PROFILE: William “Pop” Black was born February 8, 1893 in Scotland. He and his wife, Helen Ann Currie Black, emigrated and started a small dairy operation. When Taunton dog Track first opened in the mid-1930’s Pop rented kennels to the greyhound owners Otto and Joe Maminio, Merrill Blair and Fred Whitehead. He and Helen also ran a boarding house for the greyhound owners in their home, in addition to raising their family of nine children.
HISTORY: Pop’s first job was for Kenny Hutchins, and then he went to work for Fred Whitehead. It was at this time that he moved to Chanute, Kansas and built an 80 acre greyhound farm for Whitehead. Upon completion of the farm, Pop took a job with Happy Stutz, but within a few years formed a partnership with his son Robert “Bob” Black and bought the Kansas farm from Whitehead. The farm operated for years under the name of B&B Kennels.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: To name a few of the outstanding greyhounds B&B Kennels owned we would start with the notable brood bitch DOLL DANCE, her pup COLOR SMART, who won the first Wonderland Derby, and COST BUSTER, who won the first St. Petersburg Countdown. A major accomplishment in his later years was the purchase of TELL YOU WHY from Harold Sugart. B&B Kennels also imported the GRAND FRIDAY.