Tomorrow afternoon around 5pm or so, an end of a era will come to my hometown of Fort Plain N.Y. After nearly 20 years on Canal Street in the village, the Fort Plain Off-track Betting Branch will close its doors forever. Located in the old Buhrmaster’s Pharmacy, it was the place to put down your bet in the western part of Montgomery County . The funny part of when this branch opened was the timing. It opened soon after I left town and moved to Fonda. I always thought that was funny because if I still lived in Fort Plain, it would most likely been my second home. But since my family still lives in Fort Plain, I would frequent the branch often.
It was the place my dad would make his wagers during the Triple Crown. I spent the 1993 Saratoga season there a lot, since I stayed with my parents while waiting for my house closure on the Sand Flats in Fonda. My best friend Frank bought his pick six winning ticket there during the 1997 Saratoga meet. It would be frequent by the local horse players like; the late Gordy Thomas, Archie Fox, former Mayor Albert Nalli and Wayne Kramer, who always would get a coffee for the gals that worked behind the betting windows. It was the branch that still had the everyday horse players coming in noon hour each day when it was open like; George, John, Dutch and “Poopy”. Others like the “Boys from Cherry Valley ” would come in on the weekends, especially on Sundays because it was one of the few small branches open that day. I would travel here to meet the guys from “E-Street” on big event days like the Derby , Preakness and Belmont Stakes and many times during the Spa meet.
Those were the faces that came in each day, but there were also the people who worked there throughout the years. In the beginning was Ed, Rocco and Debbie and later on the two “mainstays” Myra and Yvonne or as we lovingly call her “Yak”. I’ll miss the whole group who wagered their hard earned cash on the thoroughbreds running at every track across the country, five days a week. But, like all good things unfortunately they come to an end. Capital OTB seemed fit to close the branch with the economy as it is and all. They had a customer appreciation day there this past Thursday which was owed to the many loyal customers that frequent the branch throughout the years. While it may be the “numbers” that closed the branch, you can’t take anyway the people that walked through the doors during the years. I’ll miss the place, the people there and the memories of the last 17 years. But, time goes on and I bid farewell to the Fort Plain OTB branch…..you were a part of my horse wagering career.
