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Show Turf Fans Really Know How to Give By HENRY Mri.E.MORE lilted Press Sport Writer LOS ANGELES, IMC. 22 l UP) . If it's true that the real feeling of Christmas is bound up in the ; proverb that it is more blessed to give than to receive, then the city of Lou Angeles leads all other communities (including chest) in the matter of Yuletide spirit. On Christmas the entire phone book will move on the Santa Anita race track for the opening day of that home hacienda's winter meeting. meet-ing. Since arriving in the City of Angels and angles, I have circulated about with the regularity regu-larity of the bloodstream, and I have yet to meet person, high or low. Jack or game, who, when -I aakeri how he planned to spend the Xinaa, did nut leuly: "How am I going to spend it? How does anyone spend Christ -mu 7 1 -am-going to watch the - horses." In Los Angeles It isn't Santa Claus. but Santa Anita. With the crack of dawn on Christmas day. when the citizens of other towns are rushing to the Christmas tree to break open Junior's drums (so that Junior can start breaking open their drums their ear drum.it the voters vot-ers of Los Angeles begin th exodus toward Santa Anita. . They go full of Christmas spirit . eager to give until it hurts. Uppermost in their minds is the picture of those stai ing little pari-mutuel machines, uncared for for many months. They will give enough money In suppljLevery little pari-mutuel window with bright red shoes, a red apple, and a sled. Some of the Los Angeles philanthropists will even give the poor little windows their shirts. To be sure to be there on time to give their all. the men and women of Loa Angeles sacrifice that most integral part of the ordinary Christmas day the turkey tur-key dinner. So afraid are they that they will not be able to give until It hurts that many of , e them will com no closer to a festive board than is afforded by a hamburger salon with a swirl-ing swirl-ing aroma of fried onions and sunnyside-ups. Loa Angeles also treat New Year's day a bit differently. Again with the. crack of dawn, just when members of other communities are about to break newly-made resolutions, your Los Angelesit lights out for Pasadena and a football game. It is going to be very difficult for me to observe our top ranking rank-ing holiday in such a fashion. Christmas to ma ha alway meant these sort of things: (Continues en Following Past) Turf Fans Really Know How to Give (Continues tram Preceding Pais) Cocking an ear around the pillow pil-low to listen for the sound of Donner and Blitzen on the roof. The pellmell rush down the stairs ! to get a first crack at ths eggnog. The running to the kitchen for a pan of water to douse on the Christmas tree fire. The horrible false smiles when presented with presents that even the Indians wouldn't take. Drumsticks. Gravy thick with flotsam and jetsam of giblets. Hoping that someone elsa would volunteer to pick up all the tissue paper and string oft the living room floor. And New Year's has always been spent going around telling everyone how awful you feel, and j secretly hoping that they feel just as lousey. 1 All this will be very different, t but on one point I am not going I to yield. I am going to hang up my stocking over the fireplace in the hope that jolly old St. Nicholas will leave me a hot tip on something in the third at Santa Anita. |