The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Risa Kaplan — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:01:11 GMT

Yes i remember going to the office to pick up my dad from work and having the typesetter make my name, and someone letting me put the papers in the chute to be magically sent upstairs. My dad couldn't type and used two fingers. I also remember Fisher Hats which was in the building too. a complimentary copy of the Daily Racing Form once got my mother off from a speeding ticket. When i used to ask him about jockeys he would sneer at me and say"" young lady jockeys dont matter who rides who!"

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Risa Kaplan — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:52:07 GMT

My dad Danny Cohen always spoke so well of you. Thank you for the shout out. I can close my eyes and hear him say it.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Len V — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 04:22:18 GMT

Nice touch, Jackie, who was my slotman when I worked briefly on the copy desk at the Telly and the The Racing Form. Jack's knowledge of, and love of the sport, were unmatched. I"ve had many newspaper jobs, including covering racing and handicapping, but my stints in NY and Hightstown were among the most enjoyable and satisfyling in a long journalistic career. By the way, the office bookie, Ralph Pinto, with whom I rarely bet, but consistently beat, once paid me the ultimate compliment. After another in a series of winning bets he said, "Don't you ever lose?" Alas, if only it were so!

Can't wait for the book, Jackie.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

John T — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 03:15:40 GMT

Bowie Mongo

Sorry about that.I live in the

Toronto area and get the Toronto Star daily that and old age is the only excuses I can offer for calling that wonderful information

from the past,The Morning Telegraph

The Morning Star.In anycase,I shall never forget that wonderful day I had at Laurel Park all those years ago and what a day it was for

the owner of Rokeby Stables Paul Mellon who won the International with Fort Marcy and just one year later would enjoy great success with one of the best horses in my lifetime,the European Champion Mill Reef.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Bowie Mongo — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:49:02 GMT

John T. You wrote the below, what the hell is The Morning Star". There was no such paper in D.C. or Baltimore, the story is about The Morning Telegraph.

"I went to see the Washington D.C.

International at Laurel Park on Nov.11th 1970 and I kept that days

edition of The Morning Star for a

souvenir.The price of the paper was 75 cents and the headline read ''150,000 Dollar International at Laurel'' As for Reigh Count of course he picked the winner of the International that year,Fort Marcy who also went on to be named Horse Of The Year in

1970.

John T 22 Dec 2010 9:46 PM "

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Old Timer — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:28:26 GMT

Thanks for the walk down memory lane. In my young days, I can remember buying the Telly for 50 cents and heading to the track on Saturdays. What's the form cost now, $5? As you noted, that was before cell phones, internet and so many other entertainment and gambling options existed. The track had a virtual monopoly and the crowds were great even on weekdays. Now the only time they see a crowd over 50,000 is for the Belmont Stakes or Breeder's Cup.

Probaby what I remember most of the Morning Telegraph are the great drawings of "PEB". I was there for the "Race of the Century" when Dr. Fager, Damascus and Buckpasser all bucked heads in the Woodward. Those were the days!

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Bold Brooklynite — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 02:58:20 GMT

"The Telegraph" ... as we Brooklynites called it ... was a broadsheet paper ... and not only carried racing news ... but also world news and entertainment news ... theater, movie, and gossip columns. I recall that the great S.J. Perlman wrote one of the entertainment columns.

Now ... if you remember the Morning Telegraph ... you surely must remember its radio counterpart ... the great Charlie Vackner ... whose gravel voice could be heard on every radio in Brooklyn at 5:40pm ... reporting that day's racing results.

Anyone here who knew Charlie ... any anecdotes about him?

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Lauren Stich — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 01:36:59 GMT

Jack,

Your vivid recall of the good old' days (just about 40 years ago....) brought nothing but a great broad smile to my face. I loved it, and concur with many of the posts here that a terrific book should definitely be written by you. Of course, you have a stable of characters that inhabited 525 West 52nd Street that couldn't have been more colorful!! I will always remember, with great fondness, your unwavering devotion to Damascus -- over arch-rival Dr. Fager; Steve Haskin's unabashed preference for Graustark, and, uh, a striking chestnut colt and champion 2-y-old, Bold Lad, and another sensational son of Bold Ruler -- Reviewer -- especially in a stirring renewal of the Metropolitan Handicap in 1970!! What a wonderful piece, Jack. Please write that book.

Best always, Lauren Stich

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

MIKE B — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 00:11:04 GMT

Autobiography Wins Westchester, Owned by Si Summer and trained by Frank Martin.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Steve Davidowitz — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:41:54 GMT

Hi Jack. . .I always thought you were as a writer hiding in an Editor's clothing.

I also should point out that Lauren Stich, the top class beeeding expert (now on my staff at GradeOneRacing.com) began her career with 'The Tele', as did Steve Haskin in the Library of the paper and me too.

Sol Rosen hired me in fact, to do the consensus point count for the selections made by Reigh Count, Sharpshooter, Trackman, Hermis and Sweep for all their tracks at a fat $80 a week!

A few months later however, I was picking horses at Waterford Park, Suffolk Downs and even did the handicapping comments for the NJ and NY tracks some days each week.

My fondest memories of that time remain linked to oversized office I shared with sports columnist Barney Nagler--a truly great boxing writer--and the legendary PEB and even with Johnathan Rand, who went on to be a sports columnist for the Kansas City Star before writing the war hero-former NFL Football player Pat Tilman's best selling biography.

I got an unexpected and wonderful education on many levels every day in that office. .Sol Rosen also saved my life--literally--by puling me into his office every few days to counsel me privately on things that I needed to change to straighten out a wayward life.

Thanks for stimulating the memories Jack. . .

All the Best/Steve Davidowitz

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Laura from 'Gansett' — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:51:06 GMT

No mention of Grantland Rice or Clem McCarthy aside from Damon Runyon in the "Telly"...c'mon they'd have to have been mentioned somewhere since the inception.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

ballyfager — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 21:51:10 GMT

I started buying it in 1959 when it was fifty cents. But you could buy a cheap lunch for fifty cents in those days.

Also, the full name was the NEW YORK Morning Telegraph, which featured Eastern racing and was a broadsheet. It was the CHICAGO Daily Racing Form, which was a tabloid and featured Midwestern and West Coast racing

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

John Piesen — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:29:41 GMT

Jack:

How 'bout the days the editorial staff would pile into a car for a visit to Delaware Park and

Dave and Goldie Herman at Brandywine. So many good people:

Saul, Judi, Fred, Harols, Nick and Arleen, Maxine, Red, Bob, Henry, George...

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

John Piesen — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:41:31 GMT

How could you forget the days the entire editorial staff would pack into a car for an afternoon at Delaware Park, and an evening with Dave and Goldie Herman at Brandywine Raceway?

Enjoy your retirement.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Mary Pitt — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:50:55 GMT

I only got in on the tail end of the racetrack press box camaraderie. Great days.

I remember when I was about 14 or 15, on my way home from school I'd sometimes stop in this small grocery store and buy the Daily Racing Form. Every time I put the paper down, the guy behind the counter would say 'That's the horse paper' like I'd picked it up by mistake, why would a teenage girl be buying that?

I'd just say, 'I know.'

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Joe Rosen — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:47:56 GMT

Seems like only yesterday ... or the day before yesterday.

Mention of Danny Cohen, who picked horses and made morning lines under the name Reigh Count, reminds me that once, in a rare display of confidence in genetics, he made a first-time starter going three furlongs his "best bet" on the strength of the horse's bloodlines (the horse ran out of the money). Of course, Danny was also the handicapper who insisted after one of his selections disappointed, "I gotta right to be wrong."

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

rvictor — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:17:32 GMT

You're just getting started.....

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

John T — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:46:49 GMT

I went to see the Washington D.C.

International at Laurel Park on Nov.11th 1970 and I kept that days

edition of The Morning Star for a

1970.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Merry — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:18:52 GMT

Reads Runyonesqe too, congrats - I had a crabby cigrar smoking editor only ten years ago and chalked it up to tradition.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Cris — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:28:34 GMT

I worked in a newsroom in Washington DC and I recall the old AP machines with their metal jingles and the bells that would go off to determine the importance of a story. I have not thought of those machines in years. It is hard to believe that we are not one hundred years old times have changed so much. I loved that paper.

I always purchased that vs. the Racing Form.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

jay — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:26:51 GMT

wow just reading that brought me back in time to remember a dozen stoeies i lived through in the 60s and 70s as a full timer at the track. years from now this generation will have their own stories but there was nothing like time as a young baby boomer. keepit up iloved it. especially about the brother

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Pedigree Ann — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:22:01 GMT

Yes, PLEASE, write that book.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

John McEvoy — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:50:46 GMT

Wonderful stuff, Jack. Was there ever a nicer boss than Sol Rosen? All the best to you.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Mac — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 05:45:45 GMT

Great stuff, Jack. But I think you were just getting warmed up.

There's a book -- or two -- in those days. Hope you'll write it.

re: The Morning Telly - By Jack Zaraya

Bill Daly — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:41:12 GMT

Great memories, Jack. How much did the Telly cost in those days? I seem to remember it was something like a quarter or fifty cents. I recall Autobiography winning the Westchester. Wasn't he trained by Pancho? Those days will never return unfortunately, but we always have guys who helped made it happen - like yourself - to help us remember. Thank you!