FAMOUS GREYHOUND FANS

Throughout history, some very famous people have been captivated by Greyhounds: Cleopatra, Christopher Columbus, General George Custer, Babe Ruth, Al Capone, Brad Pitt, Betty White, Frank Sinatra, Queen Victoria and King Henry VIII, to name a few.

There have been 4 past U.S. Presidents that have owned a Greyhound (or Italian Greyhound). George Washington, the 1st President of the United States, owned a Greyhound name Cornwallis. He was named after General Cornwallis, one of the top British Generals during the American Revolutionary War.  John Tyler, 10^th US President, had an Italian Greyhound named Le Beau. Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, owned a Greyhound named Grim.  Woodrow Wilson, the 28^th President of the United States, had a Greyhound.

MYTHICAL/ROYALTY

Diana – Roman Goddess – Grey’s name Lelaps

Odysseus – Greek God – Grey’s name Argus

Cleopatra VII

Pharaoh Amenhotep II

Pharaoh Tutankhamen

Queen Hatshepsut

Thutmose III

Alexander the Great– Grey’s name Peritas

Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn– Grey’s name Urian (after her brother)

King Canute– creator of the “Forest Laws”

King Howel of Wales

Elizabeth I

Frederick the Great

James II of England

Louis XV of France

Prince Albert & Queen Victoria –  Grey’s name EOS

Prince Philip, who owned the winner of the 1968 Greyhound Derby

Richard II– Grey’s name Math

William the Conqueror

 

HISTORICAL FIGURES

George Washington, 1st US President

General George Custer – Military – Grey’s names Byron, Blucher, Tuck and many others

General Von Stuben – Colonial Military – Grey’s name Azure/Azor

John Tyler, 10^th US President

Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States

Al Capone - Gangster

Sir Joseph Banks – Explorer

Sir Walter Scott – Author – Greys’ names Percy & Hamlet

Woodrow Wilson, the 28^th President of the United States

 

SPORTS FIGURES

Babe Ruth - Major League Baseball Player

Don Mattingly – NY Yankees

Gale Sayers – Pro Football Player

Gary Dornhoefer – former Philadelphia Flyers – Greys’ names Troon, Pebbles, Miss              Ellie, Medina and Goofy

George Steinbrenner – Owner, New York Yankees

Jack Dempsey – Pro Boxer

Jimmy Cefalo – NFL Miami Dolphins/Sports TV, Radio Commentator/Restauranteur – Grey’s name Max

Lasse Kukkonen – Philadelphia Flyers – Grey’s name Beyond The Sun

LaTroy Hawkins – Pro Baseball Player – Grey’s name Magic

Mari Hulman George – Indianapolis Speedway Owner

Ron Gardenhire – Minnesota Twins Manager

Steve Stone – Pro Baseball Player/TV Commentator – Grey’s name Tex

Tony Stewart -  NASCAR Driver

 

ACTORS/MUSICIANS/ENTERTAINERS

Alfonso Faustino – Actor/Model – Grey’s name Miles

Annette Crosbie – UK Actor

Bart Simpson – Cartoon – Grey’s name Santa’s Little Helper

Betty White – Actor

Billy The Kid – “The Wild West Show”

Bo Derek – Actress

Brad Pitt – Actor

Buffalo Bill (W F Cody) -“The Wild West Show”

Catherine Bell & Adam Beeson –Actors

Cesar Milan – Dog Training Expert

Charlie Watts – Rolling Stones Drummer

Charlotte Cornwell – UK Actor

David Boreanez – Actor – Grey’s name Bertha Blue

Duane Black – Actor – Grey’s name Phillip

Frank Sinatra – Singer/Actor

George Pennachio – Entertainment Reporter – Greys’ names Billy, Viv, Bronco & Desilu

Germain Greer – Author – Grey’s name Magpie

Hamish & Andy – Aussie Comedy Duo – Grey’s name Fred Basset

Jackie Gleason – Actor

Jane Wiedlin – Bassist – Grey’s name Geordie Laforge

Jeanette Walls – Author

Jef Mallett – Creator Comic Strip Frazz – Grey’s name Schuyler

J.K. Rowling – Author – Grey’s name Sapphire

John Barrymore – Actor

Laura Lippman – Author – Grey’s name Dulcie

Leonard Nimoy - Actor

Matt Groening – Creator – The Simpsons

Maxine Feldman – Singer

Roger Caras & Family – Author/Broadcaster – Greys’ names Rowen, Tiger & Jane

Roy Rogers – Singer, Actor

Stan R Young – Country Western Singer

Tea Leoni – Actor

Trent Reznor – Musician

Uri Geller – UK Entertainer – Greys’ names Jon Jon & Barney

Veronica Lake – Actor

 

CUSTER’S LAST STAND

General George Custer sent his pack of 14 greyhounds away with a soldier the night before the Battle of the Little Big Horn, thus saving their lives. For a glimpse of Army camp life with Custer’s hounds, see  https://greytarticles.wordpress.com/historical/custer’s-greyhounds/

 

THE GREYHOUND BUS COMPANY

The Greyhound Bus Company had a real Greyhound as its mascot. In 1957, the Greyhound Corporation decided that they wanted to rebrand their bus company as a high-class transportation option. They chose a three-month-old greyhound puppy to be the new, well-bred face of the company. She was dubbed Lady Greyhound, though her real name was a decidedly less elegant Steverino. As her pedigree dictated, she wore a rhinestone collar and tiara.

She made her first appearance in a commercial that aired on The Steve Allen Show. The same year, the Dog Welfare Guild named her “Queen of National Dog Week” saying she was “the canine most exemplifying dogdom.” The graceful dog even opened a bus terminal in Detroit by eating a ribbon made from dog biscuits.

 

IN THE MOVIES

Greyhounds have appeared in several movies in the past 20 years.  In the 1997 movie, Good Will Hunting, Minnie Driver’s character- Skylar- bet on the winning racing dog at the Wonderland Greyhound Park.  In  Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), Julia Roberts character- Joanne Herring- is the proud owner of Greyhounds. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character, Adam Lerner,  in the 2011 movie, 50/50,  is the proud owner of Skeletor, a retired racing Greyhound. 

 

COLLEGE MASCOTS

Several college and universities in the United States have adopted a Greyhound dog as their mascot.  This includes: 

• Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts
• Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico
• Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland
• Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• University of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Yankton College in Yankton, South Dakota
• 

 

Hope you have enjoyed this list. If you know of any other names we’ve missed, please share in the comments below.