Foreword - 8/10/18
Author's Note - 8/10/18
Cast of Characters - 8/10/18
1. The Greatest Bear of Them All - 8/10/18
2. Growing Up - 8/11/18
3. High School - 8/11/18
4. Jackson State - 8/12/18
5. Going to Chicago - 8/12/18
6. The Early Years - 8/13/18
7. The Record - 8/13/18
8. Matt and Me - 8/13/18
9. Super Bears - 8/14/18
10. Retirement - 8/14/18
11. The Businessman - 8/15/18
12/ Giving Back to Charity - 8/19/18
13. Family - 8/19/18
14. Walter Gets Sick - 8/20/18
15. Press Conference - 8/20/18
16. Organ Donorship - 8/20/18
17. Like a Train Going Downhill - 8/20/18
18. Remember Me - 8/20/18
19. The Memorial - 8/20/18
Afterword - 8/12/18
Acknowledgements - 8/12/18
Monday, August 20, 2018
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Keeping The Weekend Local; August 5, 2018
Hope you've had a great weekend.
As I talked about last week, as I get older and have a little bit more time on my hands, the idea of what I'd like to do and what my body will reasonably allow for me to do are two different things.
If you've followed my Facebook page at all, you know that I enjoy seeing new ballparks, stadiums and arenas. Primarily minor league baseball and collegiate facilities.
There were a couple of opportunities this past weekend, but they each included a long drive and making some logistics work that would have pushed limits a little bit.
Saturday was the last of the three-game championship Series of the Pecos League where the Alpine Cowboys were hosting the Bakersfield Train Robbers at Kokernot Field.
The stadium was built in 1947 by Herbert Kokernot, Jr., whose great great grandfather was David Levi Kokernot, a Lietutenant in the Texas Revolution.
For you greater Houston area running afficianados in my audience, you'll recognize the name Kokernot.
One of Houston's first great female marathoners was Peggy Kokernot, who was at the peak of her running career in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
David Levi Kokernot was her great great great grandfather.
Saturday's game was a 7 p.m. start and the Biloxi Shuckers, 13-plus hours to the east of Alpine, were hosting a home game with a 6:35 p.m. start.
My residence to Alpine was eight hours. Six and a half was the path on Interstate 10 to Biloxi.
The two roadblocks, but good ones, were the facts that 1.) I was scheduled to run approximately eight miles with Waverly on Saturday morning and 2.) I was signed up to also run the final Outrigger's 5K On The Bay in Seabrook at 7:30 a.m.
The latter - one of the greater Houston area's classic "old school" races - would require that I leave The Woodlands by 5:30 a.m.
And that meant that we needed to start running no later than 4:00 a.m.
We have a 3.86-mile round trip route that goes from the Fleet Feet Sports of Greater Houston store in Hughes Landing all the way to the east end of The Woodlands Waterway.
It is also the place that competitors in the annual Ironman Texas do their turnaround in Barry Blanton's "Some Like It Hot" run aid station.
Two loops would make it 7.72 miles - and if Waverly wanted to take on another quarter mile to make it eight, she was going to have to get that done on her own.
We finished up at 5:23 a.m. Enough time for me to get some water from my best friend Bill Dwyer, who heads up Volte Endurance Training in Spring, and then dry off, get in the car and start driving to Seabrook.
On the end of the first loop, as we came back to the original starting point, his group of runners who are training for next month's Tunnel Light Marathon outside of Seattle were just starting their 20-miler.
I only heard one say, as we were running back in, "Is that Jon Walk?"
I chuckled and Waverly said when we made it to the turnaround that it was more like four or five that made similar comments.
Thing is, that, I'm not normally training for anything.
I enjoy running races and doing my own thing.
And while I feel very well respected from those in Bill's group who know me well, I'm not really a part of the group.
The bottom line, though, is that Waverly and I had a very good run in the humidity of the morning.
I was so soaked as we approached the Hughes Landing area that my shorts about started to fall off.
I left being excited for Waverly as she was participating in her first teacher inservice (or training, I guess) as a New Caney ISD teacher with a contract for 2018-2019 later in the morning.
I arrived in Seabrook at about 6:40 or 6:45 a.m. I parked and said, "Good morning," to Gary McDonnell, who was helping race director Jay Lee out with parking.
He was originally an encouragement to me when I did my very first duathlon - with a neighborhood cruiser - at the Webster Bicycles Duathlon at a park along Interstate 45 in La Marque back in either 2004 or 2005.
I ran an earlier incarnation of the race - Maribelle's - back in 2005.
Hurricane Ike destroyed the original bar in 2008 and Outrigger's was built on land just sort of underneath the Kemah-Seabrook Bridge.
After I got my packet from Vicki Davis, and was walking back to my car, Jay explained to me they were going to build another bridge along side the current one that was going to go right in the path of the Bar.
But just earlier, Jay asked if I would be willing to help out with awards.
I declined for two reasons: 1.) I had just stopped announcing races for Run In Texas and going on at the same time Saturday morning was the Southern Star Brewing Company 5K in Conroe and 2.) last year I stopped working races for Robby Sabban's Running Alliance Sport organization and as Jay and Robby help each other out I didn't want for Robby to have to listen to me helping Jay out.
So over the last three years, I've cut back a lot of my announcing - for various reasons.
I told Jay that if I changed my mind, I would let him know. (And I actually considered it, but I was ready to leave by the time that Jay made it back from picking up cones.)
Leading up to the race, I had the chance to talk to and see a lot of people that I haven't seen as much over the last year because I stopped working Robby's races.
I appreciated Susan Bell recognizing that I had lost some weight. We chatted for a good long awhile about a number of different topics.
Also had the opportunity to visit right before the start with Irwin Stewart and in between I engaged with Lara Allen, Dan Owen, Peter Lawrence, Jitka Newald, Jeremy Hanson and Jetola Anderson-Blair.
It was good to see Richard Campbell with Campbell Timing Systems. He really took care of me from an announcing standpoint at Robby's races and was a big part of my success.
We got started right on-time at 7:30 a.m. and I was 22 seconds back before going over the start line.
The entrance to the bar area would allow for a car to pass in each direction, but in a mass race start it seemed awfully narrow and I spent the first couple of minutes trying to find my space.
The course is a simple four turns, turnaround and four turns back to the finish.
I was a little concerned with how I would feel knowing that I had just run almost eight miles and that included my left hamstring which I've been trying to keep stretched out for the last couple of months.
I went 9:19 in the first mile. A bit fast.
It was great to see John and Pauline Nicodemus, Dennis Malloy, David Stockton, Vera Balic and Veronica Hoge working at the water stop on 2nd Street.
I was racing - my version of it - so I didn't have the chance to stop and be social. In fact, I didn't take water until the turnaround.
I got there in 14:31. Of course, I'm thinking that if I could have replicated it that it would have been 29 flat. Ha!
Appreciated the shout out from Lucia Gentry, who was working that stop with Madelyn Vandewalle, as I got water from the backside of the table and moved to get back on the road as quick as I could.
I ran with Brandon Weaver a lot of the way and we saw Dale Kohn with Buddy Brown breathing down his neck as they were coming back from the turnaround.
I knew Buddy had just turned 60, but somebody behind us to the left said that Dale had too.
As I started to run back towards 2nd Street, I saw Alison Smith coming in the other direction.
She had shared with me that she's currently training for the Marine Corps Marathon and that she's been working on running consistently - without walking - even if it has meant that she has to slow down.
She was doing great.
I saw Terry Frank, one of Running Alliance Sport's board members, and I'm sure a few others, but as I turned on to Second, I saw 19:30 on my watch.
Well, it was really 22 seconds off of that and I was at 19:11, but the wheels were starting to fall off as they have for me of many, many 5Ks.
Cindy Jantkowski was just in front of me as we exited the turnaround, but after we passed the water station on Second Street I just couldn't keep up with her.
Mana Vautier and his son gave me a shout out as I was getting close to the two final turns.
I've always appreciated Mana as he had me come out and announce his Yuri's Night 5K before Robby took over the race from him. (For the record, I did announce it for Robby in 2017 too.)
As I passed the mile three mark (10:02 for that mile), it was a hard right and a "sprint" to the finish. I felt good, felt strong and made the last tenth of a mile in 47.19.
It all added up to a 30:01 finish.
I felt pretty good that I was able to post that kind of time after running 7.72 miles and driving an hour to get to the race location.
I socialized some more after the race. Keith Cotropia and Monica Montoya asked me if I had any more out-of-state running adventures planned and I shared with them how Waverly and I in September were planning on running the Hokie Half Marathon in Blacksburg, Virginia.
I also had a great conversation with Dale and he was sharing with me his story about losing 55 pounds or so over the years and how he did so by giving up sodas - and how he did it "cold turkey" and hasn't looked back since.
I had been sharing with him - and others - briefly about how I've had to modify things a good bit recently because of my blood sugar being 144 and my hemoglobin 6.6.
I'm due to get another set of labs soon.
As I meandered around a little bit, Alison wanted me to join a group picture of her friends (and some who have become mine over the last two years) - and I just really avoid the camera unless I'm taking the picture.
I did so again Sunday night during Bill's traditional start picture at The Woodlands Running Club Sunday Night 5K.
I made it back home, went and had breakfast at The Egg & I in Shenandoah on Research Forest and later joined Waverly for dinner at Cane's off Rayford later in the evening.
While I wanted to go down and run this month's Run For Wellness - Heights 5K at 7 a.m., I was a little out of steam, but I got up and made it to church on-time at The Church Project for their 9 a.m. service.
Dawn Johnson got there shortly after I did and sit on the same row as me and another of my best friends Jim and Leanne Rosser arrived a few minutes later and sat behind us.
The service was really focused on opportunities being presented to the church to assist in some church planting efforts in the future - and how that is how the Gospel spread after Jesus was here on the Earth and, of course, even today.
We learned that there are nearly 700 formalized church planting movements in the world today to share the Gospel and reach people for Jesus Christ.
I read a little, slept some, made some travel plans for the weekend of September 15-16 and then headed out to take part in the first Sunday of the month, TWRC Sunday Night 5K at Barbara Bush Elementary in The Woodlands.
As far as the weekend of September 15-16 was concerned, I had considered going out to Seattle to cheer on a number of Bill's runners that were going to do Tunnel Light, but aside from not doing group functions too well I also didn't see a college football game around the Saturday area scheduled for that late afternoon or evening.
Therefore, I elected to go with my original plan and fly to Amarillo that Saturday to see a pair of college football games at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview and West Texas A&M University in Canyon.
The game in Plainview starts at 2 p.m. and the one in Canyon at 6 p.m.
I was able to grab a $189 basic economy fare on United, which allows me even as Premier Gold member to carry a bag on the plane without penalty.
(United looks to try to make up the difference between their Basic Economy and Economy with an egregious $50 bag fee if you check a bag at the gate. Since I'm flying back Sunday morning, I can do a carry-on where I normally would check a bag.)
There was a good group at tonight's Sunday Night 5K.
Bill, Ken Johnson, Jerritt Park and Curtis Barton were there when I made it there.
One of the next to arrive was former Texas A&M quarterback Lance Pavlas, who is just a down-to-earth guy that has become a pleasure to get to know a little bit.
Volte coach Layton Gill and his family showed up. Jimmy Baker, Faith Craig and Marta Mixa were also there representing Volte as was Mayra Caamano and her two daughters, Chloe and Brooke.
Mayra ran the entire way with Chloe, who is gearing up for cross country season.
I started off a bit too strong, in 9:28 for the first mile, and it was such that it put me into a run to exhaustion, then walk pattern.
I ended up with a time of 31:37. Not what I had hoped for, but it was better than the 31:56 that I ran there on March 4 when the course was probably just 3.02 miles.
I finished up at Jason's Deli for their Ranchero Wrap and then made it back on home.
I'm already planning next weekend's adventures, which includes work as we're bringing two hospitals up early Sunday morning on new hospital information systems.
Have a great week.
As I talked about last week, as I get older and have a little bit more time on my hands, the idea of what I'd like to do and what my body will reasonably allow for me to do are two different things.
If you've followed my Facebook page at all, you know that I enjoy seeing new ballparks, stadiums and arenas. Primarily minor league baseball and collegiate facilities.
There were a couple of opportunities this past weekend, but they each included a long drive and making some logistics work that would have pushed limits a little bit.
Saturday was the last of the three-game championship Series of the Pecos League where the Alpine Cowboys were hosting the Bakersfield Train Robbers at Kokernot Field.
The stadium was built in 1947 by Herbert Kokernot, Jr., whose great great grandfather was David Levi Kokernot, a Lietutenant in the Texas Revolution.
For you greater Houston area running afficianados in my audience, you'll recognize the name Kokernot.
One of Houston's first great female marathoners was Peggy Kokernot, who was at the peak of her running career in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
David Levi Kokernot was her great great great grandfather.
Saturday's game was a 7 p.m. start and the Biloxi Shuckers, 13-plus hours to the east of Alpine, were hosting a home game with a 6:35 p.m. start.
My residence to Alpine was eight hours. Six and a half was the path on Interstate 10 to Biloxi.
The two roadblocks, but good ones, were the facts that 1.) I was scheduled to run approximately eight miles with Waverly on Saturday morning and 2.) I was signed up to also run the final Outrigger's 5K On The Bay in Seabrook at 7:30 a.m.
The latter - one of the greater Houston area's classic "old school" races - would require that I leave The Woodlands by 5:30 a.m.
And that meant that we needed to start running no later than 4:00 a.m.
We have a 3.86-mile round trip route that goes from the Fleet Feet Sports of Greater Houston store in Hughes Landing all the way to the east end of The Woodlands Waterway.
It is also the place that competitors in the annual Ironman Texas do their turnaround in Barry Blanton's "Some Like It Hot" run aid station.
Two loops would make it 7.72 miles - and if Waverly wanted to take on another quarter mile to make it eight, she was going to have to get that done on her own.
We finished up at 5:23 a.m. Enough time for me to get some water from my best friend Bill Dwyer, who heads up Volte Endurance Training in Spring, and then dry off, get in the car and start driving to Seabrook.
On the end of the first loop, as we came back to the original starting point, his group of runners who are training for next month's Tunnel Light Marathon outside of Seattle were just starting their 20-miler.
I only heard one say, as we were running back in, "Is that Jon Walk?"
I chuckled and Waverly said when we made it to the turnaround that it was more like four or five that made similar comments.
Thing is, that, I'm not normally training for anything.
I enjoy running races and doing my own thing.
And while I feel very well respected from those in Bill's group who know me well, I'm not really a part of the group.
The bottom line, though, is that Waverly and I had a very good run in the humidity of the morning.
I was so soaked as we approached the Hughes Landing area that my shorts about started to fall off.
I left being excited for Waverly as she was participating in her first teacher inservice (or training, I guess) as a New Caney ISD teacher with a contract for 2018-2019 later in the morning.
I arrived in Seabrook at about 6:40 or 6:45 a.m. I parked and said, "Good morning," to Gary McDonnell, who was helping race director Jay Lee out with parking.
He was originally an encouragement to me when I did my very first duathlon - with a neighborhood cruiser - at the Webster Bicycles Duathlon at a park along Interstate 45 in La Marque back in either 2004 or 2005.
I ran an earlier incarnation of the race - Maribelle's - back in 2005.
Hurricane Ike destroyed the original bar in 2008 and Outrigger's was built on land just sort of underneath the Kemah-Seabrook Bridge.
After I got my packet from Vicki Davis, and was walking back to my car, Jay explained to me they were going to build another bridge along side the current one that was going to go right in the path of the Bar.
But just earlier, Jay asked if I would be willing to help out with awards.
I declined for two reasons: 1.) I had just stopped announcing races for Run In Texas and going on at the same time Saturday morning was the Southern Star Brewing Company 5K in Conroe and 2.) last year I stopped working races for Robby Sabban's Running Alliance Sport organization and as Jay and Robby help each other out I didn't want for Robby to have to listen to me helping Jay out.
So over the last three years, I've cut back a lot of my announcing - for various reasons.
I told Jay that if I changed my mind, I would let him know. (And I actually considered it, but I was ready to leave by the time that Jay made it back from picking up cones.)
Leading up to the race, I had the chance to talk to and see a lot of people that I haven't seen as much over the last year because I stopped working Robby's races.
I appreciated Susan Bell recognizing that I had lost some weight. We chatted for a good long awhile about a number of different topics.
Also had the opportunity to visit right before the start with Irwin Stewart and in between I engaged with Lara Allen, Dan Owen, Peter Lawrence, Jitka Newald, Jeremy Hanson and Jetola Anderson-Blair.
It was good to see Richard Campbell with Campbell Timing Systems. He really took care of me from an announcing standpoint at Robby's races and was a big part of my success.
We got started right on-time at 7:30 a.m. and I was 22 seconds back before going over the start line.
The entrance to the bar area would allow for a car to pass in each direction, but in a mass race start it seemed awfully narrow and I spent the first couple of minutes trying to find my space.
The course is a simple four turns, turnaround and four turns back to the finish.
I was a little concerned with how I would feel knowing that I had just run almost eight miles and that included my left hamstring which I've been trying to keep stretched out for the last couple of months.
I went 9:19 in the first mile. A bit fast.
It was great to see John and Pauline Nicodemus, Dennis Malloy, David Stockton, Vera Balic and Veronica Hoge working at the water stop on 2nd Street.
I was racing - my version of it - so I didn't have the chance to stop and be social. In fact, I didn't take water until the turnaround.
I got there in 14:31. Of course, I'm thinking that if I could have replicated it that it would have been 29 flat. Ha!
Appreciated the shout out from Lucia Gentry, who was working that stop with Madelyn Vandewalle, as I got water from the backside of the table and moved to get back on the road as quick as I could.
I ran with Brandon Weaver a lot of the way and we saw Dale Kohn with Buddy Brown breathing down his neck as they were coming back from the turnaround.
I knew Buddy had just turned 60, but somebody behind us to the left said that Dale had too.
As I started to run back towards 2nd Street, I saw Alison Smith coming in the other direction.
She had shared with me that she's currently training for the Marine Corps Marathon and that she's been working on running consistently - without walking - even if it has meant that she has to slow down.
She was doing great.
I saw Terry Frank, one of Running Alliance Sport's board members, and I'm sure a few others, but as I turned on to Second, I saw 19:30 on my watch.
Well, it was really 22 seconds off of that and I was at 19:11, but the wheels were starting to fall off as they have for me of many, many 5Ks.
Cindy Jantkowski was just in front of me as we exited the turnaround, but after we passed the water station on Second Street I just couldn't keep up with her.
Mana Vautier and his son gave me a shout out as I was getting close to the two final turns.
I've always appreciated Mana as he had me come out and announce his Yuri's Night 5K before Robby took over the race from him. (For the record, I did announce it for Robby in 2017 too.)
As I passed the mile three mark (10:02 for that mile), it was a hard right and a "sprint" to the finish. I felt good, felt strong and made the last tenth of a mile in 47.19.
It all added up to a 30:01 finish.
I felt pretty good that I was able to post that kind of time after running 7.72 miles and driving an hour to get to the race location.
I socialized some more after the race. Keith Cotropia and Monica Montoya asked me if I had any more out-of-state running adventures planned and I shared with them how Waverly and I in September were planning on running the Hokie Half Marathon in Blacksburg, Virginia.
I also had a great conversation with Dale and he was sharing with me his story about losing 55 pounds or so over the years and how he did so by giving up sodas - and how he did it "cold turkey" and hasn't looked back since.
I had been sharing with him - and others - briefly about how I've had to modify things a good bit recently because of my blood sugar being 144 and my hemoglobin 6.6.
I'm due to get another set of labs soon.
As I meandered around a little bit, Alison wanted me to join a group picture of her friends (and some who have become mine over the last two years) - and I just really avoid the camera unless I'm taking the picture.
I did so again Sunday night during Bill's traditional start picture at The Woodlands Running Club Sunday Night 5K.
I made it back home, went and had breakfast at The Egg & I in Shenandoah on Research Forest and later joined Waverly for dinner at Cane's off Rayford later in the evening.
While I wanted to go down and run this month's Run For Wellness - Heights 5K at 7 a.m., I was a little out of steam, but I got up and made it to church on-time at The Church Project for their 9 a.m. service.
Dawn Johnson got there shortly after I did and sit on the same row as me and another of my best friends Jim and Leanne Rosser arrived a few minutes later and sat behind us.
The service was really focused on opportunities being presented to the church to assist in some church planting efforts in the future - and how that is how the Gospel spread after Jesus was here on the Earth and, of course, even today.
We learned that there are nearly 700 formalized church planting movements in the world today to share the Gospel and reach people for Jesus Christ.
I read a little, slept some, made some travel plans for the weekend of September 15-16 and then headed out to take part in the first Sunday of the month, TWRC Sunday Night 5K at Barbara Bush Elementary in The Woodlands.
As far as the weekend of September 15-16 was concerned, I had considered going out to Seattle to cheer on a number of Bill's runners that were going to do Tunnel Light, but aside from not doing group functions too well I also didn't see a college football game around the Saturday area scheduled for that late afternoon or evening.
Therefore, I elected to go with my original plan and fly to Amarillo that Saturday to see a pair of college football games at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview and West Texas A&M University in Canyon.
The game in Plainview starts at 2 p.m. and the one in Canyon at 6 p.m.
I was able to grab a $189 basic economy fare on United, which allows me even as Premier Gold member to carry a bag on the plane without penalty.
(United looks to try to make up the difference between their Basic Economy and Economy with an egregious $50 bag fee if you check a bag at the gate. Since I'm flying back Sunday morning, I can do a carry-on where I normally would check a bag.)
There was a good group at tonight's Sunday Night 5K.
Bill, Ken Johnson, Jerritt Park and Curtis Barton were there when I made it there.
One of the next to arrive was former Texas A&M quarterback Lance Pavlas, who is just a down-to-earth guy that has become a pleasure to get to know a little bit.
Volte coach Layton Gill and his family showed up. Jimmy Baker, Faith Craig and Marta Mixa were also there representing Volte as was Mayra Caamano and her two daughters, Chloe and Brooke.
Mayra ran the entire way with Chloe, who is gearing up for cross country season.
I started off a bit too strong, in 9:28 for the first mile, and it was such that it put me into a run to exhaustion, then walk pattern.
I ended up with a time of 31:37. Not what I had hoped for, but it was better than the 31:56 that I ran there on March 4 when the course was probably just 3.02 miles.
I finished up at Jason's Deli for their Ranchero Wrap and then made it back on home.
I'm already planning next weekend's adventures, which includes work as we're bringing two hospitals up early Sunday morning on new hospital information systems.
Have a great week.
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Liftoff: The Tank, the Storm and the Astros' Improbably Ascent to Baseball Immortality by Brian T. Smith
Author's Note - 7/19/18
1. Here We Go - 7/19/18
2. This City Deserves Our Best - 7/19/18
3. Saving Our Powder - 7/19/18
4. The Underdog All Year - 7/20/18
5. We're a [Freaking] Playoff Team! - 7/20/18
6. Getting into Our Window - 7/20/18
7. Opening Day Next Year - 7/20/18
8. When the Star Goes Up - 7/20/18
9. People Are Just Wooing - 7/21/18
10. It Will Bring Hope - 7/21/18
11. You Don't Even Know, Man - 7/21/18
12. I Got to Wake Up - 7/21/18
13. Bring Your Earplugs - 7/22/18
14. He Put Us on His Back - 7/22/18
15. If You Like October Baseball - 7/23/18
16. It's Your Time - 7/23/18
17. Forever Special - 7/23/18
18. Anything Is Possible - 7/23/18
1. Here We Go - 7/19/18
2. This City Deserves Our Best - 7/19/18
3. Saving Our Powder - 7/19/18
4. The Underdog All Year - 7/20/18
5. We're a [Freaking] Playoff Team! - 7/20/18
6. Getting into Our Window - 7/20/18
7. Opening Day Next Year - 7/20/18
8. When the Star Goes Up - 7/20/18
9. People Are Just Wooing - 7/21/18
10. It Will Bring Hope - 7/21/18
11. You Don't Even Know, Man - 7/21/18
12. I Got to Wake Up - 7/21/18
13. Bring Your Earplugs - 7/22/18
14. He Put Us on His Back - 7/22/18
15. If You Like October Baseball - 7/23/18
16. It's Your Time - 7/23/18
17. Forever Special - 7/23/18
18. Anything Is Possible - 7/23/18
Friday, August 3, 2018
African-American Athletes in Arkansas by Evin Demirel
Introduction - 7/23/18
Integrate the Record Books - 7/23/18
The Original Black Razorbacks - 7/23/18
Black Razorback Fans of the Jim Crow Era: A Forgotten Past - 7/23/18
Black Arkansas Fueled the NFL's Evolution - 7/25/18
The Pine Bluff Native Whose Protest Rocked the College Football World - 7/25/18
The Sweetest Thing - 7/25/18
From Lonoke County to Legend - 7/27/18
Nolan Richardson Enters the Hall of Fame - 7/27/18
The Enduring Legacy of Little Rock's Hilarious Jesters - 7/27/18
North Little Rock High School's Title Evokes Dynasties of Another NLR School - 7/27/18
The Would-Be Razorback: Eddie Miles - 7/27/18
Eddie Boone: Pioneer of the Arkansas Activities Association - 7/27/18
Dizzy Dean & Satchel Paige - 7/27/18
Fort Smith's Black Baseball Heritage - 7/27/18
In Montana, Arkansans Played Key Role in Success Of Segregated Baseball Team - 8/1/18
Vanishing Act - 8/1/18
Muhammed Ali in Arkansas - 8/3/18
It's Time Arkansas Follows Texas In Honoring Its Black Prep Sports Heritage - 8/3/18
Acknowledgements - 8/3/18
Integrate the Record Books - 7/23/18
The Original Black Razorbacks - 7/23/18
Black Razorback Fans of the Jim Crow Era: A Forgotten Past - 7/23/18
Black Arkansas Fueled the NFL's Evolution - 7/25/18
The Pine Bluff Native Whose Protest Rocked the College Football World - 7/25/18
The Sweetest Thing - 7/25/18
From Lonoke County to Legend - 7/27/18
Nolan Richardson Enters the Hall of Fame - 7/27/18
The Enduring Legacy of Little Rock's Hilarious Jesters - 7/27/18
North Little Rock High School's Title Evokes Dynasties of Another NLR School - 7/27/18
The Would-Be Razorback: Eddie Miles - 7/27/18
Eddie Boone: Pioneer of the Arkansas Activities Association - 7/27/18
Dizzy Dean & Satchel Paige - 7/27/18
Fort Smith's Black Baseball Heritage - 7/27/18
In Montana, Arkansans Played Key Role in Success Of Segregated Baseball Team - 8/1/18
Vanishing Act - 8/1/18
Muhammed Ali in Arkansas - 8/3/18
It's Time Arkansas Follows Texas In Honoring Its Black Prep Sports Heritage - 8/3/18
Acknowledgements - 8/3/18
Sunday, July 29, 2018
Anatomy Of An Ever-Changing Weekend; July 29, 2018
Getting older is tough.
The mind is able, but the body is, well, I won't say it is completely weak, but figuring out where the 'want to' comes and goes from is a challenge in and of itself.
I had another weekend of baseball planned with a flight to and from St. Louis and three Frontier League - independent baseball - ballparks (two in Illinois and one in Missouri).
In the middle of the week, I realized that I was just a little bit still wore out from the past weekend, plus it looked as if weather might affect the game in Normal, Illinois Saturday night (and the race on Sunday morning in Bloomington).
So I started in looking at mixing things up and thought that I would run races on Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning, then go to a ballgame on Sunday night before flying home Monday morning.
Lots of combinations. Was going for a home run, which would have been a Friday night race (either in Findlay, IL or Champaign, IL) and another one - at 11:15 p.m. - in Terre Haute, IN.
The challenge there was that I lost an hour due to the time zone changing from Central to Eastern.
That would have put me into Indianapolis at about 1:30 a.m. with a goal to run 5Ks in Carmel and Fishers, which are less than five miles apart, at 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
The fun part, then, on Sunday morning was to take part in a four-miler in Evanston, Illinois that started outside of and then finished on the field at Northwestern Stadium.
I've finished on the fields of Notre Dame, Penn State and Illinois. As a Nittany Lion fan, that would have been great.
But I couldn't touch a hotel room for a Hilton or Marriott south of about $175.
The final straw was that I had a 5:45 a.m. flight out of Hobby.
I got home Thursday night at 11 p.m. from Bridgeport, where I work during the week. And I didn't even stop to run, just to eat in Huntsville.
So I would have had to have returned a car to IAH, got my car, come home, washed my running stuff (for multiple races) and then leave by 3:30 a.m. to get to HOU by 4:15 a.m.
You get the picture. Exhausting to even think about it.
Needless to say that before midnight I was on the phone with Southwest banking my money for another trip, another day.
So what to do for the weekend?
More wheels were in motion.
I saw the following: 1.) 5K double in Big Spring and Midland (Friday night at midnight and Saturday at 8 a.m.), 2.) Howl At The Moon 5K in Waco at 10 p.m. and 3.) the Mississippi Braves were at home at 5 p.m. on Sunday night.
Waverly was coming home from church camp in Sevierville, Tennessee early Friday morning, where she served as a camp counselor to a group of girls from her home church.
We traded texts early Friday morning as I offered to run her seven mile long run with her on Saturday morning, but she wasn't going to commit to anything until she got home and saw how she felt.
I kind of knew where that was going to go, so I kept my options open. I understood. She had a busy, exhausting week as one of the next last before she starts her first year of teaching.
Work took the Big Spring and Midland option off the board, plus Midland's website didn't indicate if there was race day registration and if the races were timed.
Right. I'm going to go that far for an untimed fun run. No way.
So I signed up for the Mosquito Chase 5K in Clute on Saturday morning. I had run it before, but therefore I was able to save Mom a trip from going to get Waverly as they made it back in from church camp at 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
I was up at 4:45 a.m., got a quick shower and was out the door at 5:05 a.m.
Saw that there was going to be some road work on Highway 288 so I took the Beltway, the Fort Bend Tollway and Highway 6 to get to 288 and was in Clute and at the race site at close to 6:40 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. start.
The guys from Houston Masters Sports Association - Mike Mangan and Michael Luna - were there to promote their 25K in November. They both ran as well as Clark Courtright and Larry Lindeen.
Galveston's Kelly Carmichael and his wife both ran. They've become good acquaintances, primarily through Robby Sabban's Texas Bridge Series races.
I had the opportunity to talk shop, as always, with Fit Tri Run's Kimberly Bachmeier. Her FTR Race Management entity was timing the race.
I actually ran pretty good.
Offset - 8:16
Mile 1 - 9:31.75
Mile 2 - 10:32.06
Mile 3 - 8:39.60
Last .1 - 1:36.48
Total = 30:19.89
Two years ago = 31:52.30
Just like two years ago, the mile markers were off. Although, I think the total distance was pretty much spot on. There was a different in the start location that might have made it a few feet long, but otherwise it is a solid race that was very, very humid.
Ran a minute and 33 seconds better than two years ago.
I held off a lady that tried to challenge me near the mile two marker as well as going into the last water stop a little while later, but I ended up beating by 25 seconds.
I made it back to Spring, slept some and then went and got a rental car as I planned to go run the race in Waco Saturday night and then venture to Dallas that evening.
The plan was to run the Carrollton Running Club 5K at 7:30 a.m. in McInnish Park on Sunday morning, go to church some place close to Lewisville where I was going to stay and then venture to Jackson, Mississippi for a minor league baseball game.
It was a little over six hours from Dallas to Jackson and the game's first pitch was at 5 p.m. Doable.
Back from picking up the rental car and getting packed, I was ready to leave by 5:15 p.m. and was in Huntsville a little later for dinner at McKenzie's BBQ.
However, it was there I realized that I left my laptop bag with my Bible in it at the house.
I could have gone on to Dallas, et. al. and done everything I needed to do from my phone, but I'm basically a bit naked without my laptop (actually have two, including an older one that I use for certain things).
I got to Waco at about 8:45 p.m., made it over to the race site which was Indian Springs Park and got my race packet, changed clothes and then waited for the 10 p.m. start time.
The course was across the Suspension Bridge to the north side of the Brazos River where we ran under Interstate 35, by McLane Stadium (on our left going out), over the footbridge, into Grant Teaff Plaza and then along University Parks a little bit until we got in front of the Mayborn Museum Complex where we turned around and returned.
I crossed the finish in 29:28, but I suspect that the turnaround might not have been in the right place and the course might have been short.
If not, I ran really, really well.
Offset - 6.98
Out - 14:33.36
Back - 14:54.20
Total = 29:27.56
My chiropractor, Dr. Dawn Schwab, made an adjustment to the front of my body in my upper pelvic area that seems to have unlocked the range of motion on my left leg where my hamstring wants to continually remain tightened.
Back in the car, I made it home at 1:45 a.m., as I projected, and was awake and out the door by 8 a.m. to get breakfast and make it to the Church Project at 9 a.m. for morning worship.
The message came out of Psalm 23, which is the Lord's Prayer, but it was really to relate to how we, as God's children need Him, like sheep need a shepherd.
It is something that I have heard preached similarly by Tony Evans on his radio program a couple of Mondays ago on the drive to Dallas for work.
I got home and pretty much rested off and on the entire day. I read three chapters from Michael Weinreb's "Season Of Saturdays: A History of College Football in 14 Games".
I went and got a bite to eat at Jason's Deli in The Woodlands at about 8 p.m.
I got some Chicken Alfredo, to give me a little fuel for our run that started about 9:45 a.m. on The Woodlands Waterway.
However, it turned out to cause a bit of an issue on the return trip of the first loop. We had two planned to get in between 7 and 7.5.
Waverly, at the same time, was having some issues as a result of not eating enough as she had been at a Bible Study from 6 to 8 p.m. before taking a young lady to her home before making it to The Woodlands to join me for a run.
We'll run out normal 3.66 miles tomorrow afternoon (Monday) and I'm already looking forward to it.
And on the table for next weekend, right now, is the final Outrigger's 5K on Saturday morning, August 4 and then the Run For Wellness - Heights 5K on Sunday morning and The Woodlands Running Club Sunday Night 5K that evening.
The mind is able, but the body is, well, I won't say it is completely weak, but figuring out where the 'want to' comes and goes from is a challenge in and of itself.
I had another weekend of baseball planned with a flight to and from St. Louis and three Frontier League - independent baseball - ballparks (two in Illinois and one in Missouri).
In the middle of the week, I realized that I was just a little bit still wore out from the past weekend, plus it looked as if weather might affect the game in Normal, Illinois Saturday night (and the race on Sunday morning in Bloomington).
So I started in looking at mixing things up and thought that I would run races on Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning, then go to a ballgame on Sunday night before flying home Monday morning.
Lots of combinations. Was going for a home run, which would have been a Friday night race (either in Findlay, IL or Champaign, IL) and another one - at 11:15 p.m. - in Terre Haute, IN.
The challenge there was that I lost an hour due to the time zone changing from Central to Eastern.
That would have put me into Indianapolis at about 1:30 a.m. with a goal to run 5Ks in Carmel and Fishers, which are less than five miles apart, at 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
The fun part, then, on Sunday morning was to take part in a four-miler in Evanston, Illinois that started outside of and then finished on the field at Northwestern Stadium.
I've finished on the fields of Notre Dame, Penn State and Illinois. As a Nittany Lion fan, that would have been great.
But I couldn't touch a hotel room for a Hilton or Marriott south of about $175.
The final straw was that I had a 5:45 a.m. flight out of Hobby.
I got home Thursday night at 11 p.m. from Bridgeport, where I work during the week. And I didn't even stop to run, just to eat in Huntsville.
So I would have had to have returned a car to IAH, got my car, come home, washed my running stuff (for multiple races) and then leave by 3:30 a.m. to get to HOU by 4:15 a.m.
You get the picture. Exhausting to even think about it.
Needless to say that before midnight I was on the phone with Southwest banking my money for another trip, another day.
So what to do for the weekend?
More wheels were in motion.
I saw the following: 1.) 5K double in Big Spring and Midland (Friday night at midnight and Saturday at 8 a.m.), 2.) Howl At The Moon 5K in Waco at 10 p.m. and 3.) the Mississippi Braves were at home at 5 p.m. on Sunday night.
Waverly was coming home from church camp in Sevierville, Tennessee early Friday morning, where she served as a camp counselor to a group of girls from her home church.
We traded texts early Friday morning as I offered to run her seven mile long run with her on Saturday morning, but she wasn't going to commit to anything until she got home and saw how she felt.
I kind of knew where that was going to go, so I kept my options open. I understood. She had a busy, exhausting week as one of the next last before she starts her first year of teaching.
Work took the Big Spring and Midland option off the board, plus Midland's website didn't indicate if there was race day registration and if the races were timed.
Right. I'm going to go that far for an untimed fun run. No way.
So I signed up for the Mosquito Chase 5K in Clute on Saturday morning. I had run it before, but therefore I was able to save Mom a trip from going to get Waverly as they made it back in from church camp at 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
I was up at 4:45 a.m., got a quick shower and was out the door at 5:05 a.m.
Saw that there was going to be some road work on Highway 288 so I took the Beltway, the Fort Bend Tollway and Highway 6 to get to 288 and was in Clute and at the race site at close to 6:40 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m. start.
The guys from Houston Masters Sports Association - Mike Mangan and Michael Luna - were there to promote their 25K in November. They both ran as well as Clark Courtright and Larry Lindeen.
Galveston's Kelly Carmichael and his wife both ran. They've become good acquaintances, primarily through Robby Sabban's Texas Bridge Series races.
I had the opportunity to talk shop, as always, with Fit Tri Run's Kimberly Bachmeier. Her FTR Race Management entity was timing the race.
I actually ran pretty good.
Offset - 8:16
Mile 1 - 9:31.75
Mile 2 - 10:32.06
Mile 3 - 8:39.60
Last .1 - 1:36.48
Total = 30:19.89
Two years ago = 31:52.30
Just like two years ago, the mile markers were off. Although, I think the total distance was pretty much spot on. There was a different in the start location that might have made it a few feet long, but otherwise it is a solid race that was very, very humid.
Ran a minute and 33 seconds better than two years ago.
I held off a lady that tried to challenge me near the mile two marker as well as going into the last water stop a little while later, but I ended up beating by 25 seconds.
I made it back to Spring, slept some and then went and got a rental car as I planned to go run the race in Waco Saturday night and then venture to Dallas that evening.
The plan was to run the Carrollton Running Club 5K at 7:30 a.m. in McInnish Park on Sunday morning, go to church some place close to Lewisville where I was going to stay and then venture to Jackson, Mississippi for a minor league baseball game.
It was a little over six hours from Dallas to Jackson and the game's first pitch was at 5 p.m. Doable.
Back from picking up the rental car and getting packed, I was ready to leave by 5:15 p.m. and was in Huntsville a little later for dinner at McKenzie's BBQ.
However, it was there I realized that I left my laptop bag with my Bible in it at the house.
I could have gone on to Dallas, et. al. and done everything I needed to do from my phone, but I'm basically a bit naked without my laptop (actually have two, including an older one that I use for certain things).
I got to Waco at about 8:45 p.m., made it over to the race site which was Indian Springs Park and got my race packet, changed clothes and then waited for the 10 p.m. start time.
The course was across the Suspension Bridge to the north side of the Brazos River where we ran under Interstate 35, by McLane Stadium (on our left going out), over the footbridge, into Grant Teaff Plaza and then along University Parks a little bit until we got in front of the Mayborn Museum Complex where we turned around and returned.
I crossed the finish in 29:28, but I suspect that the turnaround might not have been in the right place and the course might have been short.
If not, I ran really, really well.
Offset - 6.98
Out - 14:33.36
Back - 14:54.20
Total = 29:27.56
My chiropractor, Dr. Dawn Schwab, made an adjustment to the front of my body in my upper pelvic area that seems to have unlocked the range of motion on my left leg where my hamstring wants to continually remain tightened.
Back in the car, I made it home at 1:45 a.m., as I projected, and was awake and out the door by 8 a.m. to get breakfast and make it to the Church Project at 9 a.m. for morning worship.
The message came out of Psalm 23, which is the Lord's Prayer, but it was really to relate to how we, as God's children need Him, like sheep need a shepherd.
It is something that I have heard preached similarly by Tony Evans on his radio program a couple of Mondays ago on the drive to Dallas for work.
I got home and pretty much rested off and on the entire day. I read three chapters from Michael Weinreb's "Season Of Saturdays: A History of College Football in 14 Games".
I went and got a bite to eat at Jason's Deli in The Woodlands at about 8 p.m.
I got some Chicken Alfredo, to give me a little fuel for our run that started about 9:45 a.m. on The Woodlands Waterway.
However, it turned out to cause a bit of an issue on the return trip of the first loop. We had two planned to get in between 7 and 7.5.
Waverly, at the same time, was having some issues as a result of not eating enough as she had been at a Bible Study from 6 to 8 p.m. before taking a young lady to her home before making it to The Woodlands to join me for a run.
We'll run out normal 3.66 miles tomorrow afternoon (Monday) and I'm already looking forward to it.
And on the table for next weekend, right now, is the final Outrigger's 5K on Saturday morning, August 4 and then the Run For Wellness - Heights 5K on Sunday morning and The Woodlands Running Club Sunday Night 5K that evening.
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Killing Jesus: A History by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard
A Note To Readers - 7/15/18
Book I - The World of Jesus
Chapter One: Bethlehem, Judea, March, 5 B.C., Morning - 7/15/18
Chapter Two: Rome, March 15, 44 B.C., 11 a.m.
Chapter Three: Philippi, Northern Greece, October 23, 42 B.C., Morning
Chapter Four: Jordan River Valley, March 22, A.D. 7, Noon
Chapter Five: Jerusalem, March 23, A.D. 7, Afternoon
Book II - Behold the Man
Chapter Six: Jordan River, Perea, A.D. 26, Midday
Chapter Seven: Villa Jovis, Capri, A.D. 26, Night
Chapter Eight: Jerusalem, April, A.D. 27, Day
Chapter Nine: Capernaum, Galilee, Summer, A.D. 27, Afternoon
Chapter Ten: Galilee, April, A.D. 29, Day
Chapter Eleven: Jerusalem, October, A.D. 29, Day
Book III - If You Are the Son of God, Take Yourself off This Cross
Chapter Twelve: Outside Jerusalem, Sunday, April 2, A.D. 30, Afternoon
Chapter Thirteen: Jerusalem, Monday, April 3, A.D. 30, Morning
Chapter Fourteen: Jerusalem, Tuesday, April 3, A.D. 30, Morning
Chapter Fifteen: Jerusalem, Wednedsay, April 4, A.D. 30, Night
Chapten Sixteen: Lower City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 4, A.D. 30, Night
Chapter Seventeen: Jerusalem, Friday, April 7, A.D. 30, Early Morning/Day
Chapter Eighteen: Jersualem's Upper City, April 7, A.D. 30, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Chapter Nineteen: Jerusalem's Upper City, April 7, A.D. 30, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Chapter Twenty: Pilate's Palace, Jerusalem, Saturday, April 8, A.D. 30, Day
Chapter Twenty-One: Jesus's Tomb, Sunday, April 9, A.D. 30, Dawn
Afterword - 7/15/18
Postscript - 7/15/18
Sources - 7/15/18
Book I - The World of Jesus
Chapter One: Bethlehem, Judea, March, 5 B.C., Morning - 7/15/18
Chapter Two: Rome, March 15, 44 B.C., 11 a.m.
Chapter Three: Philippi, Northern Greece, October 23, 42 B.C., Morning
Chapter Four: Jordan River Valley, March 22, A.D. 7, Noon
Chapter Five: Jerusalem, March 23, A.D. 7, Afternoon
Book II - Behold the Man
Chapter Six: Jordan River, Perea, A.D. 26, Midday
Chapter Seven: Villa Jovis, Capri, A.D. 26, Night
Chapter Eight: Jerusalem, April, A.D. 27, Day
Chapter Nine: Capernaum, Galilee, Summer, A.D. 27, Afternoon
Chapter Ten: Galilee, April, A.D. 29, Day
Chapter Eleven: Jerusalem, October, A.D. 29, Day
Book III - If You Are the Son of God, Take Yourself off This Cross
Chapter Twelve: Outside Jerusalem, Sunday, April 2, A.D. 30, Afternoon
Chapter Thirteen: Jerusalem, Monday, April 3, A.D. 30, Morning
Chapter Fourteen: Jerusalem, Tuesday, April 3, A.D. 30, Morning
Chapter Fifteen: Jerusalem, Wednedsay, April 4, A.D. 30, Night
Chapten Sixteen: Lower City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 4, A.D. 30, Night
Chapter Seventeen: Jerusalem, Friday, April 7, A.D. 30, Early Morning/Day
Chapter Eighteen: Jersualem's Upper City, April 7, A.D. 30, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Chapter Nineteen: Jerusalem's Upper City, April 7, A.D. 30, 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Chapter Twenty: Pilate's Palace, Jerusalem, Saturday, April 8, A.D. 30, Day
Chapter Twenty-One: Jesus's Tomb, Sunday, April 9, A.D. 30, Dawn
Afterword - 7/15/18
Postscript - 7/15/18
Sources - 7/15/18
Detours by Tony Evans
Introduction: What Is Destiny? - 7/15/18
Chapter One: The Purpose of Detours - 7/15/18
Chapter Two: The Pain of Detours
Chapter Three: The Pattern of Detours
Chapter Four: The Purifying of Detours
Chapter Five: The Proof of Detours
Chapter Six: The Presence of Detours
Chapter Seven: The Promotion of Detours
Chapter Eight: The Plan of Detours
Chapter Nine: The Pardon of Detours
Chapter Ten: The Pardon of Detours
Chapter Eleven: The Providence of Detours
Chapter Twelve: The Perfection of Detours
Chapter Thirteen: The Perspective of Detours
Chapter Fourteen: The Peace of Detours
Chapter Fifteen: The Patience of Detours
Chapter Sixteen: The Path of Detours
Conclusion
Appendix: The Urban Alternative
Chapter One: The Purpose of Detours - 7/15/18
Chapter Two: The Pain of Detours
Chapter Three: The Pattern of Detours
Chapter Four: The Purifying of Detours
Chapter Five: The Proof of Detours
Chapter Six: The Presence of Detours
Chapter Seven: The Promotion of Detours
Chapter Eight: The Plan of Detours
Chapter Nine: The Pardon of Detours
Chapter Ten: The Pardon of Detours
Chapter Eleven: The Providence of Detours
Chapter Twelve: The Perfection of Detours
Chapter Thirteen: The Perspective of Detours
Chapter Fourteen: The Peace of Detours
Chapter Fifteen: The Patience of Detours
Chapter Sixteen: The Path of Detours
Conclusion
Appendix: The Urban Alternative
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