I'm mentioned as 'The Great and Mighty Fish' in this article

[AlwaysWrite]

Live greyhound racing comes to an end today (May 4) at Sarasota Kennel Club after 75 years, and I'm mentioned in an article in today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune as "being known to all as the Great and Mighty Fish."

For nearly two decades, I made selections in the track's racing program, and for a time, I also published a popular "tip sheet" at the track. And for three years, in the mid 1970s, I was SKC publicity and advertising director, during which time the track nearly doubled its attendance and pari-mutuel handle (amount bet at the windows).

A link to the story …

https://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20190503/ups-and-mostly-downs-at-sarasota-kennel-club

 

[AlwaysWrite]

… and if you don't care to read (or look through) the entire article, here's the paragraph that mentions me:

What gave the track even more character were the nicknames bestowed on the regular bettors and workers. Longtime patrons still talk with reverence about former employee Bill “Smoothy” Folchetti, who passed away in 2011. “Boomer” — the late Phil Denis — was the announcer who came up with the calls “Swifty’s on a Roll” and “Tight, Tight, Tight” after photo finishes. Bill Herald, the self-proclaimed best handicapper in the history of the SKC, was known to all as the “Great and Mighty Fish.”

 

[WAMO]

IN THE BETTING WORLD, ISNT THE TERM "FISH" GIVEN TO THE EASIEST OF "MARKS"?

 

[AlwaysWrite]

IN THE BETTING WORLD, ISNT THE TERM "FISH" GIVEN TO THE EASIEST OF "MARKS"?

Dear WAMO:

In my case, quite the opposite. I got my "Fish" or "Mighty Fish" nickname because of my pot-game prowess in bowling.

I was extremely tough to beat in bowling money matches, and at one point, people started saying stuff such as, "When Bill Herald bowls someone for cash, it's like he's reeling money right out of their wallets."

It wasn't long afterward that some started calling me "Fisher" and my losing opponents "Fishees" … and it was eventually shortened to "Fish" (with some adding the terms "great" and/or "mighty."

 

[AlwaysWrite]

[Following up on my previous response to WAMO, the following is a true story.]

Some of you have undoubtedly heard of professional golfer Paul Azinger, who also hails from Sarasota, and at one point, one of the kennel owners at Sarasota Kennel Club named one of his racing greyhounds "Azinger" and Paul was invited to the track as a guest to witness the dog's first race at SKC.

Of course, I had heard of Paul Azinger and knew a lot about his pro golf career, but I had never met him in person -- and in fact, I'd never had any personal contact of any kind with him.

At any rate, on the night of dog Azinger's first race, I was in the clubhouse, and Phil Denis (then track publicity director) approached me and asked if I'd like to meet Paul Azinger down in the paddock area, and I appreciated the opportunity and went downstairs to meet the golfing great.

I kid you not. When Phil introduced me to Paul and said, "I'd like you to meet Bill Herald," Azinger replied, "Oh, you're The Mighty Fish. I've heard a lot of good things about you."

 

[AlwaysWrite]

I've also had six racing greyhounds named after me. Their names were Wycliff Herald, Wilcliffe Herald, Mineola Herald, Gallant Herald, Mighty Fish and Simplee Mighty. [Wycliff Herald and Gallant Herald were flops on the track, but Wilcliffe Herald won some races, Mineola Herald came close to setting the track record over the 3/8-mile course in Tampa, and both Mighty Fish and Simplee Mighty raced in Grade A at several tracks in Florida.]

 

[REVerse °]

Good reading, Bill.