Dave Cowens + Harness Racing

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I am looking for a little information I have seen it written that Dave Cowens was involved in Harness Racing as an owner and was wondering if any of our  posters had any knowledge of what horses he may have owned He laso supposedly was employed by Bay State Raceway (Foxboro Raceway) for a brief time While we are at it any other Boston sports notables (Red Sox, Patriots, and of course Celtics) that any of you guys are aware of that wereéare involved in Harness Racing Any info would be greatly appreciated no detail too big or small TIA

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Hard to believe that there is not one person in beantown is a fan of the celtics walso frequented the track

[Redz]

maybe the crossover fans just aren't the blogging type

Google Cowens Harness Racing

SI article from 1977

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1091980/index.htm

During the second week in December, Pres Hobson, general manager of the New England Harness Raceway in Foxboro, Mass., arranged through one of Dave's friends to discuss with Cowens the possibility of Cowens taking a job at the track. Hobson had known for some time of Cowens' interest in harness racing, that Cowens had owned a trotter and that he had been thinking of investing in a breeding farm. The track (then known as Baystate Raceway) had been purchased the previous week—50% by a partnership of Edward J. Keelan and Dr. Thomas Carney, who own dog tracks in New England and Florida, and 50% by a group headed by Eddie Andelman, a real-estate developer known in Boston for his weekly radio talk show, SPORTS HUDDLE. A few months earlier Keelan, and Carney had also bought Midwest Raceway in Henderson, Ky., about 30 miles from Cowens' home. The two tracks run meets in alternate three-month periods, and Hobson is also general manager at Midwest.

Hobson insisted that Cowens' natural connections to the two tracks—via the Celtics and his Kentucky home—were merely happy accidents. "I wanted a nice young person with unquestioned integrity and an interest in the business to take some of the load off me," he said. "I told him this was absolutely not a stunt for publicity, that he would have to work hard and learn to do all the things I do." Hobson offered Cowens the position of assistant general manager at both tracks, at a salary of $12,500 at each. "What we would pay anyone who was just learning the job," he said.

[Worst To First]

maybe the crossover fans just aren't the blogging type

Google Cowens Harness Racing

SI article from 1977

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1091980/index.htm

During the second week in December, Pres Hobson, general manager of the New England Harness Raceway in Foxboro, Mass., arranged through one of Dave's friends to discuss with Cowens the possibility of Cowens taking a job at the track. Hobson had known for some time of Cowens' interest in harness racing, that Cowens had owned a trotter and that he had been thinking of investing in a breeding farm. The track (then known as Baystate Raceway) had been purchased the previous week—50% by a partnership of Edward J. Keelan and Dr. Thomas Carney, who own dog tracks in New England and Florida, and 50% by a group headed by Eddie Andelman, a real-estate developer known in Boston for his weekly radio talk show, SPORTS HUDDLE. A few months earlier Keelan, and Carney had also bought Midwest Raceway in Henderson, Ky., about 30 miles from Cowens' home. The two tracks run meets in alternate three-month periods, and Hobson is also general manager at Midwest.

Hobson insisted that Cowens' natural connections to the two tracks—via the Celtics and his Kentucky home—were merely happy accidents. "I wanted a nice young person with unquestioned integrity and an interest in the business to take some of the load off me," he said. "I told him this was absolutely not a stunt for publicity, that he would have to work hard and learn to do all the things I do." Hobson offered Cowens the position of assistant general manager at both tracks, at a salary of $12,500 at each. "What we would pay anyone who was just learning the job," he said.

Thanks for that I had already gone that route was hoping that somebody might have some specific insight or recollections

[tenn_smoothie]

if dave cowens had taken mr. hobson up on his offer, he would have done all the little grunt jobs that would have been required of him to learn the business - and he wouldn't have complained a bit.

can you imagine even one of these current nba prima donnas doing anything like that these days ??  no way.

one of the many reasons i always loved cowens and bird.