Happy New Year!

[Tarquinius Dionysius]

Happy New Year to everyone!

[Horatius Piscinus]

Bona Fortuna et salvete sodales omnes

Anima felix et faustus vivant

[Publius Dionysius Mus]

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!

My best wishes for the new year for all our members and their families!

Valete bene

[Quintus Servilius Priscus]

From Wichita, KS: To all a Very Happy New Year!!!

[Gnaeus Dionysius Draco]

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope everyone will hold on to their good vows .

Draco

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

I know i'm late with this but suffering from a severe hangover from drinking to much wine yesterday prevented me to reach my pc. Anyway i wish you all a happy new year and may 2004 prove to a good year for everyone.

[C.AeliusEricius]

A tad tardy, but one counting of the Roman year starts with Agonalia, so there's still time.

Bene valete.
C. Aelius Ericius.

[Aldus Marius]

Salvete omnes...!

Yes, only Marius could come up with a reply to a thread entitled "Happy New Year!" in the middle of August. As if that weren't delayed enough, he's been carrying this little gem around for the last decade, just waiting for the right spot to bless with it. This comes from a membership-store newsletter called the FEDCO Reporter, which was always full of such anecdotes. This one's from the December '93 issue.

Enjoy...! >({|;-)


**** PASADENA'S AMAZING CHARIOT RACES ****
- - - - - - - - - by Carla Kallan - - - - - - - - -

What sport do you associate with the Pasadena [CA] Tournament of Roses? Football, no doubt. But had you lived in Los Angeles in the early 1900s, you would have associated it with--believe it or not--chariot races.

Indeed, from 1904 to 1916, chariot racing was the event of choice at the Tournament of Roses. Football had already been tried in 1902. First, there had been a stampede, as 8,500 people fought to get into Tournament Park. Then, Stanford University lost a less than rousing game with the University of Michigan by a score of 49 to 0. Finally, the city of Pasadena was festooned in blue and gold decorations--close to Michigan's colors. Some angry Stanford fans tore down the pennants and streamers.

By 1904, the Tournament of Roses, founded by Charles Holder and Dr. Francis Rowland, was actively seeking some sporting event to attract nationwide attention. Holder thought he had the answer, having recently read the book Ben Hur. "That book gives us the idea we need for our festival," he concluded. "Let us stage a true Roman chariot race; it will make modern history." And so the races began.

The 1904 contest featured two double-wheeled Roman chariots, each pulled by a team of four horses. A veteran horseman easily defeated an amateur competitor, Ed Off. The race was a great success, and Off vowed to return for next year's match. In 1905, Off was indeed back, up against a widely known hotel owner. Off held an early lead, but lost control of his horses as they roared around a curve. As they continued to run away in panic, an unknown horseman headed them off. The crowd of 12,000 spectators thunderously voiced their approval at this daring rescue.

In 1912, the chariots of two contenders bumped, in a near-disastrous collision, and people began to realize that chariot racing might be too dangerous. Furthermore, while the prize for first place was seldom over $1,000, it cost about $5,000 to train a team of horses for the event. The sport had become too expensive.

Chariot racing continued in 1913, but animal racing was now also popular. There was an ostrich race, and a race between an elephant and a camel. The elephant won.

New Year's Day, 1915, marked the last running of the chariot races. Although chariot enthusiast Ed Off continued to praise his sport as the greatest entertainment since the days of Rome, Tournament co-founder Dr. Rowland decided to go back to football.

But it's amazing to realize that--however briefly--the sport of emperors was a part of Pasadena culture.

I have just a couple of silly comments and I'll be on my way...
-- Those who were surprised that the races could be dangerous had obviously not done their homework;
-- It seems to me that the chariots attracted a better-behaved crowd than the football games;
-- I think the sport could have become self-supporting if people had been allowed to bet on the races; and
-- Perhaps "Ed Off" was not the most propitious name for a man who races horses. [wink]

In amicitia,