Interview With Bobby & Jeanette Hall

Legendary dogs of the past. Fierce warriors who lived, fought, and left their mark but continue to live on in the memories of thousands. Who hasn’t heard of the iconic “Big Bad Black Bullyson”? A myth, perhaps. But if anyone knows the true story behind Bullyson, it’s Mr. Bobby Hall from Houston, Texas. This is the tale of a man and his dog: Bobby Hall and Bullyson—a duo that made the world tremble.

Arrival in Houston and First Impressions

When the plane landed in Houston, Texas, the sky was already dark, but the humid, warm air still lingered. After a quick drive to the Hilton and some drinks at the hotel bar, I retreated to my room to relax and reflect on the questions I planned to ask Bobby Hall the next day.

I had spent the last few days reading his book “Bullyson and His Sons.” My mind kept wandering to a “bygone era” when dogfighters gathered to determine whose dog was truly the best, proven as a champion under fire.

I was just hours away from meeting Mr. Bobby Hall—one of the greatest dogmen of all time—and with that thought on my mind, I drifted off to sleep.

Meeting Bobby Hall

The next morning was bright, humid, and came far too quickly. During breakfast, I tried to focus on the upcoming meeting with Mr. Hall.

Minutes after I returned to my room, my concentration was interrupted by a phone call. A soft, friendly voice asked if I was ready for my complimentary continental breakfast. A cheerful “How ya doing, boy?” revealed the caller to be Mr. Bobby Hall.

As it turned out, I had landed at the wrong airport in Houston, but Bobby insisted on picking me up at my motel. He arrived within 45 minutes. When I opened the door, I was struck by his wide smile, Texas hat, and piercing eyes that seemed to analyze my every thought. Accompanying him was a pleasant young man named Rudy Flinkevleugel from Holland. Bobby, unable to pronounce his name correctly, amusingly referred to him as “FinkleWinkle.”

A Warm Welcome to His Home

Upon arriving at Bobby’s home, the door was opened by a tall, attractive woman with brown eyes—his wife, Jeanette. The day was filled with conversations about dogs, good food, and a few drinks.

Bobby’s house was surrounded by chained dogs, while inside were numerous trophies, photographs, and memorabilia of past champions and other notable dogs from an era when dogfighting wasn’t considered a felony and was a popular spectator event. The back porch walls were adorned with photographs of famous bulldogs and legendary individuals like Danny Burton and Norman Hooten, among others. That night, stories were exchanged over champagne, showcasing Bobby’s captivating anecdotes. Speaking with him felt like reading his book—engaging, informative, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Insights into Bullyson and Benny Bob's Epic Fight

"Mr. Hall, the Bullyson dog is considered by many to be one of the all-time greats, and you wrote a book titled Bullyson and His Sons. Why didn’t you write about the Bullyson vs. Benny Bob match in your book, since this is the fight that raised a lot of controversy?" I asked.

“Well,” Bobby replied, “at the time I was writing the book, I had to stop somewhere because I spent three years on it and couldn’t cover the whole thing. My new book will be out sometime in 1989, and I’ll take up where I left off. The next book will be Sons of Bullysons. There’s been a lot of controversy on Bullyson; lots of things have been said. Some are true, and others are just hearsay. But the whole truth will be told in my next book—blow by blow. There’ll be a lot of exciting things to talk about. I’ll go into each son of his. Of course, it takes time to research and get all the facts straight, so there can be no question on them. That’s the kind of book I’m trying to do.”

While honest, Bobby’s response still avoided the crux of the matter. Determined to get clarity, I tried a more direct approach.

“According to several people who witnessed the Bullyson vs. Benny Bob fight, Maurice Carver, who handled Bullyson, picked him up at the count of six because he wouldn’t scratch. Also, several years ago, Don Mayfield, along with Bobby Smith, sent articles to various magazines stating that Maurice couldn’t get Bullyson to scratch and even asked Floyd Boudreaux if he could get him to cross the pit—all to no avail. What do you have to say about this?”

Bobby, who was seated to my right, turned his head slightly and replied calmly, “Well, that’s true, but that’s only a way of bowing out. I see it like this: the fight was over; someone had to win, and someone had to lose. What gets me is why dogmen can’t figure it out for themselves. Common sense tells you that if you really looked at it and researched it: Bullyson was a 49lb dog, that’s what I brought him in at before. He was not a 52lb dog. Benny Bob could’ve easily fought at 53 or 54lbs, so even Ray Charles could see the outcome of that. When you have two dogs that are equal, you can’t give away that kind of weight. I would say that Bullyson was a deadgame animal…”

Interrupting Bobby’s analysis, I asked, “Even though he didn’t attempt to scratch?”

“Right,” he confirmed. “He was definitely in shock, no doubt about that. You have no idea what kind of dog Benny Bob was and how he could bite. You would have had to have been there to know what kind of dog they were up against. Saying that his son killed him is a compliment in itself.”

Benny Bob’s Life After the Legendary Fight

“Do you know what happened to Benny Bob after his fight against Bullyson?” I asked.

“Yes, I do,” Bobby responded. “He went back to Willie Brown’s yard. Later, he moved to California and was matched into Ralph Greenwood’s Jimmy Boots. That was the most vicious and best fight I’ve ever seen. Watching it, you knew it couldn’t go on another five minutes. It felt like two grown men with icepicks, and you knew it just couldn’t continue any further. But then five minutes would pass, and you were sure it was impossible to go on another five minutes.”

Bobby continued, “The whole fight was like that… you knew it had to end because no two dogs could take that kind of punishment. I’ve never seen a match like that before. Rick Halliburton and Willie Brown conditioned Benny Bob, while Ralph Greenwood conditioned Jimmy Boots. Both dogs were in excellent shape. After the fight, I’d have bet $100 that it didn’t last longer than 20 minutes—that’s how thrilling it was—but it lasted nearly two hours, with Jimmy Boots emerging as the winner.

Reflections on Bullyson and the Match

When asked whether he had conditioned Bullyson for his bout with Benny Bob, Bobby responded, “No, Maurice Carver conditioned him, but I didn’t feel he was in good shape—not that it really mattered because he couldn’t have beaten him on his best day. You can’t give away that kind of weight with dogs that are so evenly matched. After I sold Bullyson to Red Walling, he left me as the manager of the dog at that weight class. I even challenged his litter brother Eli Jr., but he should’ve never been matched into Benny Bob.”

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