Going to the dogs
Crowds watch the pursuit of an electric hare.
Alex Q. Arbuckle
c. 1940
The modern sport of dog racing emerged from the ancient hunting practice of pursuing game with dogs. In 18th century Britain, this evolved into an organized sport among the nobility called coursing, wherein two hunting dogs raced against each other to catch a hare. In 1876, the London suburb of Hendon hosted the first-ever competition of “coursing by proxy,” where the live game was replaced with an artificial hare on a straight 400-yard rail. The event was poorly received, and greyhound racing in England would not become popular until the 1920s.In 1926, American businessman Charles Munn joined with several English backers to form the Greyhound Racing Association, which quickly popularized the modern form of greyhound racing with an electric hare, oval track and betting.Here, spectators at London-area dog tracks clutch betting stubs, watching with thrills and nerves as the canines make their circuits.
Visit Premier Exhibitions at 417 5th Avenue to see the past become present again at "Retronaut's New York." This pop-up exhibition of extraordinary, digitally restored photographs captures New York City at the turn of the 20th century. It's only open until May 15, so be sure to get down there before it’s gone.