PROFILE: “Bill” L’Italien was a ‘star’ on the University of Miami football team in the early 1930’s. L’Italien has filled practically every position possible at a race track. In 1981 when Bill was added to the PIONEER section he was still active as a track official.

HISTORY: Bill L’Italien broke into the ‘Sport of Queens’ as a lead out boy at the Miami Beach Kennel Club. At the time Bill was playing football during the 1932 season. In 1935 Bill went to Taunton where he worked as a scales clerk and then back to Florida as a paddock judge at Jacksonville. From 1936-42 L’Italien worked in various jobs at tracks in Florida and Massachusetts. Bill was involved in the race tracks at New Kensington, PA, Canfield and Steubenville, OH and Jefferson, IN. L’Italien served in the Armed Forces from 1942-1945 and in 1946 returned to the tracks in MA and Tampa. In 1950 L’Italien was promoted to judge at both West Palm Beach Kennel Club and Taunton. In 1981 Bill L’Italien was director of racing at Lincoln in RI and Taunton in MA.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Bill L’Italien’s one of the most familiar figures in the greyhound industry of his time. L’Italien has been well respected as an honest and authoritative official in the sport for many years.