Race tracks that are gone

[ne to socal]

My old man had a modest string of cheap standardbreds in New England back in the late 60s early 70s, usually at Rockingham Park. He was no stranger to the windows too, both for the trotters and the TBs.

We lived just over the border in Massachusetts, and oftentimes as a young one he'd take me along for the 5(?) mile ride north along Route 28. If I was lucky, we'd stop at Granite State potato chip factory and get a bucket of chips right outta the vat. If it was summer time we'd detour to one of the truck farms near the track and pick up a couple dozen ears of sweet corn for dinner. And if I was really lucky we'd go in the barn gate right off route 28 (and not the gen'l admission gate...that meant he was just getting a bet in) because that meant we were going to his barn and I could be with his horses. The mere smell of molasses is enough to bring it all back to me.

A few times he'd hoist me up on his lap in the jog cart and take a few lazy loops around the oval with one of his horses and man...that was better than anything to a 6 or 7 year old kid. Dad was better than Carl Yasztremski at that point. Well...up until the one time one of my feet slipped and got jammed in the wheel and tore the skin off my ankle. Didn't want to be dad explaining to mom that night.

[Heels1989]

Roosevelt Raceway though for reasons besides the racing. Oct 1982 I was a soph in high school. The brother of my girlfriend at the time scored 2 tickets to see The Who at Shea Stadium, their original farewell tour.

A few problems: 1. The show was a mid week school night. 2. Long drive from the Albany area on a school nite and 3. I was on crutches recovering from knee surgery.

Since The Who was/is one of my favorite bands and this seemed like a once in a life opportunity (note, I have seen them at least a half dozen times since), we worked out a deal with my dad. He would drive us down and back same day/nite but I had to agree to go to school the next day. Ah, Deal

How does Roosevelt work into this story? Well, while we were at the show, my dad and one of my HS teachers who joined us on the trip, headed over to Roosevelt. Had Roosevelt not been running live that nite I probably would have missed out on seeing a great show.

Thanks dad!!!