PROFILE: Lester Cole has been involved in the greyhound industry since the early 30’s. Cracker Cole received his nickname because he was both a native Floridian and a crackerjack baseball player in his younger days. Cole retired from the racing circuit in 1976 and moved to Lake City, FL, where he continued in the industry as a breeder. In 1982 Cole was added to the PIONEER section of the Hall of Fame.
HISTORY: In 1931 Cracker Cole got his start as a kennel helper for $10 a week, plus room and board, with his brother-in-law, Eddie Welch at Biscayne. In 1933, Cole bought his first greyhound, DOC COLE, for $125 and raced him over the flats and hurdles at Palm Beach. In 1936 Cole received a booking at Flagler, followed by a booking at Biscayne. Cole was known to have raced a kennel at Orlando and Wonderland in the late ‘30’s and early ‘40’s. Cracker Cole sold his five acre Hialeah farm and his racing kennel to John Fitz in 1976. Cole gave up his track life for semi-retirement on a breeding farm in Lake City.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Cracker Cole won the 1939 Orlando Kennel Title and had four of the top five finishers in the Derby, including the winner, LUCKY DOT. Among Coles better known greyhounds were; PERFECT TIP, IN MEMORY, NIGHT GLOW, MINE AND YOURS, TERRY STROEMER, KEEP TALKING, DYNAMO COLE and TOOTS COLE.