E.J.
Alderson
Ed J. Alderson, the son of Greyhound
pioneer P.C. (Perry) Alderson, has spent his life in the racing
industry. He began working in his father's kennel in 1939, shortly
after the kennel's Bad Sally had won the 1937 Derby Lane Inaugural
and the St. Petersburg Derby in 1937 and in 1938. Ed took sole
control of the kennel in 1963 and it remains one of the most successful
in the industry.
The E.J. Alderson Kennel has captured four Derby Lane Sprint Classics,
four Distance Classics and had six members of various All-America
Teams. In late 1999, the kennel ranked 14th on the list of all-century
racing kennels by The Greyhound Review magazine.
One of his champion Greyhounds was Xandra, an All-American who
captured the sport's richest take event of the time, the Phoenix
Futurity. Next came a litter by Cactus Lonesome-Anjanetta that
included Great Escape, Opera Deb and Fast Company.
Fallon won the 1984 Derby Lane Distance Classic and Greyhound
Race of Champions and was a recipient of the all-America honors
and the Flashy Sir Award. In 1997, K's Gatsby won the Derby Lane
Sprint Classic, while K's Viking took the Derby Lane Distance
Classic.
In 1986, Night Gent captured Derby Lane Sprint Classic and was
named to the All-America team. In 1988, Uncle Albert became the
only Greyhound to win both the Distance and Sprint Classics at
Derby Lane, earning him All-America honors. A year later brother
Killer Diller captured the Sprint Classic. In 1990, Calico Salad
finished second in the Derby Lane Distance Classic and fifth in
the Greyhound Race of Champions, enroute to 50 career wins.
In 1992, Alderson managed a rare feat by having Oxford Shoes and
Wiretex both named to the All-America team of eight outstanding
Greyhounds. Oxford Shoes won the Derby Lane Distance Classic,
the Tampa Juvenile and the Tampa Speed Classic, finished second
in the Tampa Derby and the 1991 Greyhound Race of Champions and
third in the 1992 Greyhound Race of Champions. He career record
was 76-30-22-12 in 155 starts against stakes-caliber competition.
Wiretex had a great year in 1992, highlighted by his win in the
1992 Sunshine State Classic in Jacksonville.
Alderson, known as a goodwill ambassador for the Greyhound industry,
served as the first president of the Greyhound Hall of Fame board
of trustees and is the only person to serve continuously since
it was established.
He served as a member of the National Greyhound Association board
of directors for 15 years, chairing several committees. He also
continues to be active in the Florida Greyhound Association.
E.J. and his wife, Eleanor, were married in 1951 and are the parents
of two daughters, Ann and Jan. When E.J. retired a few years ago,
Jan took over the kennel.