These photos and captions depicting the emergence, decline and eventual disintegration of NYC OTB re-energized brain cells I thought I’d smoked away long ago.

In 1971 I was in the 9th grade at a Long Island, NY, junior high school. In my social studies class at the time, the teacher asked us for potential topics for a class debate “team exercise.” I remember throwing up my hand and volunteering the topic, “O-T-B” and how that was going to ruin live racing. (I was raised not too far away from BEL, and even at the tender age of 14 I was already hooked on the sport!) I recall an incredulous look from the teacher as he wrote the suggested topic, “O-T-B”, on the blackboard (and even more quizzical looks from my classmates. Neither teacher nor students knew what I was talking about.)

The other topics that went up on the board, I recall, were “Why are we building the World Trade Center?” and “The Concorde: Will supersonic transport take off?”

Needless to say I was the only one in my class who voted for the OTB topic. The class ended up debating the pros/cons of the WTC.

Great to see that NYC OTB ad — “Just call us the New York Bets” — in one of those photos. Ah, I’d forgotten that!

But I’m afraid of the possible surfacing of the alternate explanation for “lust” – seeing as that sin has been indelicately framed in the context of racehorses!

Movin’ on…I’d practice the “humility” angle, but then, first, I’d have to start picking winners.

Maybe next year. Give me the second coming of War Emblem & we’re all set!