1974 Yonkers and 1983 Roosevelt and Meadowlands

[wizardofoz]

My friend found 2 old newspapers he kept from decades ago.  I looked at the NY Daily News race results from 1974.  On a Friday night Yonkers had over 12,000 in attendance for 9 races and did almost $2.1 million!  In the 1983 NY Daily News, on a Tuesday night, Roosevelt had almost 7000 in attendance with a handle of $1 million on track and $398,000 by OTB.  The same night the Meadowlands had over 12,600 in attendance with a handle of $1.8 million! Interesting past for harness racing.

[Fuguzzi]

I can remember summer crowds in the halcyon days over 25000   sometimes 30    Monticello summer   Grandstand packed with 7 or 8000    top floor Monti - Milky Way lounge  lotsa hot girls - swinging 70s

[gogasgoboom]

I remember Tommy James & The Shondells playing pre race concert at Monticello in the 70's.

[Fuguzzi]

I saw frankie valli   at monti 76   trailer stage right on the track after the races   great memories

[Senator Blutarsky]

Sometimes when you put your bets in, went home and didn't feel like calling the result line that Daily News sports page with the results section the next morning was a staple breakfast inclusion, matching the tickets up.....just had a classic, quaint feel.......now long gone! 

Ink on your fingers, losing tickets flying across the room and tucking the winners in your wallet!   

[Generation XYZ]

My friend found 2 old newspapers he kept from decades ago.  I looked at the NY Daily News race results from 1974.  On a Friday night Yonkers had over 12,000 in attendance for 9 races and did almost $2.1 million!  In the 1983 NY Daily News, on a Tuesday night, Roosevelt had almost 7000 in attendance with a handle of $1 million on track and $398,000 by OTB.  The same night the Meadowlands had over 12,600 in attendance with a handle of $1.8 million! Interesting past for harness racing.

Racing was at its heyday then. Pretty cools stuff considering. The automation and gaming from the the computer ended all that. Simulcast had a role also.

[SeattleSlew]

From July of 1974 through July of 1988 my wife and I would sit on the finish line in the Clubhouse at RR (took VERY good care of the ticket guy, who always held the seats for us.)  We would be sitting out there with thick blankets in January while it was snowing ;>>)  RR was built as a racing showcase and it certainly was.  I recall in the 1960's when Speedy Scot was racing one night they had over 50,000 in person (not sure of the handle.)  When they tore the place down my wife went over there (we lived on the South Shore) and paid the workmen to load the two finish line seats from the clubhouse into our trunk and gave them to me as a birthday present.

Great memories.  From 1971 till 2000 we owned about 18-20 really nice trotters (that was before trotters became so "popular") and raced them mostly in the Roosevelt/Yonkers/Meadowlands circuit, with quite a few trips out to Freehold also (and Anthony Abbatiello's farm, along with great Mac & Cheese for lunch at the American Hotel.)

[Generation XYZ]

From July of 1974 through July of 1988 my wife and I would sit on the finish line in the Clubhouse at RR (took VERY good care of the ticket guy, who always held the seats for us.)  We would be sitting out there with thick blankets in January while it was snowing ;>>)  RR was built as a racing showcase and it certainly was.  I recall in the 1960's when Speedy Scot was racing one night they had over 50,000 in person (not sure of the handle.)  When they tore the place down my wife went over there (we lived on the South Shore) and paid the workmen to load the two finish line seats from the clubhouse into our trunk and gave them to me as a birthday present.

Great memories.  From 1971 till 2000 we owned about 18-20 really nice trotters (that was before trotters became so "popular") and raced them mostly in the Roosevelt/Yonkers/Meadowlands circuit, with quite a few trips out to Freehold also (and Anthony Abbatiello's farm, along with great Mac & Cheese for lunch at the American Hotel.)

SS thats a great story. Very cool the Mrs. obtained the seats. Hope they stay in the family for many years to come.

[The Thorn]

I can remember summer crowds in the halcyon days over 25000   sometimes 30    Monticello summer   Grandstand packed with 7 or 8000    top floor Monti - Milky Way lounge  lotsa hot girls - swinging 70s

Roosevelt ..  On August 20, 1960 attendance was 54,861 for a racing card that included the International Trot, which at the time was the largest crowd to witness a horse race in the U.S.

Yonkers ..  From New York Times article 1984 "No other harness track in history has yet come close to challenging the 25,800 average daily attendance set at Yonkers during the early 1970's."     DAILY

That article from almost 40 years ago was already complaining about the decline in attendance.  If they saw todays attendance or lack of  stats they would never believe it.

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/07/22/nyregion/raceway-seeks-image-crowds-of-days-past.html

[Superfecta]

I saw frankie valli   at monti 76   trailer stage right on the track after the races   great memories

I remember seeing that show and The 5th Dimension and Sha Na Na there.
Gloria Romano won the first beauty pageant and the largest crowd ever was 26,000 to see Sugar Ray Leonard fight Roberto Duran on closed circuit tv.

[Fuguzzi]

I remember seeing that show and The 5th Dimension and Sha Na Na there.
Gloria Romano won the first beauty pageant and the largest crowd ever was 26,000 to see Sugar Ray Leonard fight Roberto Duran on closed circuit tv.

Nice   so cool that you were there too    I also saw whichever Spinks brother was gonna fight Ali   he was training at Kutchers hotel and they actually put a ring in the winner circle   he came down in trunks and a robe right out of the grandstand   place was packed   he shadowboxed and talked to the crowd for around 15 minutes   he was accompanied by a bodyguard who was freaking enormous  just a huge man  i yelled out to spinks that HE should fight ali   Spinks said the guy would kick Ali's ass     what great times

[tumbleweed]

Thats when monti used to have night racing and lights. Good times had by all. Showcase of the mountains.

[Fuguzzi]

Thats right    and on sunday afternoons at Monti in the dining room they had 2 maitre'ds in tuxedos and you had to have reservations   I can still hear John Cerabino screaming out from his permanent table near the 2 betting windows "FOR THE BEAN"!

[Superfecta]

Thats right    and on sunday afternoons at Monti in the dining room they had 2 maitre'ds in tuxedos and you had to have reservations   I can still hear John Cerabino screaming out from his permanent table near the 2 betting windows "FOR THE BEAN"!

You needed to get a reserved seat for the grandstand as well.
Downstairs at track level they had a small cafeteria and an outstanding soft ice cream stand.
A $50 betting window and that's where you had to go to cash your signers. I used to love that place.

[Fuguzzi]

The lady at that window was Humberto Rodriguez's GF