Ringside at the Racetrack

In an effort to keep the back stretch staff and jockeys out of billiard halls and bar rooms, a racetrack recreation center was constructed in 1928. These high minded ideals were furthered by operations coming under the Young Men’s Christian Association, or YMCA.

The grounds provided a ball diamond, and the back of the structure offered a fine space for an outdoor illuminated boxing ring.  The activities for boxing training, including running, speed bag, heavy bag, and sparring, are complementary to those required to keep a jockey fit.

Both sports require strength, speed and endurance, and also require the participants to make weight. The squared-circle of the boxing ring, and padded gloves, also provided an outlet to vent those small differences that arose in the close quarters on the backside. For many years boxing matches were staged at the Jockey “Y” between amateurs, which included jockeys, exercise riders and grooms.

During the Great Depression, economic failures placed the Jockey “Y” under the operation of the Saratoga Association. The 1930’s also saw the entrance of Francis John “Jock” Labelle, Saratoga native and star High School athlete, despite an unlikely 5’2” stature. He gained his lifelong nickname after he ran away from home with ambitions to become a jockey.

Jock operated a lunch counter on Church Street, and was a basketball official at scholastic/college games, where his humorous demeanor enchanted fans and earned him a tour with the Harlem Globetrotters.

He acted as personal trainer to heavyweight boxing contender and Saratoga resident Bob Pastor, and was in his corner as a second in his championship challenge with Joe Louis in the Brown Bomber’s hometown of Detroit. Jock LaBelle organized the boxing programs at the Jockey “Y” and often times acted as both announcer and referee. Jock also launched successful recreation programs at Hialeah, Delaware Park and Atlantic City racetracks.

The decade of the 1940’s began with the affable George Bull as President of the Saratoga Association and Anna Clare, who had recently been appointed Track Supervisor upon the death of her husband Tom, both strongly behind the broad operations of the Recreation Center.

In the 1950’s, established trainers such as Max Hirsch and Lucien Laurin would look to bring on exercise riders and grooms with boxing abilities, to improve their stable’s ring chances during August at the Spa.

The public was always welcome at the bouts, and real interest was shown by many prominent persons in racing, who would sponsor prizes for the fighters. Notables included Prince Aly Khan and Alfred G. Vanderbilt, who even qualified as a boxing Ref!

The boxing matches continued into the 1960’s, but with jockeys more often acting as judges, rather than combatants. Jockey Angel Cordero became a sponsor of middle-weight fighter Roul Melendez and Victor Gonzales.

By the late 1960’s interest in participating in boxing contests waned, and basketball became the preferred recreation among the backstretch employees. With the hoop sport contested among individuals, or teams of 3 or 5, lent to the participation of many more workers during their free time.

In 1968, a basketball court, which could also be used for volleyball, replaced the squared-circle of the Recreation Center boxing ring.