|
Greyhounds have been known to accompany man for 7000 years - etchings of the greyhound are preserved on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. The ancients valued the dog as companion and hunter. The greyhound is the only dog mentioned in the Bible (Proverbs 30:29-31).
In the year 1014, King Canute of England created the Forest Laws making it illegal for anyone but noblemen to hunt with greyhounds. The athletic, yet docile dog, capable of running more than 40 miles per hour, became a favorite of royal courts all over Europe.
Immigrants to America often imported their greyhounds as well and the dogs became popular with farmers to control crop-destroying rabbits. Dog racing in this country began on the plains of Kansas. The American Coursing Club formed in 1886, seven miles north of Great Bend, Kansas. Greyhounds raced across open land on preset courses. The National Greyhound Meet is still held here the last week of April and the first week of October. Today the National Greyhound Association's headquarters are in Abilene, Kansas where the organization maintains the Greyhound Hall of Fame.
No museum features a friendlier greeting than the Greyhound Hall of Fame. As you enter through the stone pillars of the single-story building you are met by the museum's resident greyhound.
The Hall of Fame tells the story of this noble sport of Ancient Greece and the Middle Ages through drawings and text. Displays show the evolution of greyhound racing from a field sport to track racing when a stuffed rabbit was tied to a motorcycle and sent around a circular track.
A detailed miniature dog track and video presentation explain the workings of modern greyhound racing which is the sixth largest spectator sport in America. A computerized exhibit calls up videos of past championship races. Photographs and newspaper clippings highlight famous races from the past including a rare photo of 9 dogs finishing within 8 feet of one another at Denver's Mile High Track. Other photo sections include Greyhound Paparazzi - snapshots of celebrity dog owners. Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey, and Veronica Lake are among those caught nuzzling their winning dogs.
A Race America Section displays today's sleek dog racing tracks. Photographs also depict the evolution of dog tracks from their most rudimentary in the 1920s. Other exhibits feature the techniques used in breeding farms and kennels to produce the healthiest champions possible. A computer delivers the selective breeding of champion dogs including pedigree, litter, and racing history.
The highlight of the Museum is the Hall of Fame. Here are the greatest greyhounds to race in North America and Europe. Each dog is honored in the orange-carpeted Hall of Fame with a plaque and a pedigree history. The story of each champion is enchantingly written in a banquet-style tribute to the dog.
Trainers and breeders are enshrined too, although in a distinct minority. One human Hall of Famer is Keith Dillon who raised the "Miracle Litter", eight Grade A dogs who once filled an entire field. A 10-minute film stars the majestic greyhound and an overview of the Hall of Fame.
Greyhounds must be 8 years of age and retired for three years to be nominated for the Hall of Fame. This is an advanced age for many of the dogs and few are alive at the time of their induction. New Hall of Fame members are enshrined each fall in Abilene. If living, the dogs are flown in for the ceremony. If not, footage of their careers is shown.
The Greyhound Hall of Fame is in Abilene on SR 15 at SE 4th Street, across from the Eisenhower center.
| 
