Used in the Exhibit: Play by Play - A Century of L.A. Sports Photography, 1889-1989 After moving to California as a teen-ager, Willie Shoemaker rode to his first win when he was 17. All of 95 pounds, "The Shoe" worked primarily in southern California. When he saddled his last horse in 1990, 64,573 fans showed up at Santa Anita to cheer him on; watching him race, said one observer, was like "listening to a pretty song or reading poetry." His post-jockey career as a trainer ended prematurely when he was paralyzed in a car accident. He died in 2003.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.