vintage grippers

America's Lil Gripper

a roll of the dice

"These dogs were bred to fight to death, bite harder, get stronger and be tougher. This breed is what is known as pit bulls. They get the name from the dogs being placed in pits to fight each other. These dogs weren't bred for intelligence, to be docile or make good pets. They were made to kill another man's dog. I have seen some pits that are really nice dogs. I have a friend who has one that will lick you to death. But you never know when a pit will go back to what it is bred to do. Some never do go back and continue to be good pets. However, it's a roll of the dice and you never know how they will fall. Statistics shows, that most will turn on their owners and usually a child of the owner. Some of them turn on who ever is handy when they decide to snap. Some say all dogs will bite and that is true, but pits are more likely to mall and finish the job if they can, and other breeds bite and run or back off. Pits can't be blamed, it was what they were made to do."

Cave City, Arkansas Police Chief Nate Stephens


Woman killed by family pit bull prompts Cave City dog ordinance

Dog fighting officiando on the gentle nature of pit dogs

From Richard Stratton's book The World of the American Pit Bull Terrier, 1983.

Apparently Stratton is not familiar with the sad story of John P Colby's nephew, Bert Colby Leadbetter.  OR, Stratton is familiar and he doesn't care.

But, but but... Petey was a pit bull!

"Our Gang" Movie Dog, Killed in Norco

Dead from the bullets of an unknown assassin in Norco is Pete, one of the most famous dogs in the world. Owned by J. M. Robertson of 550 Fourth Street, Norco, Pete is known to everyone as the white bulldog with the black eye in the Hal Roach "Our Gang" comedies.

Mrs. Robertson said that Pete had never been a vicious dog and that their little boy, Montie, 5, had learned to walk by hanging on to "Pete". The pet was "just like a member of the family" and the Robertsons feel keenly over his having been killed.

Pete's buckshot riddled body was found a few feet from the Robertson home, a trail of blood behind him indicating that he was trying to return home. Apparently he had been fired on at close range.

The dog was given to Mrs. Robertson's father, E. R. Lloyd, 550 East Fourth Street, by Hal Roach studios where Lloyd worked 14 years. He gave the dog to his daughter's family because the children liked him so well.

Corona Daily Independent April 8, 1946

Imagine that. A well trained pit bulldog, passed from one owner to another, described as a valued family member, complete with heart warming tales of how wonderful he was with kids AND one of the owners makes a point to say that he has never been vicious (the lady doth protest too much!), is found dead of lead poisoning. The body was found off of its property and heading for home with a trail of blood (leading to dead sheep?).

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

america's dog

kicks ass on any continent in any language.

vintage bad rap