Quarterbacks, Kelly Wilson, Tyres Dickson’s podcast, fire hazard

In the last 4 months, the TLSN website has added significant additions to the Longhorn historical website.

Additions include”

1) All 120 plus TLSN newsletters are now part of the TLSN website saved in the navigation tool under “newsletters.” Clicking on this link gives you access to all the past Longhorn sports history newsletters. The link to the 2019 TLSN articles is below:

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/2019-newsletters

2) Coach Conradt’s page has been updated.

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/conradt1976-2007

3) The 100 most important moments in Longhorn men’s basketball have been added to the website.

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/rickbarnes

4) Finally, Coach Billy Disch webpage has received a major overhaul.

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/1911-1939-billy-disch

THE HISTORY OF LONGHORN QUARTERBACKS (revised)

Photo Below- Early 1920’s quarterbacks C. Johnston and R. Fagan

Chronicling Longhorn quarterback sports history required some lengthy detective work, but the historical montage is nearing completion.

Many who quarterbacked for Texas were only a short blip on the Longhorn radar screen. History has forgotten most of them, but TLSN resurrects that one blip to celebrate a young man’s dream of greatness.

The research for this part of Longhorn sports history is still not complete. There are still a few gaps in Longhorn quarterback history before 1950.

The link to Longhorn quarterbacks is at:

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/longhorn-quarterback-genealogy

Byron Gillroy

Byron is no blip on the radar screen, but he has been forgotten by many. His story is captivating.

Byron Gillroy and Y.A. Tittle played in the same backfield at Marshall high school. After graduating high school, LSU football recruits courted Y.A. Tittle, but he was reluctant to join the Tigers. So LSU offered Byron (Puppy) Gillroy a “buddy” scholarship, hoping to gain greater access to Tittle. Puppy says to the LSU recruiter, “I can’t go (to LSU). I’m only 15 years old. I’m still in high school.”

History says that Y.A. chose Texas over LSU and moved to Austin, but LSU continued to press hard, recruiting him and finally convinced him he would never start at Texas because of Bobby Layne’s talent. Y.A. left Austin in the middle of the night and drove to Baton Rouge.

After Gillory graduated from high school, he signed a letter of intent with the Longhorns. Gillory, unfortunately, competed for the quarterback position against Tom Landry and Bobby Layne. Still, Byron participated in the 1947 Cotton Bowl, the 1948 Sugar Bowl, and the 1949 Orange Bowl.

In fact, Byron was a good enough athlete to be drafted in the 19th round by the Chicago Rockets.

The link to the revised history of Longhorn quarterbacks is at”:

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/longhorn-quarterback-genealogy

Soccer ⚽

As of 2014, Kelly Wilson is the only Longhorn to receive the Big 12 Player of the Year award. She holds the seasonal record at Texas for points scored (46), goals scored (16), and assists (14).

Kelly Wilson received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, holds the career Texas record For Points (129), And assists (41). She was named to the Big 12 Conference 10th anniversary team, and she is the only UT Women’s Soccer Player To Be selected To The USA National Team.

Soccer history is at:

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/history-89

Kelly Wilson

Tyres Dickson’s story – The power of the human spirit when things go bad.

It has been almost a year since TLSN Chairman Benny Pace and Billy Dale had lunch with Tyres Dickson and his mother in their apartment. Tyres was in his wheelchair.

In 1998 travelling to Austin to start Spring Training Tyres was in a horrific car accident that permanently paralyzed him from his chest down.

Mack Brown and many Longhorn donors did all in their power to help Tyres adjust to his circumstances, but that was 22 years ago. Today he still struggles with significant health issues that require hospital stays for months at a time, and once, for a whole year.

It would be reasonable to assume that this accident broke his spirit, but IT DID NOT! While I have written about the human spirit’s strength many times in my life journey, I have never witnessed someone who has survived because of it.

Chris Doelle has captured that spirit in Tyres oral history in a TLSN podcast. His story is compelling, upbeat, and inspirational. A story celebrating each sunrise and sunset- not consumed by darkness.

Many years ago singers Sonny and Cher sang the lyrics, “And the beat goes on”. Tyres has accepted that message and his fate. For Tyres, the beat still goes on supported by family, friends, and a Longhorn Nation that leaves no one behind.

Horns Up ???? ,

The link to Tyres podcast is at

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/tyres-dickson

Tyres story is at:

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/tyresdickson-thankyouletter

Longhorn gyms in the early years

Then from 1917-1929, Texas played basketball in a fire???? hazard built for $9000. The University constructed the Men’s Gym adjacent to Clark Field to serve as the temporary home of the Texas men’s basketball team, pending a permanent gymnasium. The all-wood Men’s Gym measured 115′ by 105′ and was 23′ high and featured a pinewood floor, an electric scoreboard, and seating for 2,500 spectators.

The facility burned down on March 25, 1929. No one was hurt, but the Longhorn basketball team had no home on campus for two seasons.

For the 1928–29 season, the University played home games at the School for the Deaf. The gym was small; there were no tickets available for the general public. A lottery system determined the rights to tickets for each home game.

Gregory Gym was originally intended to debut in 1929–30, but prolonged inclement weather delayed its completion. Texas was forced to play an extra year at The School for the Deaf and the newly built Austin High School gym.

TLSN is not associated with the UT Athletics Department or any organization closely aligned with UT.

TLSN is an independent organization celebrating Longhorn Sports History and assisting qualifying Horns who need temporary financial assistance.

The TLSN website and newsletter are free, educational, historical, and insightful, sharing Longhorn sports history through the eyes of those who created it.