Posted Thursday, March 7, 2013

                                                  By Mike Paradise

                                       Looking Back

                               Sportsman’s Park 1970

  This classic photo was taken during the summer of 1970 meeting at the old Cicero, Illinois facility of Beth Jozwiak, the daughter of Al Jozwiak, a racetrack employee, trying her luck at fishing in the infield lake.

  That year the daily average on-track mutuel handle was $1,312,791, a record at that time in the State of Illinois.

   Bob Farrington won his sixth driving title at Sportsman’s in 1970. Some of the other top drivers in 1970 were Connel Willis, Dwayne Pletcher, Joe Marsh Jr, Gene Riegle, Harry Burright, Johnny Blevins, Daryl Busse, Jesse Willis, Gene Vallandingam, Walter Paisley, Aubrey Petty and Bob Knox.

  Coming in to drive were such notable horsemen as Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, Joe O’Brien Jack Williams and Howard Beissinger.

  Among the 1970 stakes winners were Columbia George, Meadow Elva, Armbro Jet and Keystone Momento while among the top money-earners at the meeting were Song Cycle, Shady Counsel, Robert E. Adios and Ozzie Hanover.

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