long time board member of the Greyhound Hall of Fame. Co-author Baird Thompson’s Miami based PR and Marketing firm represented various racing companies over 25 years including the Flagler, Naples, Corpus Christi, St.Croix Meadows(Minneapolis)tracks. Legend has it that he snuck out of a sleep away camp (age 13) in Rutland, Vermont and hitch hiked down Route 7 to Green Mountain Greyhound Track-- where he cajoled a degenerate to make a Quiniella bet for him. Shortly thereafter he frequented Bowie, Laurel, Marlboro, Freestate, Rosecroft, Timonium, Pimlico, Dover, and Charlestown Race Tracks from his home in Washington, D.C. Clockers and hot walkers at the “ol’ hilltop” at Pimlico can vouch that he never missed a Preakness Stakes between 1967-71 while studying at Johns Hopkins. After earning a Masters degree at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, Mr. Thompson began a career in show business including acting, radio talent, rock n’roll promoter, television personality and producer and the voice of the New York State Fair. He continued his gaming interest at upstate New York Monticello and Batavia harness tracks, Woodbine in Toronto, Ruiodoso, Santa Anita, Maner, Aksarben, Sam Houston, Delmar, Apache and Yavappi from his second home Tucson, Arizona. He eventually ended up in Miami. His marketing firm became nationally involved in the racing industry along with real estate and hospitality and entertainment. He first met Bill Hutchinson in the early 80’s when his agency was selected to represent the Flagler Dog Track and its associated gaming and retail interests. The agency/client relationship continued nearly 20 years and their friendship remains as they, together, are independent consultants to the casino, hospitality and racing industries known as THE CASINO DOCTORS.

Book preview

Railbirds

For Darla and Andrea

Special thanks to the men and women who have been, are and always will be the heartbeat of the race track. And, to Yanelys Hernandez for her guidance.

First published 2013 by casinodoctors.com

Authors: Baird Thompson and William Hutchinson

Cover & Book Design: RSCreative, Inc.

Railbirds Character Illustrations: AADesign

Copyright The Casino Doctors 2013. All rights reserved – thecasinodoctors.com

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Table of Contents

We Are All Railbirds

Baird Thompson and William Hutchinson, Authors

Binocular Bob

The Royal Post Position Draw: Starring THE MAJOR

The Sheik

Fast Times, High Rollers

The Druggy 80s: Starring OTIS THE TRIFECTA CHAMP

El Señor

A Pistol, a Drunk and a Scary Night

Speed Boys: How They Manipulated the Massachusetts Fair Circuit

Miss Who?

One Time for the Catholics

Berry Impressive SUPER STAR

Clovis

Pete the Roofer

The Twitch of a Nose

Benny the Rug

From the Hip

Meadowlark

Park Avenue Willy

Jackpot Cash N’ Carry

Sooner or later, he’ll end up at some dog track in Florida.

– a well-known long time radio talk show host and curmudgeon

based in New York City

We Are All Railbirds

The folks who go to the racetrack are different. They are quirky. They are superstitious. They are impulsive. They are petulant. They are unpredictable. Just like you and me.

The habitual devotees of the sport of kings, greyhounds and jai alai are collectively called RAILBIRDS. Whether they gather at the rail to be near the finish line, or high tail it to the bar to down a quick snort as the race develops: it’s the railbirds who keep the place alive. It is within this colony of dandys, misfits, degenerates, Mensa members and anything in between that we welcome you to the grandstands and clubhouses of yesterday and today, and with a nod to tomorrow:

Close your eyes and listen. Hear the gates slam open and bells ringing, feel the oncoming thunder of hooves, strain to hear the announcer getting aggressive, listen for a roar of individuals in unison calling out numbers on horses or dogs, and jockeys being cheered on... echoing all over the building: coaxing... coaxing... coaxing man and beast toward the finish line.

When it’s over, there’s a dramatic catharsis. The wind comes out of the balloon. There are winners and mostly losers with their woulda, coulda, shoulda bets. But for all the railbirds, there’s always another race.

As you encounter these unique characters, watch how ordinary and peculiar events around them conspire to generate their 15 minutes of fame and in some cases, fortune. Then, see it for yourself: take an afternoon and go to the local track. They’re all still around in one form or another.

The railbirds we describe are all real. The names have been changed, and we’ve embellished them a bit, but they were, and still are, very much a part of the fabric of the sport. As casinos join forces with the race tracks and frontons, the railbirds and their idiosyncrasies remain – perhaps a little differently, but just as entertaining.

Baird Thompson and William Hutchinson, Authors

Bill Hutchinson was a college football star when a bad injury sent him in a different direction. He became a disc jockey, and while taking college classes at the University of Miami went to work at the many nearby race tracks. He quickly worked his way from being a bet runner to teller and later department head at Hialeah Park; he was appointed assistant to the mutuel manager at Gulfstream Park and eventually Senior Vice President at Flagler Dog Track. Bill was chief administrative officer for the four race track conglomerate of the Hecht/Havenick family for a dozen years.

Along the way he had stops at a variety of venues where he encountered many of these railbirds: the Great Barrington (Mass) Fair, Merv Griffin’s Teleview Racing Patrol, NYRA, the legendary Miami Beach Kennel Club, Tampa Bay Downs, Oaklawn Park, Finger Lakes Park, Tropical Park, Calder Race Course, Naples Fort Myers Dog Track – to name a few.

During his career Bill Hutchinson was instrumental in the implementation of technology into betting, thereby helping separate the money from the customer as quickly as possible. He helped champion the introduction of cross track betting and out of state (simulcast) wagering in Florida; introduce live poker rooms in race tracks and commission the research which ultimately led to slot machines at South Florida tracks and frontons. He was a long time board member of the Greyhound Hall of Fame.

Mr. Thompson’s Miami based PR and Marketing firm represented various racing companies over 25 years including the Flagler, Naples, Corpus Christi, St.Croix Meadows (Minneapolis) tracks.

Legend has it that he snuck out of a sleep away camp (age 13) in Rutland, Vermont and hitch hiked down Route 7 to Green Mountain Greyhound Track – where he cajoled a degenerate to make a Quiniella bet for him. Shortly thereafter he frequented Bowie, Laurel, Marlboro, Freestate, Rosecroft, Timonium, Pimlico, Dover, and Charlestown Race Tracks from his home in Washington, D.C.

Clockers and hot walkers at the ol’ hilltop at Pimlico can vouch that he never missed a Preakness Stakes between 1967-71 while studying at Johns Hopkins. After earning a Masters degree at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School, Mr. Thompson began a career in show business including acting, radio talent, rock n’roll promoter, television personality and producer and the voice of the New York State Fair. He continued his gaming interest at upstate New York Monticello and Batavia harness tracks, Woodbine in Toronto, Ruiodoso, Santa Anita, Maner, Aksarben, Sam Houston, Delmar, Apache and Yavappi from his second home Tucson, Arizona. He eventually ended up in Miami. His marketing firm became nationally involved in the racing industry along with real estate and hospitality and entertainment. For 20+ years he managed and promoted the World Champion Michelob and Budweiser polo teams for Anheuser Busch.

He first met Bill Hutchinson in the early 80s when his agency was selected to represent the Flagler Dog Track and its associated gaming and retail interests. The agency/client relationship continued nearly 20 years and their friendship remains as they, together, are independent consultants to the casino, hospitality and racing industries known as THE CASINO DOCTORS.

All of the stories, characters, illustrations and likenesses contained in this book are the sole property of THE CASINO DOCTORS and Thompson Hutchinson & Associates LLC. No reproduction of any words or illustrations is permitted.

For more information: thecasinodoctors.com

Binocular Bob

Greyhound racing’s heyday for gamblers and the sporting public was the late 1960s. A handful of individuals wagered huge sums of money on the racing dogs partly because the handicapping and wager strategies ran counter to horseplayers. Additionally, the wagering pools were much smaller than those at the horse tracks. They perceived (perhaps correctly) an edge and played it.

Those circumstances changed largely due to Robert Frill, known as Binocular Bob.

Bob looked like a college professor, with his horn-rimmed glasses, tall and thin, very intense, and wore uninspired