SPORTS
STORM CENTER: ‘42’ truly a Texas game
Football isn’t the only game Texans take seriously.
Let me suggest you pay a visit to the Bowie Senior Citizens Center in Pelham Park some morning and watch elder statesmen and stateswomen of this fine community play a game called “42.”
The game of “42,” in my opinion, is one of those games that make living in the state of Texas unique, ranking right up there with Whataburger and driving on the shoulder to allow others to pass.
In August 1985, Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer Christopher Evans traced “42” back to its roots in the 1880s.
Reportedly in the town of Garner, today an unincorporated community northwest of Weatherford, two boys named Walter Earl and William A. Thomas invented “42.”
Earl, 14, and Thomas, 12, were the children of devout Baptists, and they were caught playing cards in the hayloft of a barn. In those days, it was considered sinful to play cards. The boys were disciplined for their mischievous activity.
That’s when the boys set out to find a way to play cards through a different medium, and dominoes became the vehicle for this derivation.
By the fall of 1887, the boys devised a four-player game using double-six dominoes that incorporated both the concepts of bidding and trumping.
Dominoes were “an acceptable activity,” and the boys began teaching others how to play. Their families later moved to Windom in Fannin County, and “42” was brought there as well.
Thomas recounted his story during a 1927 interview with the Dallas Journal, he died 19 years later, but the game is living quite well these days – including here in Bowie. Read more from this column in the weekend edition of The Bowie News.
(From left) Izella Boyd, Roe Daughrity, Billie Williams and Jean Hatch play a game of “42” on Wednesday morning at the Bowie Senior Center in Pelham Park. The women are regulars, and it’s one of the most popular games played at the facility according to center assistant director Lynda Medley. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)
Saint Jo’s Firecracker 5K welcomed 100 runners for its 16th year on July 4th.
According to runsignup.com, Old Jo’s Firecracker 5K saw 100 runners of all ages register to kick off in downtown Saint Jo.
Brayden Willett, 14, Nocona, was the top male finisher with a time of 19:02.6. Sarah Rainey, 35, Saint Jo, was the top female finisher with 21:47.1.
In the male nine and under division, I. Miller, nine, Muenster, repeated his first place win from 2023 with at time of 34:52.8. E. Thomas, eight, no town listed, also repeated her win with a time of 31:58.5.
Emry Raney-Cavnar, 14, Ardmore, OK, won the male 10-14 group and E. Christensen, 11, Decatur, took the female race. In the male 15-19 division Luke Gehrig, 17, Muenster, won, while Sophia Christensen, 15, Decatur, took the ladies’ title.
See all the results and more photos in the weekend Bowie News.
Special appreciation to Jennifer Gaston Panther Photography for use of her photos.
Major League Baseball and the Texas Rangers have planned a full week of activities for 2024 All-Star Week taking place in Arlington, Fort Worth and the North Texas region from July 12-16.
The 94th Midsummer Classic will be played at Globe Life Field on July 16, marking the second All-Star Game to be hosted by the Rangers following the 1995 All-Star Game at The Ballpark in Arlington.
HBCU Swingman Classic: July 12
All-Star Commissioner’s Cup: July 12- July 15
Jennie Finch Classic: July 12-15.
All-Star Village: July 13-16
All-Star Futures Game: July 13
All-Star Celebrity Softball: July 13
MLB Draft Opening Night: July 14
Home Run Derby: July 15
All-Star Red Carpet Show:July 16
MLB All-Star Game presented: July 16
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By JORDAN NEAL
[email protected]
When most young kids get into rodeo, the craziest ones might be lucky enough to ride small bucking horses and maybe bulls in their late teens.
Then there is 12-year-old Riggin Garrett, who is already pursuing what he hopes is his future career as a bullfighter. It is a dream he began trying out several years ago at rodeos in and around this county.
This is not the Spanish variation of bullfighting where they end up killing the bull, this is “freestyle bullfighting” which is more popular in America. Here bullfighters attempt to make the bull look a fool, using their athleticism to barely dodge them, put their hats on their heads, leap over them and sometimes use a barrel as a prop. They also work as protection for the cowboys during the bull riding to help save bucked off riders.
In competition, both the bullfighter and the bull are judged after a 60-70 second encounter with points scored due to the various maneuvers pulled off.
Garrett is the son of Keysha Avens and Shane Garrett, and will be going into seventh grade at Saint Jo. As long as he can remember, Garrett has always been interested in bullfighting.
Read the full feature in the mid-week Bowie News.
Top Photo by J. Kelley Photography.
CORRECTION – In the mid-week Bowie News, the photographer for the picture on the top of page 1B was misidentified. The photo came from J. Kelley Photography, not Andre Silva as stated. We apologize for this error.
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