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I attended grammar school in
Longworth where several grades were held in one room. I
recall that my third grade class consisted of only three
kids, two boys and a girl. We got a lot of individual attention,
that's for sure.
After grammar school and junior high, I entered Sweetwater
High School with D. C. Andrews and Riley Cross, two of my
closest friends from Longworth. We turned out for the basketball
team. Before long, we were known as the Longworth Triple
Threat, and the three of us took over the varsity team.
Why not? We were in prime shape. We were always working
out, running, and swimming. D. C., Riley, and I would run
non-stop from Longworth to the swimming hole on the Barclay
Ranch, which was about eight miles away. Sometimes we'd
run from Sweetwater back to Longworth after school, but
the coach didn't take too kindly to that. He gave us a station
wagon so we'd be sure to make the practices on time. Sports
were my whole life in those days. They were everything.
In addition to basketball, I also turned out for the baseball
team and, at the suggestion of my coach, started running
track. I was never much interested in track, but the basketball
season was over and I needed something to do to keep in
shape, so I took on the mile run. It seemed like a fair
distance and with all the running I was doing, I felt I
could do all right. I honestly didn't realize at the time
how well I'd actually do.
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