PROFILE: Mr. Barber was a native Oklahoman and an acclaimed rodeo man prior to his involvement in the greyhound industry. He passed away September 20, 1974 at the age of 72. Barber was added to the PIONEER section in 1979.

HISTORY: Barber began raising greyhounds in 1922 at the age of 19. In 1924 he went to the race track for the first time. He remained active in the racing industry for 43 years when in 1967 he retired to a breeding farm in Lee, Florida. “We raced at Hialeah,” he said, “and in the spring of 1925 they (track officials) sent a bunch of us to St. Petersburg. I was at the very first St. Petersburg meet. I raced there for 12 years.” Mr. Barber saw most of the great greyhound’s race during his career and claimed that RACING RAMP was the greatest of them all.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: “The biggest thrill I ever got out of racing,” Barber once said, “was when this 20-month old pup of mine named MIDNIGHT JOE beat RACING RAMP in a match race. But RACING RAMP won it and MIDNIGHT JOE ran second.”