Western Mass. fans regret passing of nearby greyhound race track (original) (raw)

Edwin "Soupy" Tulik of Ludlow went to Hinsdale, N.H., Greyhound Park so often, he swears that his car knew the way.

"Just point it in that direction and I'd be there," he said. "An hour and 15 minutes from my house. And I even learned how to coast, to save on gas."

Tulik, an 81-year-old retiree who served in World War II, began going to Hinsdale Raceway when it first opened in 1958 as a track for standardbred horse racing - trotters and pacers, with sulky drivers instead of jockeys.

"Hardly a week would go by that I wouldn't be there at least once," he said.

Now, a half-century later, trips to Hinsdale are over for Tulik and thousands like him. As of Dec. 15, the track ceased operations and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

With Massachusetts voting to ban dog racing, there eventually will be no track readily accessible to people from Western Massachusetts.

New Hampshire does have remaining greyhound parks, in Belmont and Seabrook.

"Unfortunately, our operating results have, for some time, reflected what's happening in the economy and the gaming business nationally," said Hinsdale's president and CEO, Joseph E. Sullivan of Brattleboro, Vt., in an interview with the Manchester, N.H., Union-Leader.

"The Sullivans always were very nice to customers at the track," Tulik said. "You could park anywhere, sit anywhere. The closing is a sad moment for a lot of people. ... Hinsdale was a good part of my life."

In addition to having on-site racing, Hinsdale offered Off-Track Betting.

Hinsdale's bankruptcy filing lists "hundreds of bettors" as creditors, according to the site thoroughbredtimes.com

At the end, Hinsdale had 19 full-time and 30 part-time employees.

The track, which featured horses at its outset. added dog racing in 1973. In 1985, the horse racing operation was closed. Dog racing continued, with the track taking a new name, Hinsdale Greyhound Park.

For Tulik and thousands like him, Hinsdale meant a fun place to be in all kinds of weather. "And don't forget, it was such a scenic ride, just beautiful, up the back way from South Hadley or Amherst," he said.

Hinsdale's closing likely will mean more business for Bradley Teletheater of Windsor Locks., Conn. It offers Off-Track Betting on horse racing and jai alai, and has been advertising to attract Hindsale fans.

"That's where I go now - 25 minutes from home," Tulik said.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.