Beloved for his thunderous, commanding voice and affable personality, Phil Georgeff, known as "The Voice of Chicago Racing," holds the world record for calling the most horse races—an astounding 96,131. During his fifty years in the sport, Georgeff brushed shoulders with every great jockey and saw just about every great horse, from 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation to 1973's Secretariat. Part memoir, part historical analysis, and part nostalgic remembrance, this book is the quintessential guide to the history of thoroughbred racing in the twentieth century.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Beautifully written . . . wonderfully nostalgic, and insightfully prophetic. (Tom Carey )
Regardless of whether you agree with Georgeff on every point, you cannot deny that his stroll down memory lane makes for a good read. As on who lived through it all, he (Georgeff) poignantly captures an era now passed, "when all sports had soul and Thoroughbred racing was its beating heart." (Mary Simon Thoroughbred Times )
The Kelsos, the Citations, the Swapses, and the Nashuas, whose trainers weren't affraid to run them week after week and didn't duck competition: These are the stories Georgeff tells, and the stories worth remembering.
Regardless of whether you agree with Georgeff on every point, you cannot deny that his stroll down memory lane makes for a good read. As on who lived through it all, he (Georgeff) poignantly captures an era now passed, "when all sports had soul and Thoroughbred racing was its beating heart." (Mary Simon Thoroughbred Times )
The Kelsos, the Citations, the Swapses, and the Nashuas, whose trainers weren't affraid to run them week after week and didn't duck competition: These are the stories Georgeff tells, and the stories worth remembering.
About the Author
Phil Georgeff is the most famous man in the Chicago thoroughbred horseracing world. Author of two novels on horseracing, he lives in Fairhope, Alabama. Jim O'Donnell, a staff writer for The Chicago Sun-Times, lives in Chicago, Illinois. Tom Durkin, the "voice" of NBC's annual Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup telecasts, lives in New York.
Phil Georgeff is the most famous man in the Chicago thoroughbred horseracing world. Author of two novels on horseracing, he lives in Fairhope, Alabama. Jim O'Donnell, a staff writer for The Chicago Sun-Times, lives in Chicago, Illinois. Tom Durkin, the "voice" of NBC's annual Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup telecasts, lives in New York.
Phil Georgeff is the most famous man in the Chicago thoroughbred horseracing world. Author of two novels on horseracing, he lives in Fairhope, Alabama. Jim O'Donnell, a staff writer for The Chicago Sun-Times, lives in Chicago, Illinois. Tom Durkin, the "voice" of NBC's annual Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup telecasts, lives in New York.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phil's "And They're Off!" is a vivid & enduring biography!,
By Lynn Woxberg (Glenview, IL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: And They're Off!: My Years as the Voice of Thoroughbred Racing (Hardcover)
Phil Georgeff, Chicago's own golden "Voice of Racing" has written a warm, endearing, scintillating wonderful portrait! It's about Thoroughbred horse racing's "golden days"!Seen through his "Look of Eagles" eyes as he CALLED (not merely announced), 96,131 races! His binoculars become magnifying glasses as we delve into his history, feeling we're beside him on his "Thoroughbred Trek!" As my orbs devoured his incredible word portraits, couldn't stop, until my eyes had raced over all 252 pages! Read at one sitting! Can't put it down! Because his book moves as smoothly, fluidly, fast, graceful, exciting as does a bounding, galloping Thoroughbred! It's an exciting, silky, fantastic "read" that left me wanting more. Phil's prose is nearly poetry--a vividly, beautiful portrait of horse racing. Phil has the heart, class and soul of a classic Thoroughbred. He writes with love, passion and the discerning eye only a professional, honest and exceptional writer & eyewitness, of times "when racing was racing", could put down on paper. He's enabled all of us to vividly experience, savor & relive every moment of those days when Phil called " HERE THEY COME... SPINNING OUT OF THE TURN!" Wish I could hear him "call" again! Phil's wise, incisive insight gives all racegoers an unforgettable, wide-screen Technicolor, heartwarming classic about the wonderful world of Thoroughbred horse racing! It's an endearing, exciting, emotion-laden heartfelt tribute! Thoroughbreds are ethereal, spirited, strong and vibrant! Equines who run their hearts out every day they pound down the track, run because--it's a deep tradition/heritage within. Phil did the same every time he called a race. His fervor lives on today, as he writes his books. Thriving, surviving, facing life's challenges we learn from this man with a Thoroughbred soul, heart and "Look of Eagles". Phil's given a golden voice to all those brilliant, racing equines & people who live & breathe Thoroughbred racing today! This story is unique, true. Yet his words have the flowing detail & prose you might find in a book of fiction. "AND THEY'RE OFF!" is a masterful salute to Thoroughbred Horse Racing. Phil's book is a Triple Crown Winner, worthy of an Eclipse award!
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Secretariat, I mean Whirlaway,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: And They're Off!: My Years as the Voice of Thoroughbred Racing (Hardcover)
Georgeff's book is very well written. However, he often goes off on tangents that have nothing to do with the current subject or even the chapter. For instance, he'll be talking about Secretariat and suddenly, without transition, we will hear once more how Whirlaway was the greatest horse ever (and he was beautifully named). Again, a great piece of writing, if only a little off track at times.
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phil Georgeff has written a scintillating, warm remembrance!,
By Lynn Woxberg (Glenview, IL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: And They're Off!: My Years as the Voice of Thoroughbred Racing (Hardcover)
Phil Georgeff, our golden "Voice of Chicago Racing" has written a warm, endearing, scintillating wonderful portrait of Thoroughbred horse racing's "golden days"! Seen through his "Look of Eagles" eyes as he called (not announced) 96,131 races! His binoculars became magnifying glasses so all of us, as we delve into his history can feel as if we're right there beside him on his Thoroughbred Trek. As my orbs devoured his incredible word portraits, couldn't stop until my eyes had raced over all 252 pages! Read at one sitting! Can't put it down because the book moves as smoothly, fluid, fast, graceful and exciting as does a bounding Thoroughbred, who gallops down a homestretch. It's an exciting, silky, fantastic "read" that left me wanting more. Phil's prose is nearly poetry and a vividly beautiful portrait of horse racing. Phil has the heart, class and soul of a classic Thoroughbred. He writes with love, passion and the discerning eye that only a professional, honest and exceptional writer/witness of those days "when racing was racing" could put to paper. He's enabled all of us to vividly experience and savor every moment of those days when Phil called "Here they come spinning out of the turn!". Wish I could hear him call again! Phil's wise, incisive insight has given all of us racegoers an unforgettable, wide-screen Technicolor heartwarming classic about the wonderful world of Thoroughbred horse racing! It's an endearing, exciting, emotion laden heartfelt tribute! Thoroughbreds are ethereal, spirited, strong and vibrant! Equines who run their hearts out every day they pound down the track, run because it's a deep tradition and heritage within. Phil did the same every time he called a race. And his fervor lives now as he writes his books. Thriving, surviving, facing life's challenges we can learn from this man with a Thoroughbred soul, heart and the Look of Eagles who has given a golden voice to all those brilliant, racing equines & people who live & breathe Thoroughbred racing today! Phil's story is unique and true. Yet his words have the flowing detail & prose you might find in a book of fiction. "AND THEY'RE OFF!" is a masterful tribute and salute to Thoroughbred Horse Racing. Phil's book is a Triple Crown Winner, worthy of an Eclipse award!
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