Born in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, he was very successful in the oil business but his real passion was cars, so in 1908, when the chance arose to open the Pope-Hartford dealership in Terre Haute, Indiana, he went for it. His business interests permitted him to indulge in racing and in 1910 he entered a Pope-Hartford in a series of races at Indianapolis, despite the fact that he had had his left leg amputated above the knee in a traffic accident a few years earlier. Through the next few years, with his car the 'Grey Fox', he finished 3rd in the 200-mile Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race, drove in the 1911 Indianapolis 500 Mile race, finishing 6th and dove in the 1912 Indianapolis 500 Mile race and the 1913 Indianapolis 500 Mile race. After his racing days, he bought a 640 acre farm near Oaklandon Indiana where he had 400 head of Hereford cattle as well as a several horses for harness racing. He bred pacing horses, raced in two wheel carriage competitions, became the first vice president of the Indiana Trotting and Pacing Horse Association and is acclaimed for starting pacing events in the USA. The Fox Stake, held each year at the Indiana State Fair, is named in his honor. He died in Oaklandon, Indiana, at age 53 after he failed to recover from a road accident.
Born in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, he was very successful in the oil business but his real passion was cars, so in 1908, when the chance arose to open the Pope-Hartford dealership in Terre Haute, Indiana, he went for it. His business interests permitted him to indulge in racing and in 1910 he entered a Pope-Hartford in a series of races at Indianapolis, despite the fact that he had had his left leg amputated above the knee in a traffic accident a few years earlier. Through the next few years, with his car the 'Grey Fox', he finished 3rd in the 200-mile Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race, drove in the 1911 Indianapolis 500 Mile race, finishing 6th and dove in the 1912 Indianapolis 500 Mile race and the 1913 Indianapolis 500 Mile race. After his racing days, he bought a 640 acre farm near Oaklandon Indiana where he had 400 head of Hereford cattle as well as a several horses for harness racing. He bred pacing horses, raced in two wheel carriage competitions, became the first vice president of the Indiana Trotting and Pacing Horse Association and is acclaimed for starting pacing events in the USA. The Fox Stake, held each year at the Indiana State Fair, is named in his honor. He died in Oaklandon, Indiana, at age 53 after he failed to recover from a road accident.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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