Re: R.I.P Uncle Bill (289 Views)
Posted by: Fairmount1 (IP Logged)
Date: May 08, 2025 05:47PM
A journalism professor once taught me that making connections between the people, the places, the events, and the times around us provide the most meaning to our lives and help us understand the world. Further, we mark our lives by the moments that impacted us the most as they connect to other meaningful events in our lives.
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In the summer of 2016, I hit a trifecta box meeting Uncle Bill, richiebee, and TGAB (Alan) in the backyard at Saratoga. While I was not as close to these guys as many others in these parts, I certainly felt they had a profound impact on my life. They are all gone now and I'm trying to connect the dots today.
Uncle Bill taught me ways to actually be kind to people and to take the chip off my shoulder about being competitive in every single aspect of life. I saw him in the backyard share jokes with young and old, men and women, and all walks of life. He had a knack for connecting with others including the horses at the race track.
My phone indicates the last time I spoke to Bill was Fountain of Youth Weekend. That Saturday he drove towards Gulfstream to meet me and spend time with me. I told him once he arrived to call and I'd meet him in the parking lot to walk him into where I was at in the paddock. He made it about 100 minutes of the 120 minute drive only to not feel well. He called and said he thought he should turn around. He did and he did make it home. While we didn't connect in person, we did speak the following morning as I drove from the STL airport to my place. Sovereignty had won the Fountain of Youth and we discussed Mott, the horse and that he had a real shot in the Derby. I'll mark time by connecting Bill's passing with the year Sovereignty won the Derby and the Fountain of Youth when Bill didn't quite make it all the way to see me.
An earlier call on my phone is dated Thursday, February 13th. He called to tell me that his good pals associated with the Harvey Clarke Estate/Family had Gosger running Saturday. He was in a MSW race only his 2nd start. "Fairmount, my boy, this horse is good enough to be a Derby horse. He will win on Saturday and we will see where he goes from there!" He won that Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream as I watched via simulcast. I felt connected to Bill when the horse passed the wire.
My last texts with Bill were dated April 5th and April 12th. I notified him Gosger was entered for the 12th. April 5 reply: "Thanks much Fairmount. I appreciate that. Hope he runs well." April 12 I write moments after the Lexington Stakes at Kee: "Congrats!! He ran very very well" His reply: "Thank you Fairmount coming from that source must've run a real nice race. Thanks again. We will talk." My reply: "He was loaded and looked like there was more in there. Serious Preakness Contender."
Those were the last words I shared with Uncle Bill. When I arrive in Baltimore, I'll make a walk around the old plant before it is destroyed from its current state reflecting on the history of Ol Hilltop, reflecting on the connections I've made in this game specifically Uncle Bill, and wondering how well Gosger will run and win or lose if it means I've connected dots in the world to provide my life deeper meaning.
In a call earlier in the year, he had told me he would make it to Saratoga this summer, specifically saying that "Fairmount, my boy, it's gonna happen!" I'll certainly make a pass by the place he loved to check the horses' feet and give it an uneducated attempt of my own just to see if I can remotely understand what he was looking for in those animals. That's where I met him-- in that area near the horse path out past the Fourstardave bar. He may not make it this year but I'll try to carry the torch and be kind to someone in a way that would make him proud. I'd anticipate I'll buy a $10 win ticket on Sovereignty and give it to someone who probably will need something to cheer for in life.
This one hurts. I didn't see it coming and was looking forward to talking to him before or during my Preakness sojourn. If Gosger wins the Preakness, I'll mark time once again.
The amount that trifecta box of Uncle Bill, richiebee, and Alan has paid is untold riches. Amounts that would make Amenhotep blush. I'll never be able to spend all I won from that big strike in August of 2016.
R.I.P. Bill
______________________
I may write more about Bill in the coming days but wanted to get this out after learning about his passing earlier today.
___________________________________
In the summer of 2016, I hit a trifecta box meeting Uncle Bill, richiebee, and TGAB (Alan) in the backyard at Saratoga. While I was not as close to these guys as many others in these parts, I certainly felt they had a profound impact on my life. They are all gone now and I'm trying to connect the dots today.
Uncle Bill taught me ways to actually be kind to people and to take the chip off my shoulder about being competitive in every single aspect of life. I saw him in the backyard share jokes with young and old, men and women, and all walks of life. He had a knack for connecting with others including the horses at the race track.
My phone indicates the last time I spoke to Bill was Fountain of Youth Weekend. That Saturday he drove towards Gulfstream to meet me and spend time with me. I told him once he arrived to call and I'd meet him in the parking lot to walk him into where I was at in the paddock. He made it about 100 minutes of the 120 minute drive only to not feel well. He called and said he thought he should turn around. He did and he did make it home. While we didn't connect in person, we did speak the following morning as I drove from the STL airport to my place. Sovereignty had won the Fountain of Youth and we discussed Mott, the horse and that he had a real shot in the Derby. I'll mark time by connecting Bill's passing with the year Sovereignty won the Derby and the Fountain of Youth when Bill didn't quite make it all the way to see me.
An earlier call on my phone is dated Thursday, February 13th. He called to tell me that his good pals associated with the Harvey Clarke Estate/Family had Gosger running Saturday. He was in a MSW race only his 2nd start. "Fairmount, my boy, this horse is good enough to be a Derby horse. He will win on Saturday and we will see where he goes from there!" He won that Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream as I watched via simulcast. I felt connected to Bill when the horse passed the wire.
My last texts with Bill were dated April 5th and April 12th. I notified him Gosger was entered for the 12th. April 5 reply: "Thanks much Fairmount. I appreciate that. Hope he runs well." April 12 I write moments after the Lexington Stakes at Kee: "Congrats!! He ran very very well" His reply: "Thank you Fairmount coming from that source must've run a real nice race. Thanks again. We will talk." My reply: "He was loaded and looked like there was more in there. Serious Preakness Contender."
Those were the last words I shared with Uncle Bill. When I arrive in Baltimore, I'll make a walk around the old plant before it is destroyed from its current state reflecting on the history of Ol Hilltop, reflecting on the connections I've made in this game specifically Uncle Bill, and wondering how well Gosger will run and win or lose if it means I've connected dots in the world to provide my life deeper meaning.
In a call earlier in the year, he had told me he would make it to Saratoga this summer, specifically saying that "Fairmount, my boy, it's gonna happen!" I'll certainly make a pass by the place he loved to check the horses' feet and give it an uneducated attempt of my own just to see if I can remotely understand what he was looking for in those animals. That's where I met him-- in that area near the horse path out past the Fourstardave bar. He may not make it this year but I'll try to carry the torch and be kind to someone in a way that would make him proud. I'd anticipate I'll buy a $10 win ticket on Sovereignty and give it to someone who probably will need something to cheer for in life.
This one hurts. I didn't see it coming and was looking forward to talking to him before or during my Preakness sojourn. If Gosger wins the Preakness, I'll mark time once again.
The amount that trifecta box of Uncle Bill, richiebee, and Alan has paid is untold riches. Amounts that would make Amenhotep blush. I'll never be able to spend all I won from that big strike in August of 2016.
R.I.P. Bill
______________________
I may write more about Bill in the coming days but wanted to get this out after learning about his passing earlier today.
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