Pitching In for a
better Future
By Tristan Smith
For more than two decades, Alvin native Nolan Ryan ruled the diamond. His legacy should speak for itself by this point in history.
There are so many important dates in Texas history. We have battles (Alamo and San Jacinto), transitions, birthdates, tragedies, assassinations, victories and defeats. Start with March 2, 1836, and the adoption of the Texas Constitution, now known as Texas Independence Day. Or maybe November 22, 1963, and the assassination of President John Kennedy in Dallas.
Nestled in the Heart of Central Texas, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, in the ever-growing city of Waco, stands as the revered home of over 400 sports legends from The Lone Star State. With a dedicated mission to uphold the legacy of its esteemed inductees and the rich history of Texas sports, the Hall
Pecos is a town with roots tracing back to 1873 and it stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of American frontier history. As the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, Chisholm Trail and Goodnight-Loving Trail traversed here, Pecos quickly evolved into an important supply town for the ranches scattered within a 100-mile radius. In the
Ever been to a football game at the Cotton Bowl? How about a NASCAR experience at Texas Motor Speedway? If so, you know just about everything you need to know about Southern Bleacher, located in Graham, the county seat of Young County about 60 miles south of Wichita Falls. Southern Bleacher Company, with roots dating
Conference realignment. It is the periodic buzzword that makes the rounds of college athletics for the past three or more decades as schools and conferences aim to sweeten their television contracts. The history of college athletics runs mostly parallel to the history of college athletic conferences, and with that history comes the stories of conference
Imagine a city where the echoes of the past mingle with the cheers of the present, where you can find both a major cattle-driving route from the 19th century less than a mile from a national championship facility. Welcome to Round Rock, Texas, a city that has woven a rich tapestry of history and sports,
You don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy a visit to the Ben Hogan Museum, located in a historic building in downtown Dublin, Hogan’s childhood home. The museum is included in the Travel Channel’s “10 Bucket List Destinations for Golf Fans,” but even non-golfers will find something of interest and will appreciate learning
Polo has long been known as the sport of kings, but for a few years during the early 1930s in Georgetown and the Texas Hill Country, it became the sport of cowboys. Polo was introduced to the United States around 1876 and soon afterward Texas became known for its tough, agile cowponies that were ideal
August 31, 1954 – 115 excited, young men showed up to pre-season football training camp for Texas A&M. Instead of finding the usual well-groomed football field with green grass and painted lines, what they found had them questioning if they were in the right place. Their practice field was a dry patch of cracked ground
Fans love to debate who’s the best among competitors in various sports. Among female stars, an incredibly gifted athlete from Southeast Texas – Mildred Ella Didrickson Zaharias – inevitably earns recognition by many sports enthusiasts as the greatest of all time. The story of this super-competitive, multi-sport dynamo, who sadly lost her race with cancer
Football in Texas. It’s like Whataburger, Buc-ee’s, and the Alamo...it is a Texas institution. High school football transcends; it draws communities together and paves the way for a player’s next step. The National Football League is filled with players from the Lone Star State. The stadiums they play in have storied histories as well. A
The Texas Forts Trail Region – a 29-county area in Central West Texas – is home to a variety of historic sites, museums and attractions and offers visitors unique local flavors, shopping opportunities and outdoor adventures. The “trail” is a 650-mile driving loop through the region. The Forts Trail Region was the pilot organization In
Win or lose, the football team always had a late dinner after an away game. When the team traveled out of town, they did not have time or want to eat before the game so the coaches would arrange for dinner at a local steakhouse after the game. Growing up as the daughter of a
Throughout the frontier It brought great acclaim to the owner. News of it appeared in practically all Texas newspapers and spread throughout the national press. Exhibited at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago and at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, it captured the imagination of millions. Teddy Roosevelt offered to purchase it for $5,000.
Lubbock, Texas proudly claims, Charles Hardin Holley (born September 7, 1936), or Buddy Holly, as the community’s favorite son. The young man grew up in a fine musical family, became famous, and then tragically died at the age of 22 in a plane crash during a winter snowstorm in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 3,
Cathy Allen understands the nostalgia that so many customers experience when they visit Owl Drug in Coleman, whether it’s to get a prescription filled, buy something in the gift shop, or enjoy a coffee, smoothie, breakfast or lunch in the soda fountain & grill. She and her two brothers helped out with the family-owned business
Every state celebrates a milestone…sesquicentennial of statehood, or bicentennial of the country, but Texas has something that no other state in the Union truly has – its very own Independence Day, separate from that of 1776. Texas Independence Day is the celebration of the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836.
Coach Ron Mayberry epitomized all things good in a Texas coach who never had a losing season. He coached at over 30 schools. His coaching path included little schools such as Wellman-Union (K-12 enrollment 117) to stints at junior college perennial powers such as Odessa College, Midland College, and South Plains College. Always in demand
Auto racing legend A.J. Foyt was dubbed "Super Tex" early in his outstanding career with good reason. Born and raised in Houston, he is fiercely proud of his Texan heritage. Fueled by ambition and determination, he carved out a remarkable life that was filled with adventure…and a few mishaps along the way. He has been
If you only saw the Fannin County Courthouse in Bonham five years ago and then saw it again now, you’d swear it was not the same building. After a four-year restoration that cost $27.8 million, it is utterly transformed. The beautiful French Second Empire-style courthouse with elaborate stonework and soaring clock tower is back after
Many are familiar with the Texas Historical Commission and the great work they have done to promote and preserve the history of Texas. Many are probably not as familiar with the Texas Historical Foundation, what they do, and how they were once connected with the Commission. In 1953, the Texas Legislature established the Texas State
Texas is definitely a sports state. While we have many professional sports teams, championship college and university teams, and thousands upon thousands of K-12 and community athletes, and gridiron football has historically been the sport most closely associated with Texas, the official state sport is rodeo! The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is charged
