Price: $43.34
Winner of the North American Society for Sport History Book Award, this book explores the complex relationship between America and greyhound racing, as depicted in the 1970s sitcom The Odd Couple, where Felix and Oscar grapple over a racing greyhound won in a bet. Felix, the animal lover, sees the dog as a pet, while the gambler Oscar sees it as an opportunity to race. This dichotomy mirrors America’s perceptions towards greyhound racing, a theme thoroughly examined in this book.
This engrossing text is the first to delve into the cultural history of greyhound racing in America, charting its rapid rise and subsequent precipitous fall against the backdrop of shifting American culture over the last century. Author Gwyneth Anne Thayer guides us from the sport’s roots in English “coursing” to its postwar zenith, and finally to its current, precarious existence on the brink of extinction.
Thayer vividly illustrates the sport’s explosive growth in the 1920s in cities like Saint Louis, Chicago, and New Orleans, before delving into its unprecedented popularity in Florida. Here, promoters cleverly linked it with an air of high society, creating a celebrity culture around the sport. However, by the turn of the century, accusations of animal cruelty, competition from other forms of gambling like state lotteries and Indian casinos, and even mockery from pop culture icons like Homer Simpson, cast a shadow over greyhound racing.
In her well-rounded exploration of the socioeconomic, political, and ideological factors leading to the sport’s rise and fall, Thayer consults both supporters and critics, offering a balanced view of an ongoing debate. She not only investigates the influence of animal protectionists but also probes into suspected underworld connections, long-standing friction between dogmen and track owners over racing contracts, and the changing dynamic between consumerism and dogs.
Her evocative narrative is brought to life with dozens of photographs, harking back to its coursing origins and showcasing celebrities like