Hall of Fame revisited

[Fuguzzi]

The geniuses in Columbus will find a way to keep Bruce ranger out of Goshen, just like they have Billy Parker, Jr,  Started with them 40 years ago. Foxboro, Rockingham - each fantastic drivers and HOF material for sure.

[The Thorn]

This is the kind of post we need to have here.   

Unfortunately I never followed that circuit so I can't say one knowledgeable thing about them.  Don't think the Chicago base will either so I hope that there are enough people on this forum from that area to contribute

[Senator Blutarsky]

The geniuses in Columbus will find a way to keep Bruce ranger out of Goshen, just like they have Billy Parker, Jr,  Started with them 40 years ago. Foxboro, Rockingham - each fantastic drivers and HOF material for sure.

In a previous thread I explained after I called the HOF, there are 2 ways to be nominated to the HOF:

If you are a member you can nominate

Otherwise the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA)

Then all the procedures, process...we just had a Luc Ouellette thread for this, but sure let's have a thread for every individual entity lol!

https://harnessmuseum.com/living-hall-fame-election-information

Until the best driver ever in a sulky (WC JR.) is in the HOF they have no integrity, cheaters and creeps and horse murders are in....the kid who answered the phone there didn't even know who Wally is! 

Fucking disorganized, disconnected, unfocused insane asylum here and there!

[Fuguzzi]

I hear ya! Wally drove a bit for us back in the day at YR. His talent is unquestioned. When he brought out the gray single hitch sulky connected by one ping clanging all over the rockhard stone dust track and he was holding the lines, the fucking horses knew he meant business.

But let's be honest, they are not going to enshrine a drug addicted (then, not now), cheating (brought a race fixer named Dave Ingraham to YR, I know his brother in law) horse kicking, arrogant convicted of an A felony clown, because thats what he is essentially, who torpedoed himself and his career in its prime. Talent enough for his own wing at Goshen but it ain't happening.

[Senator Blutarsky]

I hear ya! Wally drove a bit for us back in the day at YR. His talent is unquestioned. When he brought out the gray single hitch sulky connected by one ping clanging all over the rockhard stone dust track and he was holding the lines, the fucking horses knew he meant business.

But let's be honest, they are not going to enshrine a drug addicted (then, not now), cheating (brought a race fixer named Dave Ingraham to YR, I know his brother in law) horse kicking, arrogant convicted of an A felony clown, because thats what he is essentially, who torpedoed himself and his career in its prime. Talent enough for his own wing at Goshen but it ain't happening.

He, Wally sounds like a prince amongst subjects.

I don't care if he killed ev1 in yonkers ny and northfield oh and scarborough me- big loss that would be lol  , best dude who ever graced a sulky, symbiotic relationship with a horse like non other....a handful of misdeeds amongst 10k+ accomplishments in the most corrupt sport in the galaxy.

Let's not be hypocrites, but if we are, then,

FUCK THE HOF!

[Fuguzzi]

Btw, Sen. Blu, I am sorry if you find my HOF threads a bit tedious, but as I approach 60, having loved this business, it is not a sport anymore, since I was 6 years old, it truly annoys me that for various frivoulous, arbitrary and just plain wrong reasons, the 3 greatest drivers alive who belong in the HOF, but aren't will never be there. PLEASE UNDERSTAND I AM SAYING THESE 3 SHOULD BE IN THE HOF before anyone else right now, I am not saying they are the 3 greatest drivers alive. I stood there and watched Chris Boring, Ted Wing and the truly ridiculous Billy Popfinger enshrined and none of them truly belong. I respect Wing alot - great horseman, excellent driver, blah blah and did it all unsighted in one eye. Just saying he is not quite HOF material. Kinda the Keith Hernandez of harness racing.

[Fuguzzi]

SB I agree bro, chill. I gave up on the HOF when they put Linda Toscano and Billy Popfinger in. Neither are worthy.

[Senator Blutarsky]

Btw, Sen. Blu, I am sorry if you find my HOF threads a bit tedious, but as I approach 60, having loved this business, it is not a sport anymore, since I was 6 years old, it truly annoys me that for various frivoulous, arbitrary and just plain wrong reasons, the 3 greatest drivers alive who belong in the HOF, but aren't will never be there. PLEASE UNDERSTAND I AM SAYING THESE 3 SHOULD BE IN THE HOF before anyone else right now, I am not saying they are the 3 greatest drivers alive. I stood there and watched Chris Boring, Ted Wing and the truly ridiculous Billy Popfinger enshrined and none of them truly belong. I respect Wing alot - great horseman, excellent driver, blah blah and did it all unsighted in one eye. Just saying he is not quite HOF material. Kinda the Keith Hernandez of harness racing.

My ex wife worked as a hot walker for him as a kid.

Same dude that was pulled out of the sulky and beaten with a whip by Joe Pesci for race fixing their can't lose tip in the Dangerfield movie, Easy Money! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L90uDzDbdV0

[Senator Blutarsky]

He can't chill, he took a cialis thinking it was his xanax.

[White Rabbit]

I agree that Water was unreal on overnight horses.
But what were the major races he won. Big difference in driving in overnights , versus the major stake races that come along once a year with one horse. Any mistakes made in those races , there’s no redo the following week with that horse. One shot deal .Where as in overnights, you get a redo every week.
That’s why John Campbell  was the best ever going for big money.

[Fuguzzi]

Good point   Two answers 1  who would trust him to drive for big money. Hell, how do you know he would even show up or wouldnt get days on the eve of the race or some other shit.  2  he drove horses under the gun and full out from the word go. After a few Wally drives, you had no horse left. He didn't care, he was getting put down on four horses per race and could choose, knowing there were always more drives coming his way. Such an addict. I remember him accepting his SOA driver of the year award and standing there crying about how appreciative he was, sorry for screwing people over, gonna get clean, blah, blah, blah...within a few weeks NYPD found him passed out in his car in Washington Heights ( google it) early on a Sunday morning after he scored some Cocaine from The dominicans   He did drive Cambest for Fred Grant to that scintilating 1:46 mile   but I am sure you know what happened 5 mins after the race.

[tumbleweed]

Walter still should be in the hall of fame just like Pete Rose. Great at what they did.

[Senator Blutarsky]

Walter Case Jr. on a $6k purse trotter with dead last drives and breaks with every other driver going from the 7 hole first time with him.

Yonkers, Horse leaves, breaks, settles quickly, surges to the top just before the second turn, takes a breather lets him out.

Should be 99-1

7/2 wins for fun.

Who would survive the microscope in harness racing, what we don't know could fill a planet of libraries, what we do know on all of them makes me sick from them doing it and or their ineffectiveness for not being able to make it stop.

I love John Campbell, but for the sake of this discussion, and the overwhelming corruption before during and after him - FUCK HIM TOO! 

[tumbleweed]

Campbell was part of the corruption also. No one ever knew it though.

[Generation XYZ]

Its still an old boys club, as they die off they reconsider people they past over.  The shame is alot of the old guard, passed before they had a nomination.

As much as I hate saying this, I agree with what the Senator says, There was corruption before and after.