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Acknowledgments

Like most large-scale research projects, this book could not have been realized without the continued support of many friends and backers. Janice Mosher, an adoption volunteer with Greyhound Pets, Incorporated, and a close personal friend, helped in countless ways throughout the entire effort. Gary Guccione, executive director for the National Greyhound Association, made arrangements for me to visit breeding farms near Abilene, Kansas; explained the history of the sport; and assisted in a great many other ways, too numerous to list here. At the Greyhound Hall of Fame, Ed Scheele and Kathy Lounsbury helped supply historical information.

The lion’s share of statistical background information for individual Greyhounds was provided by Greyhound-Data.com, a free Web site with information—including race history—compiled by teams of aficionados from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the United States. Without the Greyhound-Data Web site and the hard work put into its database by tireless volunteers, it would not have been possible to provide such detailed information about the racing and retired Greyhounds portrayed in this book.

In August 2002, I had the great fortune to be befriended by Vera Filipelli, the director of media relations at Derby Lane racetrack in St. Petersburg, Florida. She and her husband, John, made a trip to Derby Lane feasible for me by insisting that I stay at their home for a week to offset some of the costs. Afterward, Vera continued to help in more ways than I can enumerate here. Simply put, without Vera’s unwavering support and friendship, this book would have been much smaller in scope and size; in fact, it might not have been completed at all.

With Vera’s help, I got in touch with the Rhode Island Greyhound Owners Association (RIGOA), which generously awarded me a grant that allowed for a trip to Lincoln Park. While I was photographing matinee races at the racetrack, my camera body suffered a catastrophic failure, putting a halt to any further photography. In a near panic, I called RIGOA president Richard Brindle and vice president Dan Ryan, who immediately offered to pay for a new camera body. They are two of the most benevolent men I have ever met.

Later, in December 2005, I received yet another generous grant for my work, this one from the Texas Greyhound Association (TGA). While in the famed Lone Star State, I had the opportunity to document the TGA-owned schooling racetrack in Bruceville; a Greyhound breeding farm; and the Gulf, Corpus Christi, and Valley Greyhound Parks. The kindness and professionalism of TGA executive director Diane Whiteley and TGA executive assistant Lois Mowery exceeded my wildest expectations. Without the RIGOA and TGA grants, the Rhode Island and Texas chapters in this book would not exist.

Other types of valuable assistance were provided by Don Conatser, Judy Enyard, Maurice Flynn Jr., Jim Gartland, Cheryl Gilson, Rory Gorée, Herb “Dutch” Koerner, Patti Lehnert, Connie Loubsack, John Manning, Charles Marriott, Craig Randle, Steve Rose, Ann Waitley, and Carl Wilson. Countless others contributed in valuable ways to this book project. Without their collective support, Born to Run would never have become a reality.

Finally, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my parents, John and Rosemary Zimmerman, who never lost faith in my ability to complete this project.