"Race not always to swift--but that's the way to bet" (1936)

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RACE TO THE SWIFT--2,050 Google hits, 207 Google Groups hits
RACE TO THE SWIFTEST--16 Google hits, 8 Google Groups hits

I've been thinking about this during the Olympics. I always thought that Damon Runyon said this. Certainly, Walter Winchell credited Runyon for it. I don't know what Fred Shapiro has.

Hugh Keough??


(GOOGLE)
Truisms!
... "The battle is not always to the strongest, nor the race to the swiftest, but that's
the way to bet 'em!" -- C. Morgan Cofer, 1926- (aka BossHoss). ...
www.geocities.com/cmcofer/truth.html - 14k - Cached - Similar pages

Chindits 1st Expedition 1943 Wingate's Order of the Day... that seems nearest to our hand. The battle is not always to the strong nor the race to the swift. Victory in war cannot be counted ...
www.chindits.info/Longcloth/Orderof%20theDay.htm - 6k - Cached - Similar pages

(GOOGLE GROUPS)
Re: The Intellectuals and Anti-Capitalism
... Context, schmontext. "The battle is not always to the strong, nor the race to the
swift, but that's the way to bet." It is both reasonable and, *ceteris paribus ...
humanities.philosophy.objectivism - Mar 13, 2001 by Bill Williams - View Thread (268 articles)

Re: Was Bismarck that good?
... The battle does not always go the strong, nor the race to the swift, but that's the way to bet."- Anonymous Chris Manteuffel "...the war situation has ...
sci.military.naval - May 5, 2001 by Chris Manteuffel - View Thread (426 articles)


(WWW.NEWSPAPERARCHIVE.COM)("but that's the way to bet")
  Reno Evening Gazette  Tuesday, August 25, 1964 Reno, Nevada
...nor THE battle TO THE BUT THAT'S THE WAY TO BET." Damon Runyon. EARL'S PEARLS.....was that TO I knew Truman was going be BUT I forgot it. After THE conventions..

  Oshkosh Daily Northwestern  Friday, November 16, 1962 Oshkosh, Wisconsin
...Sam did not intend TO steal THE car, BUT only TO go for a joy ride and return.....Now 1 know that a very good WAY TO get yourself disliked is TO go..

  Nevada State Journal  Friday, June 12, 1959 Reno, Nevada
...without resorting TO spending sprees BUT that THE favorable effects of.....many sensitive industries in this WAY even though THEre are no longer any..

  Salisbury Times  Wednesday, April 18, 1962 Salisbury, Maryland
...regretted THEy were violating THE law BUT argued that in no oTHEr WAY could.....refused TO help out with THE geraniums BUT threw aWAY all THE seeds she had..

  Nevada State Journal  Wednesday, March 04, 1959 Reno, Nevada
...battle TO THE strong BUT THAT'S THE WAY TO BET." It exemplifies THE pure.....that WAY. Not 'How am I going TO like BUT 'How is this going TO seem TO oTHEr..

  Lima News  Tuesday, April 17, 1962 Lima, Ohio
...THE battle TO THE stron BUT THAT'S THE WAY TO BET" Damon Runyon. VisiTOrs often.....NEW YORK-O.K., you won't believe me BUT THE oTHEr night I was in a jet that..

  Nevada State Journal  Tuesday, December 16, 1947 Reno, Nevada
...battle TO THE strong, BUT THAT'S THE WAY TO BET" A gambler once bragged TO.....trends and cause some economic losses BUT it will in no WAY shake THE..
Pg. 4, col. 4:
("Winchell on Broadway"--ed.)
Damon's tip to hoss-players: "Maybe the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that's the way to bet."


(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)(swift + strong + battle + race + bet)
Young N. Y. Critics Finally Praise Actor; Have to Admit Hampden's "Cyrano" Is a Real Dramatic Triumph.
Burns Mantle. Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: May 10, 1936. p. D5 (1 page):
"The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that is the way to bet," as Hugh Keough used to say. . . .

Display Ad 1 -- No Title
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Oct 7, 1948. p. 3 (1 page):
It was a poet who said that the race was not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong. The practical wiseacre said, "But that is the way to bet."