Century of Butte Stories

Col. Buckets and Horse Racing in Butte

By John Astle

(Stories celebrating the millennium and featuring stories from Butte's newspapers during the past 100 years.)

Thoroughbred horse racing returned to Butte July 13, 1929 after an hiatus of fifteen years. Because of Montana's changing gambling laws the sport of kings' was discontinued following the 1914 races. The 1929 races were run for 25 days at the newly-renovated Marcus Daly Park racetrack. The new plant, built at a cost of $200,000, quartered over 500 horses from leading tracks around the country. Butte had the distinction of being the first city in the U.S. to use the forerunner of the modern day tote board, called an approximate machine.' It was built for Epson Downs in England but they wanted a bigger board so it was shipped back. Local officials, after viewing the machine, decided it would be a valuable addition to the Marcus Daly track. From three to four approximations' could be made on the machine, the final one being very dependable and a fair forecast of what the successful horses would pay. The board was operated by noiseless speedometer gears and the figures were large enough to be easily read from any part of the stand.

The feature race of opening day was the one-mile Silver Bow handicap, with nine horses competing for a $1,000 purse. One of the favorites was Rip Rap, a one-time contender in the Kentucky Derby.

No one was more excited about the return of the bangtails' than James Colonel Buckets' Rutledge, one of Butte's most colorful characters, racetrack tout, tipster, bookmaker, gambler, and walking encyclopedia on horse racing. Buckets' thrived in the early days when horse racing was the' sport. He could recite the genealogy of every winning horse that ever ran on an American track.

Buckets' could not read or write, but he had a remarkable memory. His friends would read him the odds posted in the M&M. One reading was enough. He knew the number of each entry, and the track on which it was to race. He would stand out in front of the betting board and discuss the odds, horses, pedigrees, and jockeys. Many didn't know he was illiterate. Buckets' passed out tips to anyone who would listen, and they repaid him in the proper manner.'

During the hard times without racing in Butte, Buckets' always managed to follow the ponies on other tracks. In 1915 he worked for two weeks at the High Ore mine. On his first shift a bunch of his cronies with a rag-tag brass band followed him up the hill to the mine gate. His picture made all of the newspapers. From that time on he always claimed to be a miner.

He ran for Lt. Governor in 1924. "James Rutledge of Virginia, Sah," he said during the campaign. He received 3,000 votes, finishing third in a field of seven. "At least I was in the show money," he said. His defeat greatly disappointed him and he became despondent. But that all changed.

With the return of racing Buckets' regained his status in Butte. He was the class of race track fashion in his black and white checkered suit and straw hat. A dashing elderly citizen dressed in striking togs,' who appeared to be walking on air, could be seen again on the streets of Butte about noon each day, shouting that he had important information to share, for a consideration that is.

Another round of anti-gambling laws in 1930 ended racing in Butte after only two years. Buckets' lasted until 1933. He was found in a dazed condition on East Broadway early Saturday morning, April 30. He was taken to the city jail and later to the county jail. Following an examination by a doctor he was taken to the county hospital where he died. His body was bruised and battered, which authorities said was the result of a fall. Official cause of death was pneumonia.

Colonel Buckets was 68. He was born in Virginia, one of 12 children. He went to New York and worked in the Vanderbilt stables where he gained first hand knowledge of the horses. He came to Butte in the 1880's. Buckets,' though short of stature, was a commanding personality.