October
OctoberA different world
In his youthful innocence (or maybe arrogance) Dan Frenkel (16/9) has completely failed to grasp the thrust of the letters in which some readers described previous eras of racing.
Sadly he does not understand that the ’60s and ’70s were times of a different betting culture.
Today racing has never been so professional, exciting, competitive and glamorous and many young people attend the meetings not to bet but simply to meet friends, party and generally socialise, which I think is great.
With so many good horses, competent trainers, outstanding jockeys and big prizemoney it is very entertaining but of course more difficult to get a winner than it once was.
In the ’60s and ’70s you went to the races solely to bet because apart from the two-up school under the bridge and a TAB that opened only on certain days this was your one opportunity to punt.
During this time, like many others, I witnessed or was involved in a number of betting plunges — some successful but some unsuccessful.
The ones that failed were very educational as they taught you how easily you could lose your money.
Today betting can be quite impersonal as opposed to back then.
Many bookies were fearless and would be willing to set you for any sized wager.
Most were great people but some were miserable, hard individuals — one in particular I recall was said to have a glass eye, which you could not distinguish unless you looked closely for the eye with a glimmer of feeling. Then you knew that was the glass one.
Today young people are under tremendous pressure and are continually cajoled into betting in some form or another, all readily available at their fingertips thanks to modern technology. They work harder and have it much tougher than we did.
Back then most had career occupations but also worked part-time jobs and were able to use this disposable income to bet.
Yes, Dan, you may scoff sarcastically at the lack of technology in those times and also at readers today reflecting on the past, which they have every right to do. But they are not the moaners, as you bombastically claim — you are!
Swan Hill (Vic)