The Press: Derby Selection

Covering his 25th Kentucky Derby last spring, Hearstling Sportwriter Martene Windsor (“Bill”) Corum gratified his readers by picking the race one-two-three-four. Hereafter they will have to depend on someone else for their forecasts. Easygoing, fireplug-shaped Columnist Corum was named last week to succeed the late Colonel Matt Winn (TIME, Oct. 17) as president of the American Turf Association and Churchill Downs, i.e.) impresario of the Derby.

Missouri-born Bill Corum, 54, who makes close to $100,000 a year from his writing and his drawling broadcasts, will get an estimated $25,000 more just for promoting and running the Derby. He will continue his syndicated column for the New York Journal-American, but readers will get no more of his spring racing columns. During April and May his typewriter will be covered; Bill Corum will be in Louisville filling the job that old Matt Winn had held for 47 years.