"Grand Old Man of the Harness Turf"

1851 -1924

Married: Mamie Smith

4 Children

"Pop" Geers was born on a farm near Lebanon, TN in 1851. Geers was sometimes referred to as "The Silent Man from Tennessee" because he was a modest, unassuming man, quiet to the point of shyness. But he earned wide acclaim as a breeder, trainer and driver of horses.

At the age of twenty he won his first race at the Wilson County Fair with Little Dave to a wagon in 3:04, and four years later opened his own stable at Major Brown's Swell Stock Farm in Springhill, TN. His first star was Mattie Hunter, 2:12½, who, in July 1879, gave "Pop" his first world record. Brown Hal, 2:12½ and Hal Pointer brought Geers to the forefront in 1889 and he continued in 1890 with Hal Pointer to set a mark of 2:09¾. He raced Robert J. to his time of 2:01 ½ in 1894. In 1916 he set the record of 1:59 ¾ driving his beloved Napoleon Direct.

When the bike wheel was introduced, "Pop" was one of the pioneers to use it and to prove it. He drove many champions during the remainder of his career.

"The Silent Man" died as a result of a racing accident at Wheeling, WV, on September 3, 1924, which, ironically, had been proclaimed Geers' Day" at the West Virginia State Fair.