144 



The Driving Clubs of Greater Boston 



ed in the Chestnut Street staDle and ran it 

 twenty-four years, or till his death about ten 

 years ago. His son, S. Gordon bawyer, then 

 managed it three years and sold it to Frank 

 Donovan, who, when the property was 

 sold for improvement, had to move a 

 few doors up Chestnut Street. In the day of 

 road driving in Boston there worked at Saw- 

 yer's, besides Nash, already mentioned, such 

 men well known in the care of old-time trot- 

 ters as Martin Ouigley, Patrick Loftus, bet- 

 ter known as "Brock/' for having worked so 

 long for "Ham" Brock, and Thomas F. 

 Walsh. 



Right across the way from Sawyer's stable 

 was the famous Joseph F. Pray, the sulky 

 builder, who turned out the light road 

 wagons and buggies which were the delight 

 of the gentlemen road drivers who boarded 

 their horses at Sawyer's. 



Paran Stevens, for many years the prince 

 of Boston hotel men, first proprietor of the 

 New England House, then of the Revere and 

 the Tremont houses, had for many years a 

 private stable for his trotters at the corner 

 of Chestnut and Brimmer Streets, and about 

 the time of the advent of Sawyer's the 

 Stevens stable was taken by Mr. Pray for 

 his carriage factory, where he lemained for 

 more than a score of years. 



CHAPTER X 



How "Long Shot" Cox Worked 



From the Bush Rings to a Star 



Grand Circuit Driver 



FROM a farmer's boy, born in Ep- 

 som, N. H., to one of the greatest 

 trotting horse drivers and trainers 

 in the world, is the achievement of 

 Walter R. Cox in the forty-six 

 years of his life. To those not in the know- 

 ing, Epsom is merely a dot on the map near 

 Pittsfield, and, so far as can be established, 

 being the birthplace of Cox is its lone de- 

 gree of fame in the country's history. 



The name of Cox is prominent in politics. 

 Charles E., father of Walter, was warden of 

 the New Hampshire state prison for a num- 

 ber of years. His three brothers have made 

 names for themselves in Massachusetts. Guv 

 served the state in both branches of the Legis- 

 lature. Louis was postmaster at Lawrence. 

 Channing, the baby of the family is assured of 

 being Speaker of the House in 191 5. All three 

 are lawyers. 



"Long Shot" is the eldest of the boys, 

 When a year old his folks removed from 

 Epsom to Manchester, where lie attended the 



public schools, taking a two-year course in 

 the high school. At thirteen he entered the 

 butcher business, working for his father at 

 running a cart. He was up in the morning at 

 4, labored till school time, and at the close 

 of school devoted his time to the shop. Sun- 

 days he sang in the church choir. 



"Tell me of your first race," I asked "Long 

 Shot." 



"1 was fifteen when a Catholic picnic was 

 held at the Manchester track. There was a 

 trotting gelding named May Morning, which 





Photo from Herald 



WALTER R. (Long Shot) COX 



the owner said I could start in one of the 

 races. I took the horse out of pasture a 

 couple of weeks before the event and pulled 

 off second money, netting $15. One thing 

 in connection with this race I'll never forget. 

 Just previous to starting the judges informed 

 me that it was necessary that 1 should weigh 

 150 pounds. I weighed only eighty! Here 

 was a nice pickle. I solved the problem by 

 taking a bag and gathering enough stones 

 to make up the difference. Then I attached 

 the bag to the sulky. The race was won in 



2:48 3-4" 



"Tell us some more about your early turf 

 career," I persisted. 



"Well, between the age of eighteen and 

 twenty-five I sold beef on the road for Ham- 

 mond. This save me time to tinker with 

 horse racing at the Manchester track. The 

 horses were owned by local butchers. Every 

 Friday these men held races. I always had a 

 mount, with varying success. 



"Finally, 1 gave up the Hammond job to 





