I'm not trying to make this Obit Day on the Blob, but I couldn't let one more passing go uncommented on.
That would be Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack, who died Tuesday at the age of 74.
(Yeah, I know, it's horse racing. I know there are about five people reading this blog who know anything about it, and everyone else thinks My Friend Flicka won the Kentucky Derby last year. But come on, it's Bill Hartack -- and besides, this won't take a minute).
Most of you never heard of Hartack, but in his own time and place he did a fair imitation of Michael Jordan. The record book says he won five Kentucky Derbys, three Preaknesses and one Belmont. He and Eddie Arcaro are the only jockeys to win five Derbys. In 1964 he won the Derby and Preakness but lost the Belmont on Northern Dancer, his closest shot at a Triple Crown.
Now he's gone off to the Great Dismount. Salut.
-- Ben Smith
Hey, I saw Bill Hartack win two great Derbies--1960, when I was 9, and 1969, when I was 18. There will never be another like him. His terrible childhood prevented him from being the man he could have been, but he worked with what he had. I was so happy when, in the early 80's, I watched him in the CBS sports jacket, commenting on the Derby. He said he wished he'd been able to enjoy his 5 victories more at the time. That was the closest Bill ever came to apologizing for his scorching public persona. Underneath was a deeply damaged man who never really found a home.
Bless you, Bill. You're home now.
Posted by: Kay | December 02, 2007 at 12:30 AM