Hall of Fame

Born in the Bronx, New York in 1912, Jim Dunnigan was the son of New York State Senator John J. Dunnigan, who authored the 1939 landmark legislation that allowed pari-mutuel wagering in the Empire State. Jim Dunnigan made his mark as a racetrack executive. In 1942 he helped found Buffalo Raceway in Hamburg, New York, and served as its president for a quarter century. He later was instrumental in re-establishing harness racing in California, first at Los Alamitos and later at Golden Bear Raceway. At various times during his long association with the sport, he served as a director of the USTA, Harness Tracks of America and the Harness Racing Institute. In 1974 he was inducted into the Living Hall of Fame. Jim Dunnigan died in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1983.

Published in the Harness Racing Museum's 1994 book, The Immortals