Hog-Dog World Series
November 22, 2017
OK, it may not actually be a “World Series” but it is claimed to be the home of the largest hog-dog trials in the world. Oh yes, a hog-dog trial is the use of dogs in hunting wild hogs. The sport was made famous in Louisiana by Earl Long — the three-time elected, reprobate, governor of Louisiana who loved to hunt wild hogs for food and fun.
Our “high adventure” tour had taken us by accident to the small Louisiana town of Winnfield where we decided to explore the town. We found the Earl Long City park where at statue old Earl stands, then we found the city museum in the restored Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad depot. We were lucky to find it open because it is usually closed for much of the week. Three local volunteer ladies were busy inside preparing for some holiday event and they seemed genuinely happy to have visitors. We were the only visitors so we got their almost undivided attention.
They claimed that their museum is one of a kind — a “Political Museum and Hall of Fame”. The walls were lined with niches with each containing information and various doodads about each politician. They attempt to cover almost all major political figures in Louisiana history. It is a remarkable achievement for such a small-town museum. But, what is even more amazing is that this small town produced there Louisiana governors — Earl Long, Huey Long and Oscar Allen.
The largest displays are those of Earl and Huey Long. Earl with his campaign car and Huey’s office. You can even push a button and hear Earl’s voice as he talks Louisiana politics. Fascinating stuff!
Anyway, our visit triggered my interest in the Longs. All I remembered was that they had some sort of reputation as political rascals. So, now I’m reading “Huey Long’s Louisiana Hayride” by Harnett Kane with a forward by Sam Jones. To say that Kane and Jones are not big fans of Huey Long would be a massive understatement. Under Huey Long, Louisiana “became a dictatorship not only in theory but in fact.” Huey boasted that he bought the Legislature “like a sack of potatoes.”
Amazing the kind of stuff you can find while wandering around the country. Maybe we will even return to Winnfield for the Hog-Dog world series at the fairgrounds in the fourth full weekend of March. Maybe!
http://www.lapoliticalmuseum.com/virtualtour.html
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