[PDF] Dogs In Early New England eBook

Author : Robert Temple
Publisher : Xlibris Corporation
Page : 86 pages
File Size : 18,8 MB
Release : 2010-12-27
Category : Pets
ISBN : 1456840789

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Chapter One Greyhound Racing Comes To New England Before pari-mutuel greyhound racing came to New England in the mid-1930s it had a long uphill battle to overcome the regions puritanical resistance to gambling and what many felt was a moral injustice inherent in the sport which was promulgated by the image of dogs hunting down rabbits in what was known as coursing. With these objections in mind it is necessary to write a brief history of the reasons why the greyhound first came to America and how greyhound racing came about and evolved into a flourishing sport. Later chapters will explain in depth how its critics and changing consumer tastes eventually brought the sport down. A Brief History With the great western migrations of the mid-nineteenth century and the increased use of farmlands to feed the growing populations came the problem of protecting the crops from jackrabbits was paramount. The solution came from the railroad workers and settlers, many of whom emigrated from England and Ireland and were familiar with the greyhounds and their hunting skills. They began importing greyhounds and selling them to the farmers where they became valuable economic assets by keeping the rabbits away from their cash crops. Another purchaser was the U. S. Cavalry, including George Armstrong Custer, who utilized their skills for scouting enemy movement and hunting down game. Sources say that Custer coursed his greyhounds the night before the 1876 Battle of Little Big Horn and that the dogs survived the next days battle. Meanwhile, the farmers, looking for entertainment diversions, started racing their greyhounds in what were called coursing meets in which the greyhounds chased a live rabbit. Gambling at these meets was extensive. Coursings popularity spread rapidly, and not just in the farmlands. There even were meets in such locations as the mill towns of Lawrence and Lowell, Massachusetts and, of course, gambling was part of the action. There was also a spreading humanitarian backlash to coursing . As Frank G. Menke wrote in the 1942 edition of The Encyclopedia of Sports, Opposition to this form of sport developed. The humane people of the state rebelled at the idea of killing of the rabbit just to perpetuate a gambling diversion. They implored officials to make coursing null and voidand this was accomplished. The Mechanical Lure The next giant step to overcoming these objections and turning greyhound racing into a sport that quieted many of the humanitarian objections was accomplished by a gentleman named Owen Patrick Smith. He is one of the key figures in the history of the sport and was profiled in a long Aug. 27, 1973 Sports Illustrated article by Robert Cantwell. O. P. Smith (1869-1927), as he came to be known, was once hired to organize a coursing meet to promote the city of Hot Springs. He then turned his full attention to the invention of a mechanical lure for greyhound racing and in 1910 was granted a patent for the Inanimate Hare Conveyor. His breakthrough came at Emeryville, CA where a boxing promoter and businessman named George Sawyer built a track in 1919, utilizing the new device. In his Sports Illustrated article Cantwell writes of the 1,600 pounds of machinery to carry a one-pound rabbit which at times jumped the rail. Smith had another problem with the dogmen, Cantwell relates. They were of the belief that their greyhounds would feel deceived once they knew they were not chasing a live rabbit and never run ag

Author : Mark Derr
Publisher : Abrams
Page : 447 pages
File Size : 29,43 MB
Release : 2013-11-26
Category : Pets
ISBN : 1468309102

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“A consummate and loving tribute to canines as well as a comprehensive history, seamlessly blending facts, anecdotes, and ideas.” —Kirkus Reviews In this revelatory book, Mark Derr looks at the ways in which we have used canines—as sled dogs and sheepdogs, hounds and Seeing Eye dogs, guard dogs, show dogs, and bomb-sniffing dogs—as he tracks changes in American culture and society. A Dog’s History of America weaves a remarkable tapestry of heroism, betrayal, tragedy, kindness, abuse, and unique companionship. The result is an enlightening perspective on American history through the eyes of humanity’s best friend. “Includes stories of heroic dogs like Satan, who in WWI dodged bullets to take a message that saved a garrison under fire; the Alaskan sled team whose 1920s ‘serum run’ saved a town from diphtheria; and dogs in the Pacific who detected hidden Japanese snipers in WWII . . . A humbling reminder of the dog’s remarkable spirit and intelligence in the face, even, of human cruelty.” —Kirkus Reviews “A history of the dog in the New World . . . fascinating.” —Booklist “Takes a dog’s-eye view of American history, beginning with speculations on the dog’s first appearance in the Americas tens of thousands of years ago.” —Publishers Weekly “Scrupulously researched, anecdotally rich, historically provocative and wide-ranging . . . Draw[s] on an impressive array of archival sources.” —Bruce Olds, author of Bucking the Tiger

Author : Henry White
Publisher : BoD – Books on Demand
Page : 434 pages
File Size : 40,69 MB
Release : 2024-04-28
Category : Fiction
ISBN : 3368876465

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Reprint of the original, first published in 1845.

Author : Bruce D. Heald PhD
Publisher : Arcadia Publishing
Page : 143 pages
File Size : 16,48 MB
Release : 2011-10-25
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 1614238464

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Sled dogs trot through expanses of sparkling white snow, pulling a musher and energetically surging with the command, "Let's go!" From puppies to seasoned competitors, sled dogs partner with mushers in a passionate pursuit of a great racing tradition. The renowned and formidable Laconia World Championship Sled Dog Derby, the New England Sled Dog Club and famous drivers like Dr. Charles Belford--who came in fifth place at Laconia at the age of seventeen--helped solidify the fame of New England sled dog trails. Historian Bruce D. Heald celebrates the best of the sport in the region, from the feats of legendary Arthur Walden and his famous Chinook dogs to the Siberian huskies' contribution to the World War II effort. Join Heald as he charts the legacy of this remarkable sport.