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TEXAS LEGACY SUPPORT shares a panoramic view of Longhorn sports history as seen through the eyes of those who created it.
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NOT YOUR USUAL “SWIFTIE”
THE TOWER, BIG BEN
by Larry Carlson
It takes a big man to admit that he is an ardent fan of Taylor Swift, a true “Swiftie” who gleefully sings along to her lyrics while he drives. And Ben Adams has been big a long, long time. Big in stature, big in Longhorn football, very big on family life.
Ben was a standout three-year starter who played and excelled during the very different coaching regimes of John Mackovic and Mack Brown on Texas teams that played bowl games in the Sun, the Sugar, the Fiesta, and the Cotton.
One particular play from the classic Texas win at Nebraska in ’98 is seared into Adams’s memory. “Major (Applewhite) threw an interception and Ricky ‘hawked’ the Cornhusker who intercepted the ball and saved a pick-six from happening,” Ben recalls. “Our offensive line coach, Tim Nunez, rewound and replayed Ricky’s play eight or ten times during film review (that next week).”
That’s just one nugget from Adams and his review of the 1994-98 seasons he spent at The Forty Acres. So enjoy the interview that follows and learn which of Ben’s Longhorn teammates could do the splits, find out why Ben didn’t join Ricky in the end zone celebration following Williams’ record-setting run against A&M. and which position group determined “a valid fajita” in competitive eating events. You’ll also get the skinny on why Ben, who holds a degree in history from UT, would choose the infamous and forgotten president Andrew Johnson for one of his three allotted “dream” interviews.
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Below is one question to Ben about Longhorn football player Dan Neil.
TLSN: At Texas, Dan Neil was an All-America pick two years before you were. What do you remember about Dan, on and off the field?
BEN: Dan Neil left a lasting impression both on and off the field during my time at Texas, particularly during my sophomore year when I started at left guard. In terms of his football prowess, Dan was indeed an anomaly. Despite our different body types, I admired him greatly and tried to emulate his qualities. His incredible flexibility stood out the most, as he could effortlessly do the splits. His explosiveness was off the charts, and his approach to the game was always business-like and focused. I distinctly remember facing off against defensive tackle Shane Rink during one-on-one pass protection drills in practice. Shane had a knack for effectively using leverage and his hands, and he consistently bested me in those situations. However, it was a different story when I saw Dan going up against Shane in the same drills. Dan possessed a remarkable center of gravity and a natural knee bend, and as a result, I never saw him lose in one-on-one pass protection. His ability to play for several years with the Denver Broncos as a 285-pound lineman set Dan apart. He redefined the perception of what an offensive lineman could be in terms of athleticism.
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1998 – l to r- Jay Humphrey, Ben Adams, Russell Gaskamp, Octavious Bishop AND Ricky Williams supported by his linemen.
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Left to Right Back Row Dominc Bustamante, John Elmore, Corby Brooks 62
Left to Right Upper Middle Row Brian Howard 19, Duane Vacek, Shane Rink 73, Jim
Bob Evans
Left to Right Lower Middle Row Jason Reeves
88, Brian Vasek 8, Robert Reed 40
Lowest Row Asst. Student Coach Jay Boulware
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1935- Swim Coach Tex Robertson
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SWIM COACH PAT PATTERSON’S STORY TOLD BY COACH TEX ROBERTSON
Former Longhorn swim Coach Tex Robertson states,
“We’ve delayed the recognition of Pat Patterson for the Hall of Honor too long. In my 65 years ……, I think Pat is the most deserving of all the past Honorees…… and fabulous Coach Eddie Reese, who wouldn’t be with us except for Coach Pat.
Coach Pat Patterson was the Longhorn Head Swim Coach from 1970 – 1978 who was instrumental in moving the Longhorn swimming program forward against perennial swimming power SMU….. After resigning as head coach he suggested Coach Reese as his replacement.
Melvin “Pat” Patterson had an excellent swim record. He was a U.T. swimming letterman from 1954 to 1956. Patterson, the U.T. team captain in 1955, is the first Longhorn to break 50 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle. He was one of the top point-getters IN 1955, beating S.M.U.’s early string of S.W.C. championships.
Tex continues saying,
“Regent Chairman Frank Erwin refused to go ahead with plans for the new swimming center unless Texas won an S.W.C. swimming title or got a new coach…… Athletic Coordinator Stan Burnham traveled to College Station and negotiated a release from A & M for Coach Melvin “Pat” Patterson to return to U.T.
Coach Pat was welcomed back with great enthusiasm from the swim team, exes, and his old coach, Hank Chapman… Pat knew the expectations and gigantic task of returning Texas to the top of the S.W.C. He was not only daunted by S.M.U.’s monopoly of the state’s best swimmers and their 15 straight S.W.C. championships but his inherited team was short in number and talent.”
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Coach Patterson and his wife, Jane Patterson, are winners of the Frank Erwin Award—Texas Swimming’s top honor.
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Jane Patterson is a pioneer in women’s aquatics and The first Texas female to wear a tank suit. Undefeated from 1947 to 1955, she held every major state record when she retired.
Jane was inducted into the Texas Swimming Hall of Fame for her contributions to the sport as a swimmer, coach, and supporter of swimming in Texas.
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Swim Coach Hank Chapman received many honors, such as
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1940 All-American and SWC 3-meter diving champion
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Coaches more than 20 All-American swimmers and divers
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1964 U.S. Olympic diving coach
Unfortunately, Coach Chapman’s teams were dominated by SMU, and his teams got the reputation as the Avis of the SWC. They tried harder but always finished 2nd.
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An Article by Billy Dale about Johnny “Lam” Jones
In 2015, I received a phone call from someone whose name I knew from his football and track exploits but whom I had never met. He asked if he could visit me at my home, and of course I said yes.
I knew that Johnny “Lam” Jones was struggling with Myeloma cancer. Still, Johnny remained optimistic, saying, “God is blessing me so much I feel like I’m cheating.”
Johnny reached out to me because he had heard that Benny Pace, Jim Kay, and Billy Dale, all T-ring recipients, were completing the NCAA and UT compliance process to form a 501 (c) (3) to fulfill two missions.
1) To share the history of Longhorn sports, and
2) To offer temporary financial assistance to qualifying former Longhorn student-athletes, managers, trainers, support staff, and their immediate families.
At some point in the 4th quarter of our lives, most of us reflect on our life journey and prepare ourselves mentally for the end of life. I have done so, and so had Johnny. He was ready to meet his maker.
He spoke with a heavy heart and a soul full of prayer, mentioning that he had asked for forgiveness and absolution for his sins. He felt that his spirit had been touched and his prayers had been answered. In biblical terms, he thought he was once lost, but now he was found.
An epiphany is an incredible life-changing experience that I have experienced, so I knew when Johnny started talking about the best memory in his life, it was epiphany-driven.
Many may think Johnny was proudest of his Olympic gold medal, or his many great moments as a Longhorn football player and track star, or being the first NFL draft choice to get a million-dollar signing bonus, but you are mistaken. On this day in my home, his fondest memory was of his high school track team in Lampasas, TX. He brought a video he produced to celebrate this moment, and we watched it.
He said, “This video helped me turn memories into blessings.”
The track video, titled “Relay of Champions – 4 Champions,” perfectly encapsulates Johnny’s character. In this relay, there were four champions, not just one.
Johnny’s comment didn’t stem from any hidden agenda, desire for financial gain, or to fulfill some self-centered aspirations. To him, winning the relay represented a moment where he ran for his teammates rather than himself. As he made this comment, he smiled, conveying a sense of inner peace.
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EPILOGUE
Johnny and I developed a friendship, and his comments left a lasting impression on me. Last night, I woke up with Johnny on my mind, and it inspired me to write this article to share his journey. Throughout his life, Johnny approved the comments written about him on the TLSN website, and he continued to do so until his passing. I have done my best to document his story and honor his memory.
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Many attended Lam’s funeral, and after pastor and Longhorn great athlete and ordained pastor Herkie Walls shared his passionate and compelling remembrance of Johnny Lam Jones, the attendees burnt orange blood boiled with Johnny’s spirit, and all celebrated his life. Horns up! photo is Herkie Walls
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Johnny’s happiest moment was helping his teammates win the state championship in the 4 x 400-meter relay. A come-from-behind relay victory that is still discussed in the history of high school track!
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Gold Olympic medalist turned Longhorn football and track star.
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Johnny received a 1-million-dollar bonus to play for the Jets.
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Barbara married 1968 All-American Longhorn football player Loyd Wainscott. She reflects on the power of the Longhorn name from the early 1960s to the mid-1980s. She says,
It is not by accident that many Longhorn players who played professionally when asked where he/she played respond the University of Texas. Author Barbara Wainscott says “There is power in the words and when said reflected a host of qualities of the highest order. They meant tradition, legacy, quality, integrity, determination and excellence.”
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1916
THE FIRST BEVO MAKES HIS DEBUT AT THE THANKSGIVING DAY UT VS. A&M GAME.
Alumnus Stephen Pinckney, who first suggested the idea of a live Longhorn mascot, had participated in West Texas cattle raids in his previous job with the U.S. Attorney General’s office. A stolen steer from Laredo with an orange hide caught his eye, so Pinckney raised $125 in $1 donations from alumni to buy the steer and ship it to Austin by rail. At halftime, a group of Texas Exes dragged the frightened 1,200-pound Longhorn onto the field. The Daily Texan would later describe him as “the most recalcitrant freshman ever bulldozed into higher education.” Traumatized and unprepared for a public appearance, Bevo I left at halftime. UT won the game 21-7, but the university wouldn’t have a mascot again for the next 20 years.
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TLSN is a 501 (c)(3) Longhorn Sports history educational website with a compassionate component.
The TLSN website and newsletter are free to access, delivering educational, historical, and insightful Longhorn sports history as told through the eyes of those who created it.
Donations are always needed to continue the TLSN missions. No board member receives a salary from TLSN. All members choose to give, not receive.
Https://texaslsn.org
TLSN is not associated with the UT Athletics Department or any organization closely aligned with UT.
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