This 'City Slicker' earned his oats

Growing up in the big metropolis of Sharpsville, my friends living in the South Pymatuning area dubbed us (the hometown folks) as just a bunch of "City Slickers".
Never rode a horse in those days but I did ride a cow. That's right. You know, the ones that you milk once, or maybe twice, a day. Going to my uncle's farm (he lived near Hartford, Ohio) was a real treat.
He didn't have any horses but he had cows, lots of cows.
Only trouble was the cow I rode always tried to rub me off on the trees that dotted the pasture fields. Always had a few bumps and bruises at day's end.
In my late teens, however, I experienced horseback the way it's supposed to be done ... on a real horse.
My friends and I vacationed in DuBois, Pa., home of many of my relatives, and there was a riding stable located in the suburbs. My horse's name was "Popeye" and he had only one eye and couldn't see out of the other.
But this horse could run, especially if he was headed back to the barn.
Connection
Every time I think about my childhood now, my thoughts take me back to "Popeye" and the present day phenom "Smarty Jones."
In one sense, nobody loves a smarty, but in this day and age of horse racing, everyone loves a "Smarty."
Popeye and Smarty had a lot in common. Both had lost an eye, both were underdogs and both had more heart than a hundred horses.
In a love story, Popeye never had a girlfriend. (At least not to my knowledge.) But maybe that's why he liked to head for the barn all the time.
Smarty had a girlfriend by the name of Butterscotch and she was a big part of the success story of Smarty. They are inseparable and those in the know believe they will grow old together. What a love story. It surpasses the one that almost was between Jennifer and Ben.
Hope
Smarty came out of nowhere. He's a horse that swept his way into the hearts and minds of America. In these times of strife and worry, heartbreak and even war, this horse telegraphed a message. He finally gave America something to believe in and a crowd of 120,000 turned out at Belmont Park to watch him run and hopefully win racing's Triple Crown.
This was not to be Smarty's day, however, and a young speedster by the name of Birdstone bested the Philadelphia-bred favorite in the home stretch. He won by a length.
So like Mighty Casey, Smarty finally struck out. He gave it his all and nearly pulled it off. His heart was as big as his body but his stamina and speed dissipated near the finish line.
The ending left racing experts wondering if there will ever be another Triple Crown winner.
We don't know the answer but we do know that Smarty Jones carried his banner very high in the hearts of America's race fans. He will not be forgotten and he's earned his niche in the annals of racing's greatest horses.
It was a ride we'll never forget, perhaps a little like the ones I had when I was aboard Popeye.
Norris to Westminster
Sharon High baseballer Chris Norris will take his talents, both in the classroom and on the diamond, to Westminster College this fall where he will play under Titan head coach Carmen Nocera.
A second baseman, Norris handles the bat very well and last season with the Tigers he hit at a .381 clip. This summer he will once again compete in the famed Youngstown Class B League.
In the classroom at Sharon High, he was a member of the National Honor society, 4-0 Club and was on the Honor Roll throughout his high school career. For his academic ability, Chris received Westminster's $11,000 Young Presbyterian scholarship.
He is the son of Patty and Bryan Norris of Buhl Boulevard, Sharon.