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AKC’s Lifetime Achievement
Awards are wonderful but where are names like Henry
Stoecker, Roy Ayers, Peggy Adamson, Denis Grivas, Herman Cox,
Muriel Freeman, Herman Fellton, Joe Faigel, Tom Gately...? The
list of names unknown to most people in the sport today is
depressingly long. The tributes markedly absent.
Judging Legends
was a good start but then it was neglected because there was so
much news... So I'm asking you, young and old members of the
fancy, to help right what to me is a really big "wrong" in our
sport. For most, showing dogs is a transient pastime but then
that also means there are new people coming in every day and
they are thirsty for knowledge and history. Didn't you glean
valuable insight from stories about legends in our sport?
Didn't they fill your novice head with tradition and solidness
about what we do? If you are reading this, it means someone
offered you hand up the ladder. It means those iconic old
stories influenced you.
So now it’s
payback time. Time to lay your brick in the foundation of the
sport. Send us your personal recollection of someone who is, or
should become a Legend in our sport. Perhaps that person is
you. Don’t be bashful. Send your bio, including your best
memories of good times in the ring, of those of who mentored
you, whatever is most important to you. Rather be
interviewed? We can do that too.
You’re not ready
to be a Legend just yet? Annie Clark probably thought the same
thing at one time. Okay, tell us about someone else. An
isolated incident that involves someone you looked up to. It
may have been an epiphany caused by something they said or did.
A collection of such remembrances by different people can become
a tribute in itself, shaping the substance of that person,
whether or not they are still with us.
I deeply regret
that we never found the time for the trip to W. VA to do that
interview with Lina Basquette. The tribute to her was
too little, too late. When I think of the wasted
opportunities, the things I learned and treasured from others in
the sport, I think mostly that I’ve failed to say Thank You.
And to help pass on that knowledge.
We can't build a
glass and concrete memorial but with your help, our staff can
immortalize the legends and in so doing, pay tribute to our
sport.
Not everyone can
visit the National Thoroughbred, Baseball, Football, Rock and
Roll, or Motorsports Hall Of Fame. Everyone can visit the
Dogsport Hall Of Fame. With your help, we can build it.
Have a better name for the memorial? What would you call it?
We need your suggestions.
We need your
recollections or personal biographies. We’re at the ground
floor folks. The foundation has been poured. The masons are
standing by to raise the walls built with your fondest
memories. Savor them and then send them directly to
Editor@TheDogPress.com. We'll do the rest.
Copy the URL at top or bottom of page and drop it into an email to your
friends, get them involved. Think about interviewing someone
you think should be immortalized. We’ll help you do that too.
http://www.thedogpress.com/HOF/0909-Intro.asp |
