Golfingnut

Was born and raised in Gladewater, and have been a Bear fan all my life.

I remember as a small kid, going to a Bear game, when Skipper Butler was QB and Kicker. One game, at the half, my dad took me to get a hot dog. On the way back, Skipper was kicking off, and the ball went through the end zone, and hit me right in the hands. Although I didn't catch the ball, I did hang on to my hot dog! I remember when I first found out I couldn't play football for the Bears. I was devastated! I didn't take the news well, so I did the next best thing, that would get me on the field. I joined the band. I knew that one day, when I got in high school, I would be able to take the field. As a Senior in high school, I almost got to try out for the Bear baseball team. The coach said it was OK, and the players were OK with it, but our Principal became the last word in the matter. That Principal, later became a very good friend, as the next year he took a position with the Waco ISD, and I went to Baylor, so his family kept me feed really well while I was there. I wasn't too upset about the baseball team. I was dating one of the pitchers on the team, and they let me hang out at practice, and I went to all the games. It was fun.

While I was in high school, I had the opportunity to write articles for the local paper, covering the JV Bears. I loved doing all the stat work. 25 years later, after being away from Gladewater, I moved back, and started covering the Bears for the Longview News Journal, then after leaving the Journal, I wrote for the Gladewater Mirror, covering all Bear sports. Several years ago a friend took over the writing for the Mirror, so I just help with the stats.

When I was in high school, Gladewater didn't have anything for girls, sport's wise, except tennis, and I really wasn't a tennis player. One of the Jr High coaches, Oliver Sorrells, and I tried to get a girl's golf team going, but it didn't happen until the year after I graduated. I went to Baylor University, and played for their Fast Pitch Softball team. It was a great experience for me, and I loved being in Waco. I left Baylor after a year and went to TJC where I tried out for the girl's basketball team. Unfortunately, I wasn't good enough, but it gave me the opportunity to meet Coach Floyd Wagstaff. What a great guy he was. I remember going into his office to talk to him about trying out for the team. I was scared to death, and I hadn't played in high school or college, and the Apache girl's team had great players. He was so very kind to me, and gave me my Converse Sneakers, and welcomed me to the team. After I failed to make the team, an official came up to me at a game, and told me that Coach Wagstaff had told him he hoped I made the team. That was such an honor!

Today, I am single, 62 years old, live in Gladewater, and still love my Bears. I love my God, my family, and my friends. God has blessed me with 2 great kids. My son Jason, who is 41,  served in the Army Infantry, and was given a medical release for injuries sustained in Iraq. He is single, played football for Union Grove, and Gladewater, and graduated from North Mesquite High. My daughter Lora is 40 and is married to Dustin Tedder, who has served in the US Coast Guard for the last 16 years, stationed in Seattle, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Port O'Connor, TX., Seattle, Washington, where he was stationed on the USCGC Polar Star, & now back in Texas in Port Arthur. They have two beautiful boys, Cody 14 and Logan 11.

My favorite sports teams are:

Pro:

Dallas Cowboys
Boston Celtics


College:

Baylor Bears
Virginia Cavaliers (Basketball)


Don't really have many favorite sport's personalities now because of Fantasy leagues, so have to root for too many, but my favorites from the past are:

Football-Don Meredith, Roger Staubach, Steve Young, John Elway, & Jim Hart
Baseball-Pete O'Brien, Micky Mantle, Johnny Bench, Johnny Bateman, Lou Gehrig, & Cal Ripken Jr.
Basketball-Dave Cowens, Danny Ainge, Pete Maravich, & Wilt Chamberlain
Golf-Arnold Palmer, The Babe, Patty Shehan & Fuzzy Zoeller
Racing-Mario Andretti