HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: dougie on August 16, 2023, 10:49:11 PM
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Had a great chat with John Manzi tonight. He's hanging in there and ennjoying retirement. For all you "Ploppers" who never met John at Monticello ("The Mighty M"), you missed quite a guy. Although John starting out driving at Monti's oval, he spent much of his career as the Public Relations Director at what was "the fastest 1/2 mile track" in America. His promotions were legendary. I doubt John is a member of "Horseplop". If he is, and he's reading this....I love you John! THey'll never be another like you!
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Definitely a great guy. Imaginitive, creative, honest and devoted husband.
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Fuguzzi, i've know John since i'm 8 years old. I'm 66 now. And in all those years, i've never met his wife. I know she has passed away. I heard he was a devoted husband.
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good man
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what made John special was that he truly seemed to care about the fans...can't say that about too many of the folks running harness racing today.
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Totally agree that he cared. I had a middling 3 yo pacer that won a pretty soft Open at Monticello. Post-race, he complimented me as if I had won the LBJ. And yes, his promotions were legendary.
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Great man, cared about the business, horseman and fans. Just wanted to have everybody enjoy the show.
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John was a very nice guy from the mid 70s t early 80s my mother would sponsor a race for him were driver would get a set of colors owner would get a blanket and the trainer would get a training suit
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Anything special for the forgotten horse?
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No more fans at monticello, has a bad urine smell from niggers
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That crap isn't necessary. Whats wrong with you?
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John appeared to me to be a natural, from his cigar to his newfound head of hair.
I don't really remember Allen Finkelson's work that well, but John always had a feel for a good promotion. And I owe him a debt of gratitude for encouraging me to get in a jogcart and drive in 2 editions of the Bartenders Derby. What fun!
And then there's JM in the PM on Sunday nights.
And i'm sure he was a loving devoted husband.
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Yes toothman, i remember the "Bop Shop" on WVOS every sunday night. Some great old hits. John also played alot of those "obscure" titles. I know he misses it. He's a great guy!
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Btw, as many of you know, John is nothing like Catman, in looks or personality
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That crap isn't necessary. Whats wrong with you?
Stating facts. Naggers all over monticello now..even forte knows its shithole
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Mike Forte didn't help any several years ago, when he along with Jimmy Marohn driving in their mid 60s "retired" to Monti and were DEAD with everything and scheming to bet on others every single race. Forte would win like 2 out of every 50 drives, getting lost by the half and maybe eking out a 3rd when he was supposed. saw him getting in his car one afternoon. Yup, a crappy KIA Forte.
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What a guy… I had one racing at monti and I was out of state. It was my only horse so I really wanted to see the ace but this was just before we could watch online. I called john and he said don’t worry I’ll call you just before the race and I will let you listen to to the live call from my office on speaker phone.
Who does that?
A true pro and a good human at the same time.
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That was John and when he gone there will be no replacing him literally of course and figuratively
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Look at all the Ploppers who appreciate John, as I do. Years ago I was at MR and began chatting with the track photographer, a nice lady who always seemed to know things. Anyway I asked her where was John? She says he was showed the door to save overhead with nothing to show for all his years. I hope that isn’t true but it made me sick.
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Thanks for all the kind words that you "Ploppers" said about John. I will read the whole thread to him when i call him next Sunday. If anyone wants to tell me your "real name", via a private message, i will of course let him know. Thanks so much for all your knidness.
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Look at all the Ploppers who appreciate John, as I do. Years ago I was at MR and began chatting with the track photographer, a nice lady who always seemed to know things. Anyway I asked her where was John? She says he was showed the door to save overhead with nothing to show for all his years. I hope that isn’t true but it made me sick.
That cant be true, for goodness sake. If it is, it's a crime. Always liked and respected that he campaigned hard for Billy Parker jr for the HOF
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Had a great chat with John Manzi tonight. He's hanging in there and ennjoying retirement. For all you "Ploppers" who never met John at Monticello ("The Mighty M"), you missed quite a guy. Although John starting out driving at Monti's oval, he spent much of his career as the Public Relations Director at what was "the fastest 1/2 mile track" in America. His promotions were legendary. I doubt John is a member of "Horseplop". If he is, and he's reading this....I love you John! THey'll never be another like you!
I had a summer home up there in a small town about 5 miles from the track. I met John many times during that period 1989 - 1999. He was always a friendly guy. He was usually somewhere in the vicinity of the track apron in his sport coat chomping a cigar. John was also a dj at the local doo wop radio station. There was a 50's style song they played on that station called manzi's got no hair, the song insinuated John had a toupee made of horse hair. One sunday afternoon I saw him on the track apron and asked him if his toupe was really made of horse hair. He busted out laughing and then I asked him to play an oldies song for my gf and true to his word at 7pm he played the song for her after he had a long laughing conversation with the radio people around him explaining how I walked up to him and asked him about his horse hair toupe.
A few facts about John,
He won 300 races as a driver
He is related to catman
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Mike Forte didn't help any several years ago, when he along with Jimmy Marohn driving in their mid 60s "retired" to Monti and were DEAD with everything and scheming to bet on others every single race. Forte would win like 2 out of every 50 drives, getting lost by the half and maybe eking out a 3rd when he was supposed. saw him getting in his car one afternoon. Yup, a crappy KIA Forte.
Marohn senior really didnt go to monti to retire, he was banished from yonkers at that time.
He was stiffing everything at YR and then in a news article he said horses are not cars and people expect him to drive the horses like cadillacs.
I remember seeing him at monti run 4th with a 3-5 shot, he never tried
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Marohn senior really didnt go to monti to retire, he was banished from yonkers at that time.
He was stiffing everything at YR and then in a news article he said horses are not cars and people expect him to drive the horses like cadillacs.
I remember seeing him at monti run 4th with a 3-5 shot, he never tried
Ty for the education I didnt mean retire literally. I knew Jimmy quite well. He drove for me many, many times at YR/RR
In fact, I once went to a Christmas party he and his wife, May, held at their apartment in Manhattan. You know what makes me feel old? I held Jimmy Marohn Jr. as a baby in my arms at that party time continues to fly
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Jimmy did very well by me over all and generally tried hard. When he was dead he reported directly to Joe Marsh jr and Rejean
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Ty for the education I didnt mean retire literally. I knew Jimmy quite well. He drove for me many, many times at YR/RR
In fact, I once went to a Christmas party he and his wife, May, held at their apartment in Manhattan. You know what makes me feel old? I held Jimmy Marohn Jr. as a baby in my arms at that party time continues to fly
I only ran into marohn sr once but he was friendly.
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Definitely usually smiling cracking a joke will say this even when not trying he would dart in and out save ground always want to get you a check - very heavy with the whip
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He stiffed horses maroon sr...favs. wow. Question though, of he has all this money then why does he kid not own top horses and drive them...the kid isndriving day n night
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Definitely usually smiling cracking a joke will say this even when not trying he would dart in and out save ground always want to get you a check - very heavy with the whip
The last time I saw sr he had won a race at YR with a horse named harriet, maybe the early 90's?
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Marohn senior really didnt go to monti to retire, he was banished from yonkers at that time.
He was stiffing everything at YR and then in a news article he said horses are not cars and people expect him to drive the horses like cadillacs.
I remember seeing him at monti run 4th with a 3-5 shot, he never tried
Jimmy was caught cashing tickets at Middletown OTB showing he was betting against himself. Banished from Monti after that.
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Who told you that Baloney
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Who told you that Baloney
Okay, don't believe it. No sweat off of my ass. BTW you polluted this very positive thread with Jim Marohns name.
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This thread was going along so nicely with great conversation about John Manzi. People just like to ruin things.
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Stating facts. Naggers all over monticello now..even forte knows its shithole
This was the first comment that "ruined" the thread, not mine. Look at the things I said about John, Only positive praise.
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This thread was going along so nicely with great conversation about John Manzi. People just like to ruin things.
I agree. I should have left the Jimmy Marohn comment for another time.
Like NO other executive, personality, whatever you want to call it was to any track in the country, John and Monti were synonymous. I say that in the most endearing terms. JM in the PM was not to be missed if you were a doo wop fan. I was barely in range of WVOS ( voice of Sullivan County) yet I would make sure I tuned in.
I am sure he recalls the Beasely Reece race. I was a friend of Tom Parcase who drove the loser. If I dug into my closet I am sure I could find some winners circle pics with me and JM in the pics. Most were with another JM, Joe Minieri, who was another great guy and is sorely missed.
Regards
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John's promotions at the "Mighty M' were legendary. He just seemed to be a "natural" at the PR business. He followed two very interesting PR guys. Allen Finkelson, who was lured to the sunshine and warm weather at Pompano Park, and the wild and crazy Andy "Satch" Furman, who was sacked after a questionable promotion involving the KKK. I knew all three well, but it was John who i stayed close with all these years.
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I miss the Bop Shop
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I will repeat - great promoter, genuine and warm guy, DEVOTED husband. Irreplacable. Too bad he was never GM at the Mighty M
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Fuguzzi, i agree with you 100%!
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Jimmy was caught cashing tickets at Middletown OTB showing he was betting against himself. Banished from Monti after that.
I never heard that story. I was in that Middletown OTB quite often and never saw him there, I did however see Warren Schnittker there numerous times.
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I agree. I should have left the Jimmy Marohn comment for another time.
Like NO other executive, personality, whatever you want to call it was to any track in the country, John and Monti were synonymous. I say that in the most endearing terms. JM in the PM was not to be missed if you were a doo wop fan. I was barely in range of WVOS ( voice of Sullivan County) yet I would make sure I tuned in.
I am sure he recalls the Beasely Reece race. I was a friend of Tom Parcase who drove the loser. If I dug into my closet I am sure I could find some winners circle pics with me and JM in the pics. Most were with another JM, Joe Minieri, who was another great guy and is sorely missed.
Regards
I remember the late Joe Minieri, I saw him several times with a tall blonde, who was she?
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Jill Biden - serial cheater