Re: Robert's at the Beach

06/03/02 - posted by Will

I don't specificially recall the St. Francis Riding Academy, but knew of it, as a girl in my class at St. Brendan's in 1956 used to ride there. Anything she did was of interest to me.
I do recall Robert's-At-The-Beach as I used to go there with my parents. I always ordered hamburger under glass. I don't recall the rocking horse races, but I do remember the play room where you could park kids until your table was ready. Dad knew Shorti Roberts and said his real name was something Mediterranian like Roberti.
I think the place was a speakeasy during Prohibition and that Roberts might have been a bootlegger himself.
Roberts once bet Bill Kyne, the manager of Bay Meadows that his horse, Blackie, could swim the Golden Gate. The horse did it with Roberts holding onto his tail.