A Celebration of Bill Bonham's Life- Bill is second from the left in 1951 team tennis photo.

Athlete, Lawyer, and Builder of Institutions.

1951 tennis Bill Harris (inset) , Allison, Bill Bonham, Chas Blundworth, Dick Smith, Bernard Gerhardt, Jim Saunders, Penick, Manager Julian Oates

Known to the rest of the world simply as "Bill," William Donald Bonham passed peacefully in his sleep on January 3, 2026, with his head resting on a Longhorn pillowcase, surrounded by the love of family and friends.

His gift for tennis emerged at the University of Texas, where he was affectionately nicknamed "Bird Legs Bonham." After an early baseball injury during his freshman year, he earned a place on the Texas tennis team and loved the University so much that he enrolled in law school to use up his remaining years of tennis eligibility. A three-year letterman at Texas, Bill was undefeated in singles and doubles in Southwest Conference competitions. He was an active member of Delta Tau Delta, the Silver Spurs, and the Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity, and he was honored as Outstanding Intramural Athlete of the Year in both 1953 and 1954 while in law school.

https://texaslsn.org/bill-bonham-has-passed-away/

Magazine Covers And Memories

By Larry Carlson for Texas Legacy Support Network

photo below is the Professor

This is an edited version of Larry’s grand tribute to Dave Campbell’s “Texas Football” magazine. Professor Carlson's tale whisks us back to the days when young boys starting in the ’60s were as wide-eyed as they were grass-stained, eagerly awaiting the next glorious issue of Dave Campbell’s magazine. Larry says, from innocent childhood to grown-up gridiron obsession, there was always that jittery anticipation for the next football fix. Larry brilliantly captures how, in Texas, football isn’t just a sport—it was practically a state holiday with its own sacred reading material.

If you want to read the professor's full article on remembering Dave Campbell's Texas Football, complete with many photos click the link below.

https://texaslsn.org/magazine-covers-and-memories/

Here is Larry's edited version for the TLSN newsletter.

"The year 1960 brought me the life changer that came in the form of attending three home football games for the Texas Longhorns. I was seven, and I was smitten."

That same calendar year also brought the inaugural issue of Texas Football, featuring UT star Jack Collins on its first cover. Somehow, though, I had missed it on the newsstand.

But by summertime '61, things had changed. As third grade awaited on the horizon, I was now not just an avid Texas fan, I was a voracious reader.

That copy featured UT's Jimmy Saxton along with Ronnie Bull of Baylor and Arkansas star Lance Alworth on its cover. The season preview, the upcoming sophomore feature (was on big Longhorn Scott Appleton of Brady), the Saxton story and so much more. I learned about blue-chippers in recruiting, the '61 Texas signing class that would go 30-2-1 as varsity men...I learned a lot. And I memorized the three-deep UT roster, looking up hometowns on the Texas road map when Daddy and I weren't discussing them."

Larry continues, " Mr. Dave Campbell had created a heckuva resource.

In July '62, it stung my just-turned-nine-years-old heart when TCU quarterback Sonny Gibbs appeared on Texas Football's cover."

In July '63 , I was rewarded with a cool cover photo of Scott Appleton, in his number 70 jersey, and Coach Darrell Royal in his sideline uniform of the era, a white shirt and tie. Together, they stared intently into the unseen distance. Like a younger and older John Wayne, ready for the outlaws. Turned out, they were seeing UT's first national championship trophy, fewer than six months on the horizon.

The Longhorn coverboy choices made perfect sense in those first two decades of Texas Football magazine, the golden era to this writer. Big Diron Talbert certainly warranted a three-man cover in '66 along with two other star defenders, John LaGrone of SMU and Greg Pipes of Baylor. Talbert, who followed Don and Charlie as the last and perhaps best and meanest of the Texas City brothers, went on to a decorated pro career, first as a member of the Los Angeles Rams' Fearsome Foursome, then as a Cowboy-scalping hellion for the Washington Redskins.

Those old Texas Football magazines were powerful.

Paul McCartney has probably never seen a college game.

But he always had the writing chops to select a keyword whenever he needed to."Yesterday."

(TLSN's Larry Carlson is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and teaches sports media at Texas State University.

Once again, check out the link below to read Larry's full article recalling the power and influence that Dave Campbell’s “Texas Football” held for decades.

https://texaslsn.org/magazine-covers-and-memories/

Campaign -

🧭David Barron, a Longhorn graduate, is a retired Houston Chronicle sports writer and former managing editor of Dave Campbell's Texas Football. He is a Texas High School Football Hall of Fame inductee and served for two decades on the Texas Sports Hall of Fame selection committee. He occasionally visits the TLSN Facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/Billydale22/

David Barron says,

"Regarding the 1977 Dave Campbell Texas Football cover, keep in mind that Earl did not have a great season in 1976; Rodney Allison, meanwhile, helped Tech share the 1976 SWC title. This was before I began with the magazine, but I’m reasonably certain that Dave took those factors into account. Earl was on the fall issue cover in 1977.

My favorite summer cover is the one featuring Eric Metcalf and John Roper in 1989. I wanted to do the same with Ricky Williams and Dat Nguyen in 1998, but lost that negotiation."

Photos below are Rodney Allison, Eric Metcalf and John Roper, and Texas and Texas A & M at the line of scrimmage.

Longhorn Garret Graff's walk-on song
https://youtu.be/SzakmaZSKvc

As a former Longhorn football scholarship athlete, I developed a deep appreciation and respect for the passion that drives walk-ons to earn a spot on the Texas football team.

Making the team as a walk-on, even the practice squad, is very rare. According to WVU's Dorchester, about 70 walk-ons try out for their team each year, but only five are invited to the practice squad.

Michael Taaffe carries on the tradition at Texas, of walk-ons with the necessary skill set to make the team. Taaffe spoke candidly about both the challenges and the rewards he faced. He said, “It was a bumpy road for me, but I’m grateful for every single opportunity. You learn so much along the way as a walk-on. You learn how to do it—at least in my view—the right way. Nothing is given to you; you have to earn everything.”

Photo of Michael Taaffe is below

Michael’s heartfelt words captured the grit and determination that define a walk-on’s journey. I know his comments to be true.

In the 1960s, walk-on players endured grueling routines. Unlike scholarship athletes, who received room, board, tutors, and books to support their education as student-athletes, walk-ons were afforded none of these benefits or the respect often granted to their scholarship counterparts. During practice, they frequently faced physical and mental challenges from both coaches and scholarship players.

I earned my scholarship and competed on a national championship level on game day , but I would never have made the Texas team as a walk-on.

With that realization, I’ve always admired the character of those who walk on. I knew that if I were drafted and sent to Vietnam, I’d want the heart and spirit of these walk-ons beside me in my foxhole.

The movie "Rudy" is a heartwarming and inspirational story about a young man who is small and slow yet walks-on at Notre Dame. In his final game, he experiences a moment of glory. After this movie made the rounds, many young men romanticized the idea of walking on and being like Rudy. But those who tried quickly faced the harsh reality that crushed their dreams of glory. Their aspirations soon turned into nightmares, and most were wise enough to quit.

My passion and respect for walk-ons set me on a mission years ago to honor those who have overcome all the obstacles mentioned above and made the team.

IIt took me nearly six months to research and write many of the stories about Longhorn walk-ons at Texas, and it ended up being one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever tackled. TLSN has documented the histories of 42 walk-ons so far, with more to come as I uncover others who have embarked on this adventurous “walk” into the unknown.

The list includes men and women such as Ahmard Hall, Tom and Mike Campbell, Denton Cooley, Todd Smith, Nathan Kaspar, Cindy Williams (volleyball), Yari Harari (basketball), Debbie Otto (swimming), Stan Mauldin, and many more.

All their stories are shared at https://texaslsn.org. To visit the list, click on the link and search for "walk-ons."

If you were a walk-on in any sport at Texas, contact me at Billydale1@gmail.com to share your story.

Below are photos of Walk-ons Nate Boyer, Todd Smith, Ruth Stivers, Emily Anderson, Debbie Otto, and Shawn Izadi (football and band member) .

Bottom left photo is walk-on and captain Stan Mauldin, with Jerry Sisemore and Syd Keasler. The right photo is of walk-ons, Mike and Tom Campbell.

Rocky Medina says, "Just for the heck of it I'm going to retell a story on Royal read from Cactus Pryors book titled "The Longest Laugh."

It is hard to believe, but in Coach Royals early years as a coach, he was a terrible public speaker. Once, he even left the podium after forgetting what he wanted to say, shocking the audience.

This night Royal got them. DKR had just lost to OU, and he was trying to explain the virtues of losing compared to the highs of winning. Royal said, "Oliver Windell Homes stated you are a better man when you lose, (in this case, OU) than if you were to beat OU. You get more out of life and gain from that negative experience than from winning."

Royal reflected on his statement and then said, "Piss on Oliver Wendell Holmes." The laugher started on the near side of the room after about five minutes, accompanied by a standing ovation.

Former Longhorn student- athletes huddle to help each other when tradgedy strikes. Please donate at the below link.

Donation Form - Texas Legacy Support Network

SPOT LIGHT ON JOHNNY "SKY" WALKER

2019 left to Right Ken Capps, Johnny Sky Walker, Coach Akers and Ronnie Robinson

Johnny “Sky” Walker is a former University of Texas running back, an NFL alumnus, and currently a chapter president/board member within the NFL Austin Alumni Association,

An Absolutely Amazing Athlete. He Was A 7 Ft High Jumper, and ran A 10.1 in the 100 meters.

He signed a Football Scholarship with Texas in 1980. During His College Career, "Sky Walker" was the Starting Running Back At UT For All 4 Years- from 1980-83. In 1981, His Sophomore Season, Johnny Was Named a Pre-Season Heisman Trophy Candidate. Walker was an important factor in Texas winning the SWC in 1981, 82 and 83.

The reason he was called "Sky Walker" is shown below.

Spotlight on Ricardo Romo

Ricardo (Richard) Romo is the first Texan ever to run a sub‑4:00 mile (3:58.8). He is a multi-time SWC champion, an NCAA All-American, and later a major academic leader. His story combines remarkable track achievements, a rich cultural heritage, and academic excellence.

Visit the link below for music and a montage of Longhorn great Ricardo Romo.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/339676752252403/?s=single_unit&__cft__[0]=AZbi0TfuHDM12Lgmr54AOvpYjlhSlk4HJzOIQL35DP4hRYcWSP3qCa9N8-JeJLDaVCiudicWXvdMqkAaoQ775x8Moc6kPLxQZk9DqgMX8d6o7pkaBtL-KbYo5YIY2kU6ME5qaRCkgyy8ElBUSQGQxs_cg8I13DIPaTNQpmnKFATPCkMiLPFoq4gm2bQ9tluTzwDL32KdKvmwR_qyZfWE83a2rgdzvU7LvSfYD9WhvXzxUA&__tn__=H-R

Ricardo Romo's also writes an article for TLSN about his journey reaching the top level in athletics and academics in the link below.

https://texaslsn.org/ricardoromo/

Pictured below are three athletes who ran sub-4-minute miles congratulating each other: Ricardo Romo, Peter Peterson, and Ted Nelson. Also shown are Ricardo with his coaches, Patterson and Price, and Ricardo racing against the legendary Jim Ryun. Ryun was the first high schooler to break the 4-minute barrier, the last American to hold the mile world record, and one of the most dominant 1500/mile runners in history. Ricardo went head-to-head with Jim in the battle for mile supremacy.

A Celebration of Bill Bonham's Life- Bill is second from the left in 1951 team tennis photo.

Athlete, Lawyer, and Builder of Institutions.

Longhorn Garret Graff's walk-on song https://youtu.be/SzakmaZSKvc

Spotlight on Ricardo Romo

Longhorn Garret Graff's walk-on song
https://youtu.be/SzakmaZSKvc

3/20/2026 Volume X newsletter #6