SPORTS
STORM CENTER: A story about Three Bars
There’s been plenty of scuttlebutt lately in Nocona about a horse.
But, it’s just not any horse, it happens to be Three Bars, who is buried at Al McNatt’s place located off United States Highway 82.
Attempts to reach McNatt for this column were unsuccessful.
The scuttlebutt was Three Bars was going to be exhumed and moved to Kentucky to rest beside Man o’ War, another legendary horse.
Based on speaking to others in the know, including Nocona city councilor Bob Ferguson, it is highly unlikely Three Bars will be exhumed to Kentucky.
Recently, however, Tales ‘N’ Trails Museum officials have talked about Three Bars, and possibly moving the horse there.
No decision has been made on that matter, either.
It seems like a big deal to make over a horse. But, you see, Three Bars isn’t just any horse.
Three Bars lived a great life. He was born in Kentucky, raced in the American Southwest, died in Oklahoma and is buried here in Montague County, Texas. He traveled better than most people I know.
The remains of the horse were placed in a metal box constructed by a master welder.
Three Bars died on the morning of April 6, 1968, in Sayre, Okla., which is located near Elk City. He passed away from a heart attack, two days shy of being 28 years old.
The horse was foaled on April 8, 1940, sired by Percentage. Myrtle Dee was the dam. Read more of this column in the weekend Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Three Bars, a horse who is buried here in Montague County, produced 29 American Quarter Horse Association champions and four supreme champions. Here’s a cover on him from a national magazine dated June 1968. Click on the image itself for the complete reproduction. (Image courtesy Circledhorses.com)
With the baseball and softball seasons over for the area 1A schools, district awards have been released.
Listed below are those earned honors on the field and in the classroom for Saint Jo and Bellevue.
Softball
Saint Jo
Honorable mention
Utility player: Taylor Patrick; Catcher: Jordyn O’Neal
Baseball
Superlatives
Offensive MVP: Devin Stewart, Saint Jo
Newcomer of the Year: Bryce Ramsey, Bellevue
Pitcher: Trent Gaston, Saint Jo
Outfielder: Jayden Curry, Saint Jo
Second team
Pitcher: Charlie Barclay, Saint Jo
Infielder: Brycen Bancroft, Bellevue; Sam Martin, Saint Jo
Outfielder: Rylan Forrester, Saint Jo
Catcher: Charlie Evans, Saint Jo
Utility: Logan Hoover, Saint Jo
DH: Amzy Barclay, Saint Jo
Honorable mention
Cody Gaston, Saint Jo; Xander Joyner, Saint Jo
To see academic awards from Saint Jo players, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Eldon Van Hooser is leaving Forestburg better than he found it.
The head boy’s basketball coach is retiring after more than 30 years, spending the last five at Forestburg.
Van Hooser did not come to this decision because of a lack of fire or feeling tired after decades in the profession. He had to for family reasons.
“My wife has MS (multiple sclerosis) and it’s a disease where you have trouble standing and walking and she needs help,” Van Hooser said. “I am able to so I am going to step away from teaching and coaching to be there for her.”
Van Hooser was hired in 2019. Along with being the boy’s basketball coach, he also was the football team’s defensive coordinator.
There were some lean years for Forestburg on the boy’s athletic side, with numbers being low and the available athletes being mostly underclassmen.
For two years, the Longhorns’ boy’s basketball team won few games and one of those seasons saw the team field five players on the high school team.
“One of those years we had COVID-19 and the other we had five kids,” Van Hooser said. “It was very rough. After that we worked with the kids and we had a good freshman group coming up. Next year they are going to be seniors.”
That group has helped to turn the program around. Last year the young Longhorns team contested for a playoff spot and just barely missed it finishing fifth in the district.
This season, that same group took a leap and finished second in district with a record of 7-5.
Despite losing its last two regular season games in dramatic fashion heading into the playoffs, the team stepped up in the bi-district game.
Playing against an athletic Newcastle team, Forestburg led for most of the game.
Unfortunately, the previous game against Bellevue saw the Longhorn team blow the lead late in the fourth quarter against a hard pressing style team and they were suffering the same fate against the Bobcats down the stretch.
Fortunately, Forestburg held on just enough to win 53-46. It was the first boy’s basketball playoff win in nine years for Forestburg.
“It was huge for our program,” Van Hooser said. “This new year we will have new goals. The new coach will have some goals of his own, but I set some for the team and think that we have come a long way.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
The Bowie sports banquets was on Monday night. Olivia Gill and Tucker Jones were named Jackrabbit and Lady Rabbit of the year. Pick up the mid-week paper for all of the sports team awards and pictures.
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