SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Missing an old friend
Earlier this week after having a medical test done in Wichita Falls, I decided to visit the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
PWHF president and curator Johnny Mantell has done a spectacular job putting together the museum, which is located on 8th Street next to the coffee house in downtown.
There was one part of the museum that really stood out for me.
In the entry way, there’s an old wrestling card from the world-famous Dallas Sportatorium.
Accompanying this story is an old advertisement for the Sportatorium, which was located on Industrial Boulevard in Dallas.
The barn-like structure became a mecca for entertainment, and not just for professional wrestling.
Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley were two musicians who performed at the Sportatorium for Ed McLemore – a longtime promoter from Dallas.
Back in its heyday, there were professional wrestling cards every Tuesday.
That’s right. It wasn’t like World Wrestling Entertainment just coming through town once in a while like they did Friday at Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.
Every Tuesday, top stars wrestled at the Sportatorium, and all the big names wanted to grapple there. Pro wrestling TV tapings were norm here.
The list of wrestlers reads like a who’s who, and many of them are enshrined in the PWHF.
Lou Thesz, Fritz Von Erich (real last name Adkisson, as many Montague County residents know), Dory Funk, Jr. and Gene Kiniski are just some of the standouts who laced up boots inside the Sportatorium.
Through McLemore’s efforts, Dallas earned the reputation as the “Professional Wrestling Capitol of Texas.”
The low cost of entertainment was another draw. Ringside seats, even in the late 1960s, were just $3. Box seats went for $2.50, and general admission was $1.50.
The capacity for the Sportatorium also helped, with only about 4,500 seats, both music and wrestling shows proved to be a hot ticket. Read more from this column in the Aug. 27 Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Ed McLemore’s Sportatorium was the site for many top professional wrestling matches and country music concerts in Dallas back in the 1940s through 1980s. Today, the Sportatorium is no more, a vacant lot off Interstate-35 East on Riverfront Boulevard. (Submitted photo)
SPORTS
New BHS soccer club has 40 players
At the end of the November school board meeting for Bowie, athletic director Tyler Price had some updates about the new high school soccer club.
So far the club has fielded 40 players total, with 23 being boys and 17 girls meaning it can field both teams.
Both teams have full game schedules, with the girls being invited to play in the Wichita Falls Invitational Tournament in January.
One goal has been donated, both sets of team jerseys are fully donated as well with a commitment to donate the jerseys next year with the hope for home and away games.
The club is coached by Chad Word, Scott Siebert and Javier Fuerte. The club is not officially a part of the competition this year in the University Interscholastic League, but with a good turnout there is hope the presence of the club will lead to the Bowie School District adding the sport to its athletic department in the future.
If and when that is the case, the club leaders hope to help develop players for the high school team. Bowie would have to compete in the 4A classification if and when a high school soccer team is approved.
The Lady Rabbit team has their first game scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 17 at Burkburnett. For more information about the soccer club, go to the Bowie High School Soccer Club Facebook page.
SPORTS
Nocona girls blow out Iowa Park, boys lose at Henrietta
Nocona girls
The Nocona Lady Indians were able to whoop up on Iowa Park on Tuesday night.
The Lady Indians dominated 86-38 against the Lady Hawks in a game that was not competitive at all.
Nocona was coming off a tough loss against state-ranked Bridgeport where the team did not shoot well.
From the jump, the Lady Indians’ offense was working over Iowa Park. Nocona felt safe to bring pressure on defense and created easy scoring chances in transition.
The Lady Indians scored 20 or more points in the first three quarters and got a lot of players in on the scoring action. Every player ended up making at least one basket.
Nocona took the gas off the defensive pressure in the second half so as not to be disrespectful. This allowed the Lady Hawks, who had scored only 12 points in the first half, to get some things going in the second half.
Nocona was actually outscored 11-9 in the fourth quarter, but it did not mean much with their lead already so high.
The Lady Indians won 86-38.
Nocona boys
The Nocona Indians lost a tough game on the road on Tuesday night at Henrietta.
The Bearcats won 60-50 in a game where the Indians fell behind early and were unable to come back.
Nocona was playing its first game in a week and was looking to see if it could hang with a program that is usually able to give a good challenge most years.
Henrietta got out to a big lead in the first quarter, getting to the free throw line for 10 attempts and scoring 20 points. The Indian offense was slow to get going as they trailed 20-9.
Nocona was able to slow down the Bearcat offense in the second quarter, but could not make up much ground as it trailed 29-21 at halftime.
The Indians could replicate the defense in the third and fourth quarter as Henrietta scored 16 and 15 points. Nocona’s offense kept pace and even outscored the Bearcats in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to make up the deficit it was chasing.
Henrietta won 60-50.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
SPORTS
Saint Jo teams easily win games on Tuesday night
Saint Jo boys
The Saint Jo Panthers easily won at Tioga on Tuesday night.
The Panthers won 55-31 against the Bulldogs in a game they dominated from the start.
Saint Jo raced out to a 20-5 lead in the first quarter, with 14 coming from leading scorer Barrett Johnson.
The Panthers cooled down offensively in the second and third quarters, scoring 20 points combined during the time. Still, the defense was able to keep Tioga stifled in the second quarter before the Bulldogs played a bit more evenly in the second half.
Saint Jo still outscored Tioga in each of the quarters, not allowing the Bulldogs to make up the double-digit deficit. The Panthers closed the game out with a 15 point quarter with four different players scoring at least one basket.
Saint Jo won 55-31.
Saint Jo girls
The Saint Jo Lady Panthers were able to beat Chico at home on Tuesday night.
The Lady Panthers won 58-41 against the Lady Dragons in a rough and tumble game that suits Saint Jo just fine.
Both teams tried to pressure the ball while playing fast and physical throughout. The Lady Panthers got an 18-9 lead after the first quarter and 31-23 at halftime.
Saint Jo pulled away with a 16 point third quarter before slowing things down a peg in the fourth quarter while keeping the defensive intensity up.
The Lady Panthers won 58-41.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
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