A lot of mixed opinions here. Obviously Eddie has been around NJ racing a long time, so many people know him personally. I do wonder how many people here actually do know him personally. First of all, let's remember, Lohmeyer makes the HOF as per the Veterans Provision. This allows the Screening Committee to make a direct election to someone over the age of 70 who has made a truly notable contributions to harness racing. Numbers of qualified people IN THE SPORT, who certainly have more qualified opinions of many people here, feel this guy has made such contributions to the sport. Period.
I will say this, the guy kept two well-liked, well-respected owners, two men of integrity------Bob Tucker and John Stoddard (both I knew personally) for over 30 and 40 years. Bob Tucker once said that after Eddie, he never had a horse trained by anyone else. You don't get that kind of loyalty by accident. He also trained for William Simon, another classy, stand-up guy (some of you who are old enough should recognize his name......it used to be on our money!). Simon was Secretary of the Treasury. Eddie followed Joe DeFrank around, so ending up at the Meadowlands was not a surprise. I do give the guy credit for paying $290,000 for a Meadow Skipper colt way back in what, 1979, back when very, very few people were paying those kinds of numbers for yearlings......an d then he tells the owners he doesn't want to race him at 2!!! It's OK, Landslide was a very good 3yo and they syndicated him for about $3.6mm. LOL.
Eddie had 50 year career training horses. Eddie has also had success as a breeder as well, having bred/raised and/or trained horses like Landslide, Pacific Rocket, Pacific Fella, Eddie Jeff, Skipper Dexter, Mickie Rodney, Adair Castle, and numerous others. He knew his horses and was not the easiest to buy from. The same goes for Jack Darling, LOL, Dan Altmeyer, and several other good sellers. Being that Cat Manzi is his cousin, they were tied together at various times. At least Eddie knew he always had access to a top catch driver, LOL. Anyway, I would say there are far more people------in the business and sport-------who like him and respect him, than don't. I think the latter might even be rare. Second hand stories, sour grapes, jealousy, whatever the reason someone has a hard-on for someone else, to me that is very transparent, especially if the person isn't even in the sport of business. Doesn't matter the reason.
Now as far as him getting in before Brett Pelling and Steve Elliott, or Benny Webster for that matter, don't be a moron. That has nothing to do with Eddie. His name comes up on the ballot and the others don't. It's absolutely a crime that Brett, Steve, and Benny are not in the HOF......I think it's a shame and it's BS.....but it is not a crime at all that Ed Lohmeyer is in the HOF.
