WILLIAM M. FOSTER

PROFILE: William Foster was born in Winnibago August 1, 1879. He was involved in the early history of the greyhound industry. Foster passed away in July of 1935 while greyhound track racing was still in its infancy. William foster was added to the PIONEER section in 1980.

HISTORY: There is not very much known about William Foster’s early history as most of the records were lost or destroyed. There is a souvenir program of the Flandreau Coursing Club in South Dakota that shows he had entered two greyhounds at its Fall Meet in 1900. Foster was active in the coursing of greyhounds more than their track racing. In addition to handling greyhounds foster Served as presiding judge and associate judge at early racetracks such as New Orleans, Capitol City, Springdale Amusement Park and Lawndale Greyhound Park. William Foster also had a reputation as a leading breeder of greyhounds in his day.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: foster served as president of the National Coursing Association in 1923-24 and then vice-president from 1930 to 1933. William Foster had been involved in the greyhound industry in a variety of ways ranging from a breeder, handler, racetrack official and officer of the National Association.