Hometown News

Friday Night Lights.

2007-01-20T17:03:00.000-06:00

Remember all those Borger Bulldog Football games. Here's you chance to share your Friday Night memories. Just post your comments where others can read them.

Any 40 to 50's Graduates out there?

2007-01-20T16:52:00.000-06:00

Received this e-mail from Sam Thompson.

Glenn, Have you heard anything from anyone graduating in the forties? I finished in 1946 and remember that Bobby of the LIndsey furniture store people was in my class. He married Jo Carol Birch who worked for me at the state old age assistant office next door to the snack shack across the street from the Post office. My mother worked for J C Penney around the corner and we had coffee and a string one at the snack shack every day around 1951. About that same time I was the life guard for Firman Haynie at the old Huber pool. I hope you hear from some other old timers I will enjoy hearing from anyone. -Sam Thompson

Huber Park Baseball Field

2007-01-12T10:05:00.000-06:00

It's reported on the front page of the News-Herald that the local Booster Club is working with the city to do a makeover on the Bulldog Baseball stadium. Assistance fire chief Bob Watson is taking the lead to getting the roof on the Grandstand replaced. The city will be purchasing the materials. I remember my Dad taking me there to see the Oilers play and seeing men who climbed the light post to look over the fence and see the games. Borgans have many memories on this landmark. Please share them by making comments.

Read comments from Mike Harrington and add yours!!!

Norm Barnes-Class '53

2007-01-11T15:15:00.000-06:00

Hi Glenn
I lived in Borger from 1944 till 1953, well we actually lived at 353 Philrich Branch in Bunavista. Back then Borger was a busy place. The Ratliff family lived a few doors down. Their son Ed was a good friend of mine.
My folks divorced in 1945 and my mom dragged my two sisters and me off to California. San Francisco to be exact. I hated the place and finally in 1947 I asked my dad if I could come and live with him back in Borger. I couldn't wait to get back to my friends but sadly the old saying once you leave you can never go back. The kids I knew were like strangers.
Jimmy Mercer was the only one I could relate to we did everything together. Jimmy’s goal in life was to be a Marine like his dad.
Sadly Jimmy died in a swimming accident, when I went to Jimmy’s funeral I told him I would take his place and joined the Marines after graduation. Jimmy was with me in memory all through 4 years in the Corps. I worked hard and was promoted meritoriously twice once to Corporal and once to Sgt. I left the corps with the rank of S/Sgt. I didn't let Jim down.
Norm

My Wish for You in 2007: May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like super glue and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success and may happiness slap you across the face so that your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had in the past, forget your home address! In simple words ...........May 2007 be the best year of your life!!!

2007-01-09T14:21:00.000-06:00

Frieda Pickett contacted me and asked to place my memory of Coach Mayfield in her book GROWING UP IN BORGER. Here is the Table of Contents. Just reading through it brings up many memories. If something listed jogs your memory, share it with others by making comments. I could write a book on Mrs. Smock and her class. Purple memories!!!

Growing Up in Borger
Memories from people who grew up in Borger, TX during the 1950’s and 1960’s

Table of Contents

PART ONE

Class Reunions
1. History of Borger
2. Education in Borger:
a. East Ward, West Ward Weatherly, Central Elementary
b. Junior high education
c. Borger high school
3. Teachers we had (Mrs. Smock, Mrs. Vogel, Others)
4. Commerce in Borger
d. Barney’s pharmacy
e. Snack shack
f. Big Hearts
g. Café’s in Borger
h. Davis Chevrolet
i. Jim’s grocery
j. Lindsey’s furniture
k. Phillips 66 Station
l. Phillips Petroleum and Carbon Black

PART TWO – PEOPLE & PLACES

5. Walking Horse
6. Teen Town, American Legion Hall Club Dances
7. Post’s Drive Inn, and the others
8. Sutphen’s BarBQ and the others
9. Movie theaters
10. Buna Vista Apartments
11. Huber Camp
12. Borger Gassers

PART THREE– SPECIAL MEMORIES AND GRADUATES

13. You know you’re from Borger…
14. The Big Snow
15. BurmaShave Signs
16. 9 foot rattlesnake
17. Roy Orbison comes to Borger
18. The day it rained mudballs
19. Do You remember….?
20. People remembered
21. Borger Wildfires
22. Where are they now?
23. Deceased list of graduates
Getting old

2006-12-30T11:04:00.000-06:00

REMEMBERING GENE MAYFIELD.

It was 1963 when I graduated from Borger High School as a shy young man. I remember Gene Mayfield, the mild mannered coach of the Borger Bulldogs football team. In my mind he fit the mold of a Tom Landry.

Mayfield was a quiet man. A man of integrity. He didn’t need to lie, curse or brag to be a winner. He was a straight shooter who inspired a team of young men to be Class 4-A State Finalists. In my Borgan Annual he wrote, "outside of being tardy, I hardly knew you were in Study Hall. Seems like you were always busy. Come to think of it I was tardy about as much as you. Best wishes for Happiness. Coach Mayfield."

He probably never knew how his presence inspired a student in his study hall class.

I would thank Coach Mayfield today for the example he set for me and others. The shy kid with sweaty palms and shaky knees in front of a high school speech class grew up. Today, I’m seldom tardy and have learned to be outspoken in my convictions and beliefs.

Throughout my life there have been other Coach Mayfields.

I recall a private meeting with Trammell Crow dealing with a corporate brochure we were producing. I asked him how he would describe his company in one sentence. He replied, "Son, we are nothing but a back woods Camelot." Mr. Crow was referring to "Camelot" as related to John Kennedy. Funny thing was that few people knew about Trammell Crow at that time, The Trammell Crow Company owned more real estate property worldwide than any other developer. Trammel Crow was a quiet man like Coach Mayfield.

I’ll never forget the embarrassing moment in a board room trying to present a multimedia slide presentation. We had convinced our client, Justin Industries to purchase a new $3,000 projector. My staff spent months producing this presentation to meet a deadline for stock analyst in New York City. We made a practice run by playing the presentation before hand in our offices.

We set up the presentation in the client's board room. John Justin (Chairman of the Board) and 4 other corporate officers entered the room and took their positions at the table. I pressed the play button and nothing happened. When I looked at the expressions on faces surrounding me, I regressed to the kid with the sweaty hands and shaky knees. The President’s temper was going ballistic. Mr. Justin calmly got out of his chair walked down the length of the table where I was standing and simply said "Just call and have a technician come here to fix the projector." Problem solved.

A proud memento I have today is an ad with a headline, "What Winners Wear". John Justin is sitting in a chair wearing a cowboy hat and Justin Boots. Surrounding him are George Strait, Randy White, Jim Shoulders, Dale Earnhart, and Nolan Ryan…all wearing Justin Boots. The ad is signed, "To my friend Glenn. Best regards. John Justin.

John Justin has passed on. He was a man like Coach Mayfield and Trammell Crow. They were all straight shooters. Their successes came from inspiring others around them through examples of honesty and integrity. Each one of them were winners leading winning teams.