Religion: Rectory Handicapping

A Roman Catholic parish in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England has found something better than bingo—a football pool and racing tip sheet combined.

Fathers Timothy O'Connor and Desmond O'Dowd needed $28,000 for a new parochial school. They designed some leaflets listing England's top football games on one side and a likely winner at one of the nation's race tracks on the other. In return for a down payment of a shilling initiation fee and a shilling a week thereafter, they invited their parishioners to 1) become members of their Church Development Society, 2) take a chance on a weekly football pool, and 3) receive free the society's'"Dead Cert Nap Selections" for Saturday's races. Some 500 parishioners joined up.

Though last week's selection, twelve-year-old Russian Hero, was an also-ran at Manchester, the fathers' record looked good. In ten tries, they had picked three winners and four place & show horses, given out-of-the-money advice only three times. The fathers shyly admitted that the tips were provided by a kindly parishioner with a keen eye for horseflesh. "We aren't kicking, at least not yet," said one local bookie. "In fact, three of us in this office are subscribing ourselves. It's a good cause."

Membership in the Church Development Society had swelled to more than 5,000 by last week, and the school fund was richer by a good $1,500.