Customer Reviews

Suffolk Downs (MA) (Images of Sports)

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Thoroughly enjoyed reading about the history of Suffoilk Downs. Many very striking photos, along with tons of interesting notes, anecdotes and stories on some of the other events staged at the East Boston Oval.

And then of course, is the racing. From Seabiscuit to Cigar, its all covered!

Suffolk Downs has hosted some of the best Thoroughbred races this country has seen since its opening on July 10, 1935, and the high points of the race track's events are captured in nearly 200 images in Suffolk Downs, a visual treat surveying the horse-racing championships which have been featured over the decades. Vivid and vintage black and white shots show both races in progress and before- and after-race scenes, with a range of images capturing both male and female jockeys, sponsors, trainers, and of course, the horses. A fine memoir for horse racing fans.

Teja's photo history of Suffolk Downs not only captures great moments in horse racing but also connects the track's history to interesting cultural and historical events. For New England horse racing fans this book is a must have with tremendous photos that illustrate the colorful history of the East Boston Oval.

"Suffok Downs" by Christian Teja hits the perfect dynamic, intertwining the visual, historical, personal and statistical elements that make sporting so captivating. The photos and captions together tell you not only where the track itself has been and is going, but also where the lives that have touched it have been and are headed. This is true for the human and non-human alike, including the great horses of course, but even other characters ranging from the Beatles to Rin Tin Tin. In one of my favorite depictions, the photo shows the great finish in the 1987 MassCap and Teja adds the perfect spice by telling the reader that track announcer Jim Hannon's voice cracked in excitement at the conclusion of his call. Teja does a fantastic job making the photos come alive, drawing the reader eagerly into this great book.

Even for someone who is not necessarily a horseracing fan, this is an enjoyable book. It gives a great flavor of past times when life was slower and leisure was truly enjoyed. There are wonderful pictures of many non-racing events as well.

"Suffolk Downs ", by Christian Teja, is a compilation of photographs that chronicle the history of the track and the personalities who have graced it. It also covers special events that were held at the track, including the famed Beatles concert and the annual Hot Dog Safari. Special attention is given to famous horses that have raced at Suffolk, including Sea Biscuit, Riva Ridge, and Cigar.

There is no text to speak of, but each photograph has an interesting caption beneath it. Thus, the book is an easy read for time challenged individuals. It's interesting to see how popular horse racing was in the '30s and '40s, and how large the crowds were at Suffolk Downs in comparison to the present.

It's about time that someone recognized the historical as well as the nostalgic value of this wonderful track, and I hope it will entice new fans to attend the races at Suffolk Downs so it doesn't fall into obscurity like many other New England racetracks. This year, Suffolk Downs observes its 70th birthday!