Glitz Replaced Gloom at Hollywood Park

Signs of Hollywood glitz were everywhere--fake flowers, a “goose girl,” movie stars, titans of the film industry--on a cold, drizzly day when Hollywood Park opened its doors to racing, 61 years ago today.

Track management was in a state of panic as opening day approached. Heavy rains had created mud, but even worse, the infield flowers hadn’t bloomed. The solution was pure Hollywood. Set decorators were drafted. Thousands of paper pie plates were painted pink and white and artfully placed in the infield foliage.

The movie studios virtually shut down for the opener. Al Jolson, Darryl Zanuck and Walt Disney were there. So was Samuel Goldwyn, Joan Blondell, George Jessel, Bing Crosby, Ralph Bellamy and Ronald Colman.

The 25,258 on hand cheered when track announcer Joe Hernandez introduced Jack Warner, who introduced Jolson. More cheers for the parade of thoroughbreds, and then for Jack Benny, Pat O’Brien and George Burns and Gracie Allen.

General admission that day to the $2-million plant, built on swamp and farm lands, was $1.10, $2.75 for the clubhouse. A clubhouse season pass was $55.

The winner of the track’s first race was a California filly, Valley Lass, who traveled six furlongs in 1:00 1/5 and paid $4.60 under jockey Silvio Coucci.

The first feature race was won by Air Chute, Basil James aboard, in the $2,500-added Hollywood Premiere Handicap. And Barbara Stanwyck made the trophy presentation.

Also on this date: In 1946, Jack Johnson, the first black world heavyweight champion, drove his car off the road and smashed into a telephone pole near Franklinton, N.C. Johnson, 68, died later at a Raleigh hospital. Johnson was champion from 1908 to 1915 and won the so-called “Fight of the Century” against Jim Jeffries in 1910 at Reno.