James C. Nicholson
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780813141671
- eISBN:
- 9780813142470
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813141671.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
The first chapter provides a brief history of the Derby Stakes and racing at Epsom in Surrey, England. It then describes the historical significance of a bet placed on the 1954 Derby winner, Never ...
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The first chapter provides a brief history of the Derby Stakes and racing at Epsom in Surrey, England. It then describes the historical significance of a bet placed on the 1954 Derby winner, Never Say Die, by Mona Best, who pawned her jewelry to raise the funds necessary to make the wager. With her winnings, Best financed her dream house in Liverpool and later opened the Casbah Coffee Club in the basement. Future members of the Beatles played there regularly in the club’s early days and became friendly with Mona’s son Pete, who became the Beatles’ first regular drummer and played with the group for two crucial years that included three formative stints in Hamburg, Germany.Less
The first chapter provides a brief history of the Derby Stakes and racing at Epsom in Surrey, England. It then describes the historical significance of a bet placed on the 1954 Derby winner, Never Say Die, by Mona Best, who pawned her jewelry to raise the funds necessary to make the wager. With her winnings, Best financed her dream house in Liverpool and later opened the Casbah Coffee Club in the basement. Future members of the Beatles played there regularly in the club’s early days and became friendly with Mona’s son Pete, who became the Beatles’ first regular drummer and played with the group for two crucial years that included three formative stints in Hamburg, Germany.
