Howard Beissinger Named Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame Honoree For 2004 By Jay Wolf 5/25/04 Howard Beissinger, a native Ohioan and one of the top trainers of trotters, has been selected as the 20th Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame inductee. Beissinger was chosen by a 23-member panel of national and international harness racing enthusiasts.

The Hamilton, Ohio native is a 1974 member of the Harness Racing’s Hall of Fame in Goshen, NY and became a member of the Ohio Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1977. From the mid 1960’s to the early 1980’s, Beissinger was a
driving/training force during the Grand Circuit stop at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. During a twenty year period, he recorded eleven stakes victories, including a pair of Old Oaken Buckets (3 year-old colt trot), Walnut Hall Trots (2 year-old filly trot) and Ohio Standardbreds (2 year-old colt trot).

Beissinger’s list of charges is a “who’s who” of the trotting sport. He guided the 1969 Triple Crown winner, Lindy’s Pride; the 1971 Hambletonian winner Speedy Crown; 1978 Hambo winner Speedy Somolli; and Defiant One, winner of the 1987 Breeders Crown.

Beissinger’s training talents were not just limited to the trotters, he conditioned four Little Brown Jug starters, including Temujin, a World Record holder and elimination winner in 1982.

Beissinger will be officially inducted and presented a commemorative gold ring at the Little Brown Jug Mayor’s Breakfast at Ohio Wesleyan University on September 22, the morning before the 59th Little Brown Jug at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

Tickets to the Mayor’s Breakfast are available for $25 each by phoning (800) 335-3247 or by writing The Mayor’s Breakfast, P.O. Box 1278, Delaware, Ohio 43015.

Past Wall of Fame Honorees -
Henry “Hank” Thomson (1985); William R. Haughton (1986); Delvin G. Miller (1987); John F. Simpson, Sr. (1988); Stanley F. Dancer (1989); John G. Hayes (1990); Stanley F. Bergstein (1991); Gene Riegle (1992); Gov. James A. Rhodes (1993); Corwin M. Nixon (1994); W. D. “Tom” Thomson (1995); John D. Campbell (1996); Charles E. Bowen (1997); George Segal (1998); H. Charles Armstrong (1999); Roger E. Huston (2000); Michel Lachance (2001); Thomas Walsh, Jr. (2002) & William A. O’Donnell (2003)