General Category > Nostalgia

DRIVER BIOS FROM THE 1950s & 1960s

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William M. Myer.
Born in Bridgeville, Delaware on May 19, 1916.
Along the Eastern seaboard, the name Myer is almost synonymous with the word harness racing.
Available records show him winning 10 starts in the 1939 season, the first year the USTA was formed.
On many occasions his purse earnings topped the $100,000 level, and in 1967 had 189 wins for a total of $854,746, which was 5th in the National rankings.
Leading driver at Laurel in 48.
Major races won include:
Batavia Downs in 1966 with "Toledo Hanover"
Battle Of Saratoga in 1966 with "Romeo Hanover"
Roosevelt Fut. in 1965 with "Romeo Hanover" (world record time of 2:03)
W.N. Reynolds in 1966 with "Good Candy" (world record time of 2:04h)
Sheppard in 1965 with "Romeo Hanover" (world record time of 2:03 2/5)

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Louis A. Rapone.
Born in Caledonia, New York on July 9, 1925.
Living near the fairgrounds in Caledonia led Lou Rapone to his vocation.
Former schooling for the jockey-sized reinsman ended with grade school, and schooling in his vocation started immediately.
As a 13 year old he held his first full-time job in the sport grooming for Mark Kyler, later moving to the Carl Hatchell stable before being called into service.
He served with the Navy, in the European theatre from 1944 to 1946 participating in the Anzio, Palermo, and Normandy landings as a seaman aboard an LST. He was injured during the Palermo landing and was hospitalized for six months.
Discharged in 1946, Lou returned immediately to the sport, purchasing his first horse "Flaxey Girl" and making his first drive later that year at Batavia. His second start produced his first winner.
Credits Billy Haughton, Del Miller, and John Simpson as having been particularly helpful to him in solving the problems that developed from time to time with his horses.
Listed "Bold Colby", and "Grace Frost" as the top trotters he has handled, and "Pole Adios", and "Jimmy Norman" his top pacers.
Leading driver at:
Buffalo Raceway in 59
Major races won are:
Californian in 1964 with "Pole Adios"
Reynolds in 1959 with "Friendly Hal", and In 1963 with "Meadow Lou"

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Eddie T. Wheeler
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 24, 1932.
An agressive driver, with quick reflexes, whose horses were always well-conditioned, Eddie Wheeler is proof that horsemen can come from Brooklyn.
One on eight children, Ed was born in Brooklyn, grew up there, and attended Holy Cross High School.
Somehow, despite his location, Ed developed a great love for horses which led him to the standardbred industry.
He first spent a three year apprenticeship as a groom then, at the age of 17 he made his first drive, at Phoenix, and later that same year scored his first win with "Miss Della B" at Freehold Raceway.
A tipoff to his ability is provided by his record of sub 2:00 miles.
Among the horses that Ed handled were "Duke Rodney", Gold Worthy", and "Meadow Skipper".
Leading driver at:
SA in 58, 59
Hol in 58
Brdwn in 63.
Major wins include:
American National in 1963 with "Big John"
Hanover-Hempt in 1965 with "Adios Hostess"
Volomite in 1967 with "Kerry Pride"
Yonkers Fut in 1961 with "Duke Rodney"

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Delvin G. Miller.
Born on July 5, 1913 in Woodland, California.
One of harness racing's great careers started in Burgettstown, Pa., in 1930.
That's where Delvin Miller drove his first race while still in High School. A year later, at Carrollton, Ohio he scored his first win with "Rene Direct", raced timed in 2:09.
Since then there has been only one interruption in the great career that Del was carving, that a three year tour with the U.S. Army, serving with a Remount Battalion in the China-Burma theater. His Asiatic Pacific Campaign ribbons included two bronze stars.
Delvin's in-sport credits are legion. He was among the select few to score more then 2,000 wins from the formation of the USTA in 1939 to the end of the 60'S.
He marked over 50 horses with their first 2:00 mile during the 50'S and 60'S.
He has won nearly every major stake, and has led the nation's drivers one or more times in every category save one, leading dash winner for a season (He had a second).
Delvin drove races in France, Italy, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.
He owned and operated the Meadowlands Farm.
Delvin, at one time or another, held over 20 Major World records with horses the likes of "Tar Heel", "Dale Frost", "Adios Betty", Stenographer", and "Tarport Jimmy".
Leading driver at:
Yonkers in 1957.
Wolverine of Kentucky in 1966.
Del has won more then 100 major races in his career. Here are but a few:
Acorn three times with "Lively Lady" in 1952, "Stenographer" in 1953, and with "Delicious" in 1962.
American Classic with "Dottie's Pick" in 1956.
Messinger twice with "Meadow Lands" in 1951, and with "Countess Adios" in 1952.
Greyhound Stake with "Mighty Fine" in 1950.
Cane Fut. with "Countess Adios" in 1960.
Battle Of Saratoga with "Campbeltown" in 1962.
Miller Memorial with "Knight Patrol" in 1955.
Yonkers Fut. with "Duke Of Decatur" in 1960.

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Garland J. Garnsey.
Born in Jefferson County, New York on April 4, 1909.
Never operating a large stable, this veteran began to attain national stature in the late 1940'S, reaching top-25 standings as a race winner for five seasons.
Glen reached the 1,000 win milestone mark before the end of the 60'S.
"A good race driver who can sit still", is one horsemen's appraisal of Garland Garnsey, who through the years developed a reputation as one of the best horsemen in upstate New york.
His special pride was his son Glen, who attained national rankings in his own right, and provided the Garnsey family with the honor of having harness racing's first father-son combination on the USTA'S list of thousand race winners.
Leading driver at:
Saratoga in 51
Buffalo Raceway in 53.
Major races won include:
Batavia Downs with "Brevity Hanover" in 1953.
NYSS with "Clever Ward" in 1966.

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