Major Willie Ray was only 44 inches tall and worked for the Sells Brothers Circus. He adn his 37 inch wife, Jenny, performed as The World's Smallest Couple.
 
After leaving the circus, Ray opened a general store which sold, amongst other things, Buster Brown shoes. He was able to convince Buster Brown's executives that he would make a great model for the child used in their advertising. his bulldog became Tige, the dog that lived in the shoe with Buster Brown.