Remembering Earl Beal Jr. (1944-2009)

Now that the inagugural Earl Beal Jr. Memorial is in the history books, let's take a moment to remember the man himself.

A horse owner, trainer and former driver, Earl worked behind the scenes for decades to help make Pennsylvania harness racing the world class sport it is today.

Most recently, as president of the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association, he was a prime mover in bringing the excitement of casino gaming to racetracks like Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. He was also instrumental in continuing the tradition of harness racing at local fairs throughout the state despite tough economic times.

Many people take it for granted that we can bet on simulcast races from across the country, but in the 1980s and 90s, Earl fought so race fans would have more betting choices—and also so Pennsylvania tracks could send their TV signals to other states too, creating new fans and followers of our local tracks.

Today, Pennsylvania harness racing is considered by many to be the best in the country thanks in no small part to Earl's dedication to the sport. Since he especially loved trotters, we dedicate the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial in his honor.

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Sports

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• Beal
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• Memorial
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• Pocono
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• Kane