Willie Shoemaker
May 4, 1957: Most great boxers, no matter what they've won, are often remembered first for the fights they've lost, not the ones they've won. Willie Shoemaker won more thoroughbred horse races than any jockey before him, but he's best remembered for one he not only lost, but screwed up.
It was the 1st Saturday in May, which meant that the Kentucky Derby was being held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Shoemaker, just 25 years old, had won the Derby in 1955, aboard Swaps. This time, he was riding Gallant Man. The horse had been bred by Pakistani Prince Aga Khan III and his son Aly Khan, and trained by John Nerud.
To win the race, he would have to hold off Bold Ruler, ridden by 2-time Triple Crown winner Eddie Arcaro to victory in the Flamingo Stakes and the Wood Memorial; Round Table, ridden by Rob Neves to victory in the Blue Grass Stakes; and Iron Liege, ridden by Bill Hartack to victory in the Forerunner Stakes and the Jersey Stakes.
There were 9 horses in the race. Those not yet listed were Federal Hill, Indian Creek, Mister Jive, Better Bee and Shan Pac. Better Bee finished 8th, and Shan Pac 9th. Better Bee was ridden by John H. Adams; Shan Pac by his son, John R. Adams. It remains the only Kentucky Derby in which a father and son both rode. This field has been called the best field in Derby history.
Hartack and Shoemaker had one big thing in common: Both preferred to be called "Bill," hating the nickname "Willie." But Hartack is usually remembered as "Bill," while Shoemaker is generally first thought of as "Willie."
Gallant Man led most of the race. But Shoemaker saw the 16th pole, mistook it for the finish line, and stood in his saddle for a second. He realized his mistake, but it was too late: Hartack pushed Iron Liege to a photo finish. When the photo was printed, it showed that Iron Liege had beaten Gallant Man by a nose. Shoemaker had blown it, and he knew it.
It was the 1st Derby win for Hartack, who would go on to win the race 5 times, tying a record set by Arcaro.
Bill Hartack
Bold Ruler went on to win the Preakness Stakes. Shoemaker and Gallant Man won the Belmont Stakes. It was small consolation.
Bold Ruler lived until 1971, and his son, Secretariat, won the Triple Crown in 1973. Iron Liege lived until 1972; Gallant Man, until 1988.
Shoemaker kept on riding, winning the Derby in 1959, 1965, and 1986, making him the oldest jockey ever to win it. He also won the Preakness in 1963 and 1967; the Belmont in 1959, 1962, 1967 and 1975; and the Breeders' Cup Classic in 1987.
In 1970, Shoemaker won his 6,033rd race, surpassing Johnny Longden as the all-time winningest jockey. When he retired in 1990, he had 8,833. That record still until 1999, broken by Laffit Pincay Jr., who won 9,530; who was surpassed in 2006 by Russell Baze, with 12,844.
In 1991, Shoemaker was paralyzed in a car crash in San Dimas, California. He had been driving drunk. He continued to train racehorses from a wheelchair until his death in 2003. Hartack became an analyst on ABC Sports' horse racing broadcasts, and lived until 2007.
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May 4, 1957 was, like most Derby Days have been, a Saturday. These baseball games were played that day:
* The New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-2 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Whitey Ford left the game due to an injury in the 2nd inning, and Tom Sturdivant became the winning pitcher. Mickey Mantle went 0-for-3 with a walk. Andy Carey hit a home run.
* The New York Giants lost to the Cincinnati Redlegs (as the Reds were known from 1953 to 1958), 5-2 at the Polo Grounds. Willie Mays went 1-for-3 with a walk. Frank Robinson went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
* The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2 at Ebbets Field. Charlie Neal hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th. He hit it off Lindy McDaniel, who went the distance for the Cards, and hit a home run himself. Roy Campanella also hit a home run for Brooklyn. Stan Musial went 2-for-4.
* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs, 5-2 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Richie Ashburn went 2-for-5. Ernie Banks went 0-for-4.
* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Milwaukee Braves, 1-0 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Gene Freese singled Bill Virdon home with the game's only run in the bottom of the 7th inning. Vern Law pitched a 2-hit shutout, outpitching Juan Pizarro. Dick Groat and Hank Foiles each got 3 hits, each outhitting the entire Milwaukee team. Hank Aaron and Johnny Logan got the Braves' hits, while Roberto Clemente went 0-for-4 for Pittsburgh.
* The Cleveland Indians beat the Boston Red Sox, 5-2 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Early Wynn outpitched Dean Stone. Ted Williams did not play. A rookie named Roger Maris did play for the Indians, going 0-for-4, but getting an RBI on a fielder's choice.
* The Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles, 3-0 at Briggs Stadium (later Tiger Stadium) in Detroit. Duke Maas pitched a 5-hit shutout. Al Kaline went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Brooks Robinson did not play, and was not yet the Orioles' regular 3rd baseman.
* And the Kansas City Athletics beat the Washington Senators, 8-2 at Kansas City Municipal Stadium.
And in English soccer, the FA Cup Final was played at the original Wembley Stadium in West London. Birmingham team Aston Villa beat Manchester United, 2-1.
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