Moody Pond Horse Race, 1927. Races were held weekly.
(Reprinted in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 4/31/2007)"Born: March 12, 1869, in Albany, son of Simon and Fanny Adler
Died: May 5, 1947, in Saranac Lake
Married: Amelia Currier (died 1909), Matilda Adler (1877- 1943)
Children:
Philip Adler kept a grocery and meat market on Broadway near Dorsey Street. He was also a hotel keeper, racehorse owner and a horse racing promoter who organized races in Saranac Lake, Malone and Lake Placid in the 1920s. He served as secretary of the Saranac Lake Driving Association.
According to John Duquette, Adler was a baker, who later became known as the popular proprietor of a speakeasy during the prohibition days with headquarters on Dorsey Street. He served as secretary of the Saranac Lake Driving Club, an organization that promoted harness racing. He also operated a grocery and meat market on Broadway near Bloomingdale Avenue.
A cure cottage at 22 Dorsey Street was listed as the Adler's Cottage in the Disinfection Records in 1912. The 1925 Village Directory lists Philip Adler at 22 Dorsey Street. The address also appeared in delinquent tax records as belonging to Philip Adler in December 1948.
It has been suggested that the near-mythical bar/house of ill repute The Antlers may have been a mis-rendering of the name, "Adler's."
There is a burial plot in Pine Ridge Cemetery in his name, but no indication in the records that it has been occupied. His second wife, Matilda, is buried in an adjacent plot.
Death Record in Albany and Capital District. Knickerbocker News [Albany, NY]. May 8, 1947: 2B col 6.
"The funeral of Philip Adler, 78, of Saranac Lake, former Albany resident and past president of the Northern New York Horseman's Association, was conducted today at the Le Mon Funeral Home, 497 Delaware Ave. Rabbi Samuel Wolk of Temple Beth Emeth officiated. Burial was in Beth Emeth Cemetery, Kenwood. Born in Albany Mar. 12, 1869, Mr. Adler was a son of the late Simon and Fanny Swartz Adler. For the last 40 years he lived at Saranac Lake, where he died Monday. Mr. Adler retired recently as a restaurant proprietor. Survivors include three sisters, Mrs. Hattie Rosenberg, Mrs. Blanch Bernhard and Mrs. Satie Levey, all of Albany, and two brothers, Charles J. Richmond Hill, L.I. and Edward Adler, Irvington N.J."
From Scrapbook 18, page 9, compiled by Julia Adele Bousquet Dow, Saranac Lake Free Library, likely from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. :
FUNERAL RITES IN ALBANY FOR PHILIP ADLER
May 7, 1947
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon in Albany for Philip Adler, 78, resident of Saranac Lake for more than 50 years, who passed away in this village Monday night.
Mr. Adler died at the Bickford Nursing Cottage on Olive Street where he had been a patient for a few days. He was stricken with a heart condition several weeks ago and a few days ago was released from the General Hospital.
He was born March 12, 1869, in Albany the son of the late Simon and Fannie Swartz Adler. During his younger years he was a prominent boxer and sportsman.
After coming to Saranac Lake Mr. Adler opened a restaurant on Dorsey street which he operated until his illness. He is survived by two sisters, of whom one is Mrs. H. Rosenberg of Albany, and two brothers.
Interment will take place in Beth Emeth No. 1 cemetery in Albany. <https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101409246/philip-adler>
Malone Farmer, July 1, 1908
WANTED—Middle-aged woman to work in hotel. For particulars apply to Phil Adler, Broadway Hotel, Saranac Lake, N. Y.
Malone Farmer, September 1, 1909
DRESSED POULTRY of all kinds wanted; also fat beef. Address Phil Adler, Saranac Lake. N. Y.
Malone Farmer, December 29, 1909
Mrs. Philip Adler, whose husband conducts the Broadway Hotel at Saranac Lake, came to Malone Thursday on her way to spend Christmas with her people in Norwood. She stopped over here to make some Christmas purchases, and, not feeling well, went that evening and put up at Hotel de Wilson. She was feeling so badly on Friday that Dr. Whitehead was called and found her suffering from dilatation of the heart. She continued to grow worse and on Saturday her condition was so serious that the doctor remained with her nearly all the afternoon. She had an enlarged heart and had had frequent attacks before in which Doctor Wicker, of Saranac Lake had pointed out the seriousness of her trouble. She died Saturday evening and her remains were taken to Norwood for interment Sunday evening. Mrs. Adler was 41 years of age and is survived by her husband.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, September 15, 1976
…Phil Adler, a local sports-man, sponsored the Saranac Lake semi-pro team which played at the St. Armand fairgrounds on the Bloomingdale Road. Most of the high school players eventually signed up with Phil if they wanted to continue in the sport.
Nearly all the leading summer hotels in the resort area fielded baseball teams. Many included top flight talent from the eastern universities on their hotel nines.
Phil Adler paid Pete Gay $10 to turn professional in 1918 when his Saranac Lake team was scheduled to face the strong St. Huberts team from Keene Valley, St. Huberts boasted two Princeton All-Americans grid stars, Sam Pendleton and Sam White, who were fine all around athletes.
Pete shut out the St. Hubert nine, 2-0, and was considered quite a hero around town the rest of the summer…
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, April 2, 1962
Out of the Past
September 6, 1921
…In a 5-mile auto race James Fortune was the winner with Tanzini's Packard coming in second. Time: 5:35 & 5:55. The gate prize was a Ford car and this was won by William Windrel [sic] of 298 Broadway. Phil Adler had a very busy day acting as official announcer and arrangement committee.
Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post, September 8, 1922
THREE VILLAGES JOIN IN LABOR DAY PROGRAM
Tupper Lake and Lake Placid joined with Saranac Lake Monday in the best celebration of Labor Day in this part of the Adirondacks in a number of years. There were two program, one at the Ampersand grounds, where field sports were held by Phil Adler and music was furnished by the Saranac Lake boys' band, and the other at the school grounds, where the trade unions of the three towns arranged an afternoon's festivities which lacked nothing in thrills from beginning to end. Field sports were sandwiched by a ball game which was easily the outstanding feature of the entire celebration. It was played between Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, and it looked for a long time as though the hastily assembled nine from the tiptop town would send the Champion Saranac Lake nine back to college defeated in the farewell session of the season. The score was 2 to 1 and Saranac Lake did not put over the winning wallop until the seventh frame. At 10 o'clock the parade of union men formed at Riverside Inn and proceeded through the principal streets, music furnished by the two out-of-town bands. There was a long line of marchers in the procession, the demonstration being the first of its kind witnessed there in a number of years. The celebration closed with two dances, one at the town hall and the other at the Saranac Lake boys' club.
Lake Placid News, September 29, 1922
Horse Meet in Saranac Lake
While at Malone fair last week Phil Adler interviewed many visiting horsemen and obtained assurance of about 30 entries for a three-day meet he is planning to stage in Saranac Lake in January, he has announced. Two stables of 10 horses each will come from Saratoga and three entries will come from Ellenburg, besides other track performers in the north country.
Lake Placid News, April 18, 1924
PHIL ADLER, PUGILIST, THIRTY YEARS GONE BY
It is not generally known that Phil Adler, the well known Adirondack and Northern New York horse ice racing promoter, at one time held quite an enviable position in pugilistic circles. The Albany Evening Journal which is featuring some of the notable events that occurred in the Capitol city thirty years ago, contained the following paragraph in its issue of Monday, April 7th:
“A fight to a finish between Phil Adler and Felix Hart of this city will take place Monday night, within five miles of this city. Both are in fine condition and a good battle will be seen by those who are so fortunate as to witness the fight.”
Phil is one of those fellows that never grows old, and looks today as tho he might make some of the young ones travel a pretty good pace in the ringed arena.
Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post, December 17, 1931
To Race on Ice Track At Saranac Jan. 26
Trotting and pacing races will be held on an ice track at the Adirondack fair association grounds beginning January 26th, according to plans announced by Philip Adler, veteran race promoter of Saranac Lake. Last year the winter races usually held at Moody pond were omitted. This winter it is expected that the races will be especially popular with the added population drawn to the Adirondacks previous to the Olympic games early in February. Permanent grandstand seats, not before available, will add to the comfort of those attending. Trainers of Northern New York will have their horses out soon after January first as it is expected that the ice track will be ready by that date.
Lake Placid News, December 18, 1931
ADLER CARDS HORSE RACES FOR PLACID
Phil Adler, Saranac Lake sports promoter, announces that harness races on the ice will be staged at Saranac Lake on February 18, 19, and 20 and at Lake Placid on February 25, 26, and 27.
Purses totalling $1200 will be offered at each meet, states Mr. Adler, and the fastest horses in this section of the state will appear.
The track for the Lake Placid races will be laid out over the Mirror lake course.
Plattsburgh Daily Press, February 20, 1934
SARANAC LAKE — Fire from an overheated chimney caused damage of about $500 at Phil Adler's restaurant and dance hall, Dorsey street, Sunday morning.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 30, 1952
Our Town by Eddie Vogt
…I've been reading through several copies of the Saranac Lake Mirror. One, dated Feb. 2, 1934, carried an ad of Phil Adler's restaurant at 22 Dorsey street which offered Bottled Beer — 15 cents. Free Lunch with Beer — Irish Beef Stew. Pork and Beans.• Sandwiches…
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