3-15-2024 TLSN volume VIII newsletter # 6
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IMPORTANT: Please click on the white letters shown above titled “VIEW IN BROWSER” to enlarge and enhance the photos and text on your cellphone. If you don’t, the text and photos will be very small and difficult to read.
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The strong bonds formed between scholarship athletes and the Longhorn managers who facilitated the smooth transition from practice to game day have played a significant role in the history of Longhorn sports.
The lifelong friendship between Brad Shearer and Alan Luskey is an example of the enduring nature of this bond.
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Brad and Alan – Athlete and manager in the mid-1970s.
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A photo of Brad and Alan decades later . Sports lead to life time bonds.
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Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price presented longtime Western Wear executive Alan Luskey with a proclamation- Saturday, September 30, “Alan Luskey Day.”
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The Luskey’s being honored by U.T. Athletics
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Alan Luskey Obituary
Alan Dean Luskey FORT WORTH–Having lived and loved well, Alan Dean Luskey reluctantly released his hold on life. Beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Alan, passed away Thursday, April 11, 2019, surrounded by his family. A link to his obit is at 2019 ALAN LUSKEY (squarespace.com)
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“Retha Swindell – A Personal Tribute” by Rodney Page
The following is a condensed version of Rodney’s tribute to Retha Swindell. Please click on RODNEY PAGE-ON RETHA SWINDELL (squarespace.com) for Rodney’s full story about Retha.
There was no recruiting budget for women at Texas in the early to mid-70s. Letters and long-distance phone calls to Retha’s high school Coach were the primary means of communication. Leon Black, UT Men’s Basketball Coach, was gracious in offering and sharing his office phone as well as other equipment, supplies, and facilities.
Rodney says, “I first saw Retha play in the 1974 high school State Tournament in the intimate confines of Gregory Gym on the UT campus. I immediately recognized her basketball talent. Her speed, height, quickness, and wingspan were the gifts that I knew would help her excel at the collegiate level.”
In the spring of 1975, Rodney made a recruiting visit to Center, TX (at his expense) to attend an awards ceremony at which Retha received scholarship recognition.
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THE SCHOLARSHIP
Retha was the recipient of the prestigious Texas Achievement Scholarship, a 4-year full ride to UT, based on her academic achievements in high school. Retha Swindell would not have been able to attend UT if not for the academic scholarship.
At the time there were no full athletic scholarships for women, only a few partials for each sport. For many reasons, it was important for Retha to attend UT on an academic scholarship.
Part of Retha’s UT journey dispelled many myths, stereotypes, and erroneous beliefs about the capacity, competence, and qualifications of black athletes and people of color academically and athletically. A sense of welcome and belonging was not as obvious as it is today, and some athletes were unwilling to face the challenges and difficulties of breaking racial barriers.
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When Retha was playing high school basketball, she only played on the defensive end of the floor as Texas girls’ basketball was still playing half-court with three offensive players on one end and three defensive players on the other end, with neither crossing center court.
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In 1978 Retha was on the USA Select Team which traveled to Korea, Hong Kong, China, and Japan. She was also honored as Women’s NIT All-American in 1977-78, Retha was a 2001 University of Texas Women’s Athletics Hall of Honor Inductee.
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She has played an integral role in the shifting, social landscape of Texas Longhorn Athletics History, Black History, and American History.
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TLSN captures the panoramic view of Longhorn sports history captured through the eyes of those who created it.
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Brandon Drenon- shot putt
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1975 managers Jeff Crozier, Mike Powers, Jim Craig Hess, and Allen David were clowning around at the hotel in Dallas the night before the SMU game. RIP to Jim Craig, who passed away.
Call the Alcohol Beverage Commission. There are underage drinkers in this room.
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How to Beat O.U. in Football by DKR
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In 1958, Royal said, “When Texas gets tired of losing to O.U. and is good enough to do something about it,” they will win, and Royal added, The only way anybody’s going to beat Oklahoma is to go out there and whip ’em jaw to jaw.
Royal said when O.U. “gets a yellow dog running downhill, they’ll strap them pretty good. The thing I want to see (from Texas ) is that they (O.U.) earn what they get with bumps and bruises. Texas has to develop a football tradition. It had one once but lost it.”
Fortunately, the 1958 team beat O.U. and brought the Longhorns’ winning tradition back. Under Royal, the ghost of the old yellow dog disappears, and Bevo returns.
Rod Babers, who was on the 2000 team that lost to O.U. 63-14, says when playing O.U., the game is about answering! Texas did not answer in 2000. “Oklahoma came out and hit us right in the mouth,” and we never answered. Texas was a good team that year, but on this day, Texas was a yellow dog running downhill.
Babers believes that the quarterback controversy between Applewhite and Simms was part of the problem with the 2000 team. The Longhorn players were divided on who should start.
In the years 2004-2005, it was evident that these two crucial factors mentioned by Royal to beat O.U. were present. According to Rod Wright, who was part of both teams, even though the 2004 team lost to O.U., they beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl and ended the season 11-1.
This was because Greg Robinson and Dick Tomey reintroduced old-school toughness to Texas. Rod states that the 2004 and 2005 teams were mentally and physically tough. By 2005, Texas was tired of losing to O.U. and good enough to win it. The players had made up their minds to win. A national championship followed.
The photos below represent the 1958 team and the 2005 team, which exhibited the key ingredients needed to beat O.U.
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Royal in the Huddle with a team prepared to go jaw to jaw with O.U.
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1958 The recruiting motto of DKR
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Rod Babers with Coach Mack Brown
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1958 Bob Bryant touchdown against OU
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1958 Rene Ramirez- Hall of Honor inductee.
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2005 Rodrique Wright 67 yard T.D. against O.U. Vince says it was the slowest 67-yard touchdown ever.
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Michael Huff stops at the Cotton Bowl to smother a Sooner on his way to Defensive MVP in the Rose Bowl game against USC.
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None of the members of the TLSN Board receive any compensation from donations received.
TLSN is a 501 (c) (3). Donations are needed so TLSN can continue offering grants to those who qualify for temporary financial assistance and hire professionals to enhance the content related to the history of Longhorn sports. The donation link is provided below:
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Women’s Longhorn Softball was successful at the intramural level before Title IX, the AIAW, and NCAA Women’s Sports at Texas. Images from the early years testify to this point. Photos left to right 1918, 1925, and 1944.
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The Longhorn softball team has never won the national championship, but in 2006, they came close.
2006- 55-9 RANKED 5TH COACH CONNIE CLARK- MADE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
February 25th, 2006: Cat Osterman is the All-time NCAA strike-out leader.
The team is the Big 12 champ and sets the season record with 55 victories.
In 2006 the softball team celebrated the 400th Victory In The History Of The Program.
This year, the softball team achieved several impressive milestones. They set the record for the largest attendance for a game with 1,570 attendees, had the most wins and fewest losses, and produced the most strikeouts by Texas pitchers with a total of 840. They also achieved the remarkable feat of having zero triples against them by Texas pitchers. Moreover, they had the longest winning streak of 24 games, the most shutouts with 35, and the fewest hits allowed with just 163. Finally, they had the most home wins with a total of 32.
The link is https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/softball-history-and-honors
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This is a correction to Joe Bob Bizzell’s article in the last TLSN newsletter. Scott Huntington, a teammate of Joe Bob, provides additional information.
Billy,
I enjoyed the article about Joe Bob Bizzell and wanted to expand on it. Coach Royal may have kicked Joe Bob off the team for the 1974 season but wasn’t gone from the program.
How do I know? Joe Bob was my host during my recruiting visit to UT in January 1975.
Joe Bob was also on the team during my first year in 1975. I was a big, slow offensive lineman, and Joe Bob just loved knocking the snot out of linemen as they came around the corner as a lead blocker. I didn’t know anyone could hit that hard, and you couldn’t get under him. I hated going up against him.
John Scott Huntington
The first two photos are of Scott Huntington. The last is Joe Bob Bizzell.
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TLSN is a 501 (c)(3) Longhorn Sports historical 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.
Https://texaslsn.org
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