100 years ago in The Saratogian
Friday, Jan. 17, 1919. “If Saratoga Springs ever becomes a great health resort, it will be due entirely to the efforts of the medical profession,” Dr. Douglass C. Moriarta tells the Saratoga Springs Medical Society tonight.
“It has been the desire of my professional life – to see Saratoga established as the greatest health resort in the United States,” Moriarta says, “I have often said that what Saratoga needed was a real man for a leader; perhaps it is a range-finder instead. Whichever it may be, I sincerely believe that medical men of our society can turn the trick.”
Given the Spa City’s many geographical advantages, “the query ‘how can Saratoga be prevented from becoming an ideal health resort’ would seem to be more difficult to answer than ‘how may she be developed into one.’” However, “I must confess that the present status of affairs does not bear out this conclusion.”
The main thing that prevents the dream of Moriarta and other local physicians from coming true, he suggests, is the competing pull of the summer resort business, including the annual racing season. While Moriarta “would not think of making racing a part of a scheme for a health resort, if we were just starting out,” he reminds his audience that “I have stated repeatedly that I did not think that the racing need of necessity prevent our becoming a health resort.”
However, “While theoretically we would like the patronage of the invalid public, practically there is not a single phase of business in our city that wants an invalid around during the [racing] season; and this applies to us all – no exceptions.
“We dream and theorize during our hibernating period, but when August first arrives, everything is humming; someone yells ‘they are off,’ then everyone is interested in who won, but not a d——d person cares about who also ran.
“So long as we, as a community, continue in this way, it will be difficult for our people to change their manner of doing, and even more difficult to change their views. The dream of a successful ‘long shot’ is more attractive than a surer ‘short one.’”
Delawares Win Overtime Game
“In what was probably the fastest game played on the Y.M.C.A. court in recent years the Delawares of Saratoga defeated the Liberty Five of Schenectady by the score of 30 to 22,” The Saratogian reports.
Trailing 14-10 at halftime, the Delawares force the game into overtime when a free throw with five seconds left in regulation makes the score 20-20. The Saratoga five dominates the overtime period, outscoring the visitors 10-2 for the win.