NTWA | National Turf Writers Association

NTWA HONOREES

Walter Haight Award - For Excellence in Turf Writing

Remembering Walter Haight
by Snowden Carter

Walter Haight died in October of 1968 at the age of 69. He was a racing columnist for the Washington Post.

The facts concerning Walter’s career are not hard to uncover. During his 45 years on the Post, he rose to a position of great influence as a writer and public speaker.

But, it is not alone the accomplishment of Walter’s life that set him apart from other press box sports reporters.

His chief contribution to the world was his personality. A friendly, over-sized bear of a man, Walter made humor his life’s theme. He would rather have told a joke which brought laughter than bet on a winner. And he loved to bet winners, too.

It is conceivable—but only barely so—that somewhere in the world there was someone who didn’t enjoy and appreciate Walter Haight. But that man, whoever he is, didn’t work in the press boxes of America’s race tracks. When Walter was on hand, the day was certain to begin with a friend at the next typewriter.

Not among Walter’s survivors was his creation, Molly Mutuel, a woman horse player. She died when Walter wrote his final column. Although Molly was an imaginary character, everyone who read Walter’s column knew her well. She was talkative, superstitious, dowdy, gregarious and thoroughly likeable. Her principal passion was betting on horses.

Molly was a sucker for a tip. She was also a grandstand habitué who viewed the Turf Clubbers with outspoken derision. Hers was the real world. The world of short bankrolls and the hunch bet which got her even.

Because Walter couldn’t bother himself with memorizing the names of his male friends, he called everyone “Bub.” It was only natural that his friends responded by calling him “Bub.”

On the morning of a big race, reporters would leave Bub alone. He would hunch his wide frame and several chins up tight against his typewriter, pecking our words which he more frequently than not discarded.

He would be striving to write the funniest lead ever carried in a newspaper. He would write it hours before the race was run, knowing all the time that if the horse he had selected failed to win, all his pre-race writing would be wasted. But Walter frequently chose the right horses—especially when the favorite was 1-to-2 or 2-to-5.

One would wish that Molly were alive to comment on this Water Haight Award. She would probably have something pithy to say about the time she bet her last $2 on a sixth-place finisher touted by Walter.