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History

A Brief History
(edited Jan 2009)

For 15 years Judge James E. Dooley, one time President of the Canadian-American Hockey League, tried to win approval for pari-mutual horse race gambling in Rhode Island. In June of 1934 his bill passed, and horse race gambling became legal in the Ocean State.

Judge Dooley along with onetime Fall River, Massachusetts mill operator, and Star-Tribune owner, Walter E. O'Hara, bought 130 acres in Pawtucket. They bought the land for $150,000 from an old time Woonsocket saloonkeeper named John F. Letendre. It was once the site of the old What Cheer Airport.

By the end of July, the Narragansett Racing Association (NRA) was incorporated. Mr. O'Hara became the President and Managing Director. Judge Dooley became the Vice President.

Narragansett Park opened on August 1, 1934; just two months after horse race gambling became legal in Rhode Island. The Park was more popularly known as 'Gansett and held its first thoroughbred race while the paint was still wet on the grandstand.

The park cost $1,200,000 to build and consisted of the grandstand which seated 10,000 people, the clubhouse, which held an additional 4,000, the stables which accommodated 1,650 horses, the judges' stand and of course the track. The track was a one mile oval with footing of sandy loam. The width of the stretch was 90 feet 6 inches. The width of the backstretch was 70 feet 2 inches. Width of the turns was 87 feet. The distance from the judges' stand to the first turn was 360 feet and 1,050 feet from the last turn. The track had an automatic starting gate and camera finish. Narragansett was the first to adopt this. It later became a standard at all tracks.

Aerial view of the track

Diagram from the American Racing Manual 1955 of the layout of Narraganset Park.
(courtesy of Jeannine)

Narragansett Park, while at first not one of the well-known social racetracks, did very well financially. The track took 62% of all bets and kept the breaks. (Odd pennies left over after bets are paid off to the nickel.) Narragansett's take for 1936 was $1, 174,000. Programs, concessions and gate receipts added another $457,000. The Park showed a clear profit of $507,000 for the year after handing out $717,000 for purses and all other expenses.

In 1937 Walter O'Hara got into a heated situation with Rhode Island Governor Robert Quinn. Mr. O'Hara owed the government income tax money to the sum of $30,000 and also used his paper the Star-Tribune to instigate situations between himself and Governor Quinn. His paper went bankrupt and was sold and it was demanded he be removed from his position as President and Managing Director. 300 Rhode Island Militiamen arrived at the park under Gov. Quinn's orders while Mr. O'Hara was up in his penthouse above the clubhouse. The track did not have any races during the Fall of 1937. Mr. O'Hara was removed as President and Managing Director in February of 1938. He died in a car accident in Taunton, Massachusetts in 1941.

Judge Dooley became President of the NRA and held this position until 1960.

Under his guidance Narragansett Park prospered. Holding prestigous races and running horses from respectable farms such as Calumet Farms and Glen Riddle Farm.

Such races as the Narragansett Special, Rhode Island Handicap, Governors Handicap, King Phillip Handicap, Providence Stakes, Narragansett Nursery and Sophomore Special were held at Narragansett Park.

Seabiscuit, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Alsab, War Relic and Gun Bow raced at Narragansett Park. Crowds of 40,000, sports celebrities, movie stars and millionaires such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gergig, Cab Calloway, Jimmy Durante, Mickey Rooney, and Milton Berle appeared for races. There were even racetrack trains to bring racing enthusiasts to the park. Services from Boston to Providence and New Haven to Providence called Specials, likely named after the Narragansett Special.

Judge Dooley's eldest son, J. Alden Dooley took over as President several years after his father's death and ran the track until it closed.

1942 Preakness winner Alsab (inside rail) and 1941 Triple Crown Winner Whirlaway had a $25,000 match race at Narragansett Park on September 19, 1942. Alsab won by a nose.

Sadly, the 1970s were bad years for horse racing in Rhode Island. The massive crowds that once turned up at the track dwindled down to a mere 3,000 or so. The track hit financial peril due to smaller crowds and new types of gambling that caused patrons to spend their money elsewhere. Gansett was forced to close in 1978.

A year later, the city of Pawtucket bought the land and over the next several years developed it into an industrial park and some residential housing.

Today, all that remains of Narragansett Park is part of the grandstand, which has been a Building 19 1/9 discount retail store since the late 1980s.

All that is left of Narragansett Park is part of the grandstand, which is now a Building 19 1/9 discount retail store.

The future of the grandstand building hangs in the balance. It is believed that within the next few years it will be torn down, as it has become impractical for it's current use. And then Narragansett Park will be gone, except for scattered photos, memories, memorabilia, magazine and Internet articles.

The purpose of this website is to preserve the history of Narragansett Park through information, memories, photos and articles. If you have anything to add to the website please contact me at NarragansettPark@yahoo.com

Photo of Ellen Mist, courtesy of Jeannine