198 



The Driving Clubs of Greater Boston 



lirst blue ribbon given by the Gentlemen's 

 Driving Club of Boston. One matinee day 

 he won all of the races at Readville, captur- 

 ing six cups, one each with Aline, Susie K, 

 Dash, Altro L., Promise, and Kentucky Star. 

 This was featured by the Boston newspapers 

 as "Belledeu Day." He has won hundreds 

 of ribbons, and has a large collection of silver 

 cups, of all sizes and values, to show visitors. 



One is the big championship pacing cup, 

 given by the Boston Club, which he won 

 four times with Prince Wilkes. He also 

 drove four winning races for the champion- 

 ship trotting cup, which was called the "Per- 

 petual Cup," with Ben H., Altro L., Promise, 

 and Dash. The conditions being that the owner 

 must win with the same horse in three con- 

 secutive seasons, Mr. Belledeu's victories did 

 not secure him the trophy, he not owning all 

 of the horses that he drove. 



Mr. Belledeu came very near to buying 

 Uhlan when he was a two-year-old. Mr. 

 Parker having him that Fall at the Charles 

 River Speedway, Mr. Belledeu entered into 

 negotiations with the object of buying him 

 for $1,500 and, again the next Summer, he 

 nibbled at the proposition, but Charles Sand- 

 ers proved the fortunate man in securing the 

 prize. 



An event that Mr. Belledeu often alludes 

 to was the defeat of Landlord, at that time 

 the champion pacer of the Dorchester Club. 

 The racing was then over the Blue Hill 

 Avenue Speedway. Mr. Belledeu had pur- 

 chased Kentucky Star and immediately after 

 challenged Mr. Young, the owner of Land- 

 lord, for the championship. It was not easy 

 for Kentucky Star to win, however, for 

 Landlord made him go four heats in 29, 

 29 1-4, 29 3-4 and 29 3-4 seconds. 



In one season Mr. Belledeu drove in 7$ 

 races to matinee wagon, of which he won 33 

 firsts. Among the horses he drove that year, 

 besides his own, were those of Messrs. 

 Shepard, Bradley and Bigelow. 



Mr. Belledeu is a thirty-second degree 

 Mason and a Shriner. He resides at 70 

 Roslin Street. Dorchester, Mass. 



C. S. SPENCER 



C. S. Spencer was elected president of the 

 Metropolitan Driving Club in the season of 

 1912 in place of Fred C. Gannon, who re- 

 signed. Not caring to resume the office for 

 the year of 1913, he was finally prevailed 

 upon to accept a position on the board of 

 directors, and as chairman of the executive 

 committee. 



Owing to a sudden change in his business 

 affairs, which necessitated the removal of his 

 residence to New York City, he was com- 



pelled, in February of 1913, to resign from 

 the Metropolitan Club, much to the regret of 

 all the members. During the Spring series of 

 matinees, in commemoration of what Mr. 

 Spencer had done for the club, there was set 

 apart one day in his honor, and one of the 

 biggest crowds ever seen at the speedway 

 were assembled to enjoy the afternoon's rac- 

 ing. 



Mr. Spencer has owned and raced some of 

 the best trotters and pacers that have taken 

 part in the racing at the Charles River 

 Speedway. Of his trotters can be men- 

 tioned Creighton, 2:08 1-4; La Boudie, 2:10; 

 Jay Kay, 2:15 1-2; Commodore Bingen, 

 2:17 3-4; The Lookout, 2:171-4; Orale 

 2:17 1-2, and Harry Bingen, 2:19. Of the 

 pacers he has owned can be mentioned Miss 

 Adbell, 2:06 1-4; Ethel Direct, 2:11 3-4; 

 Ethel S., 2:15 1-4; Bon View, 2:15 1-4; 

 Mattie March, 2:14 1-4. and Antifriction, 

 2:14 1-4. 



ARTHUR H. ALLEY 



Arthur H. Alley, whose place of business 

 is 38 Hawley St., Boston, has a very wide ac- 

 quaintance throughout New England. For 

 many years he was closely identified with the 

 matinees at Charles River Speedway and at 

 the Readville track, with the trotting mare, 

 Lottie Fallis, 2:20 1-4. and a matinee record 

 to wagon of 2:15. Mr. Alley is a life mem- 

 ber of the Metropolitan Club, and on the 

 board of directors of the Gentlemen's Driv- 

 ing Club of Boston. Mr. Alley resides in 

 Norwood, Mass. 



G. PRAY SMITH 



G. Pray Smith was born in Northumber- 

 land, N. H., in 1851. and received his educa- 

 tion in the schools of that town. In 1895 he 

 opened a mining office in Boston, and was 

 always in business for himself in that line and 

 in promoting, which has taken him to all parts 

 of the country. He is an expert on explo- 

 sives. He joined the Metropolitan Driving 

 Club in 1905, and, after filling several posi- 

 tions of importance in the club, was elected 

 president in 1913, and for a second term the 

 following year. He has been for six years 

 national president of the P. < >. S. of A., an 

 organization of 300,000 members. 



Mr. Smith has been a diligent worker in 

 the interests of the Metropolitan Club, and 

 has missed but very few of the matinees, 

 when he has been in Boston, since becoming a 

 member. For a number of years he has been 

 the announcer of the winners and positions of 

 the horses in the matinees, and it is well worth 

 a trip to the speedway to hear the clear enun- 



