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Mark Banton contacted TLSN and said “Pat Culpepper’s house burned this morning” (1/09/2023). “They are OK, but that 100 yr old house is a loss – and I’m sure most of his memorabilia.”
BEFORE FIRE
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The good news, Cleburne Assistant Fire Chief Keith Scarbrough said that “the occupants escaped unharmed. The bad news is that a historic home at 521 N. Anglin St. may be a total loss.”
Pat is a prolific Longhorn writer, and many of his written words have been published by Inside Texas. A link to some of his articles is at :
TLSN also has a few original photos of Pat’s memorabilia taken seven years ago by yours truly. The link to the photos is PAT CULPEPPER’S PHOTOS (squarespace.com)
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Quarterback Donnie Wigginton shares his fascinating story about the first years of the Wishbone
1968-1971
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Professor Larry Carlson was one of the fans who followed QB Donnie Wigginton. Carlson, then a freshman at SWT, bought Wigginton’s # 18 jersey at Rooster Andrews when game jerseys went on sale after the season. He still has it.
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Professor Carlson sat next to Donnie at the Houston Touchdown Club luncheon in May of 2022, and visited with him again in September at the unveiling of the National Championship QB busts at the stadium. The professor requested a TLSN interview, and Donnie accepted.
Photo is Donnie Wigginton, Raymond Clayborn, Jay Arnold, and Professor Larry Carlson
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The Longhorn football program would reap the benefits of Wigginton’s maturity as a senior in 1971; not only was number 18 one of the few fifth-year seniors, he was a married man, with his first child on the way as fall drills opened in August. Donnie’s name would be called at Texas. He would be ready.
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Fellow quarterback Eddie Phillips was the reigning Cotton Bowl MVP and expected to excel again, but injuries quickly stifled him. And Phillips wasn’t alone with the injury bug. By the time game number four — the OU battle — arrived, Texas had more than a dozen starters missing time or already sidelined for the season.
Photo – Phillips, Bertelsen, and Wigginton
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Donnie’s chapter in Longhorn sports history is broken into three independent and distinct sections.
#1 is the story of the 1971 injury-plagued Longhorns, who still managed to win in a challenging year.
FROM THIS 1971 FOOTBALL TEAM, 17 ATHLETES HAVE PASSED AWAY- MOST WHILE IN THEIR 60’S. 10 OF THOSE DIED DUE TO BRAIN-RELATED SYMPTOMS- DEMENTIA, ALZHEIMER’S, PARKINSON’S, DEPRESSION/SUICIDE, BRAIN CANCER, AND CTE the link is :
#2 is the introduction of Donnie by Billy Dale and Professor Larry Carlson at:
#3 is Donnie’s interview conducted by Professor Carlson at :
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In 1982-1983, the women’s tennis team was undefeated In SWC play. Click on the link to learn more about women’s tennis under Coach Jeff Moore.
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Ellis was the #1 Longhorn player this year;
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Greiwe was a close second to Ellis with at 7-1 record during the SWC competition;
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Tenley Steward was ranked 3rd coming through for the Horns as they upset #11 Indiana and #10 Florida;
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and Johansen was 4th, but Steward and Johnsen were undefeated in conference play.
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Conrad Derdeyn called TLSN Bearing tithes of Longhorn track and field sports history
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Photo is Conrad Derdeyn, the high school Cross Country Meet Director, congratulating the winner Geoffrey Earl.
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Conrad Derdeyn recently reached out to TLSN with his 1950 through 1963 archival collection of Longhorn track and field memorabilia.
During those years, Conrad held many important positions in track and field. Including Longhorn team manager, Clerk of the Course for the National Collegiate Athletic Association 36th Track and Field Championships, and Clerk of the Court for the SWC Track & Field meet.
He was also the pilot who delivered Longhorn greats to track and field events. Even though the photo below is blurry, it defines the importance of track and field at Texas. This 1962 photo shows Conrad as the pilot shuttling Johnny Cram, Ray Poage, and Charles Jordan to a West Texas track meet. (note all are carrying their track shoes)
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In 1996 not all in the Longhorn track community supported the removal of the track at DKR stadium.
The links below share the emotional and legal story of those conflicted with Deloss Dodds’s decision to use donor money to build a new Track/field/Soccer facility and remove the track and field venue at DKR stadium.
Here are two links to Conrad Derdeyn’s archives that are now saved on the TLSN site for posterity.
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UPDATES ON PAST LONGHORN BRAND BUILDERS
From Jeff Olson- “Billy, could you share in an upcoming newsletter?”
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Oscar Giles remembers being overwhelmed by the enormity of the University of Texas when he arrived on campus in 1987.
He grew up in Palacios, Texas, which is a town of 4,500 people near the Gulf Coast in southeastern Texas.
“My graduating class had 77 people, and my first class at Texas was a big, 1,500-person lecture hall,” Giles said. “I was in the back row and couldn’t hear the professor. He didn’t care. He just wrote stuff up on the wall.
“I talked with some of my older teammates, and they said, ‘The first thing you need to do is get up to the front of the room. Get there early, and get up front so you can learn what’s going on. Otherwise, you’re going to get lost in the shuffle.’ I hadn’t thought about all of that.”
That experience – combined with more than 20 years in college coaching – influenced Giles’ decision to take on a much larger role during his first season as the University of Wyoming’s defensive tackles coach and defensive run game coordinator.
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In late February or early March 2023, TLSN will post the oral/podcast history of Longhorn Hall of Honor inductee and 1983 and 1985 Miami Super Bowl starter, Glenn Blackwood.
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A youtube video of Glenn follows:
https://youtu.be/zKZFneuONAw
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Beth Coblentz is sponsoring Glenn’s podcast. Beth is a Longhorn volleyball national champion and successful business entrepreneur. Until Academy Sports was sold to KKR in 2010 she was the Executive Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of Footwear and Apparel.
TLSN is working on eight more Longhorn sports oral history podcasts for 2023. If you would like to sponsor one for $500, please send me a list of 3 former Longhorn student-athletes you would consider sponsoring, and TLSN will reach out to them to determine interest level.
NOTE* No one currently employed by UT can be interviewed, including Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams.
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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.
TLSN is not associated with the UT Athletics Department or any organization closely aligned with UT.
Https://texaslsn.org
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