Geographist

Billie Jean King Born: November 22, 1943 Sport: Tennis (782-192 career record, 39 Grand Slam titles - 12 singles, 16 doubles, and 11 mixed doubles, World #1 Player, Hall of Fame) As college football continues to get underway with its first full weekend of action, pro football enjoys its final moment before the season begins next week, and baseball approaches its final month before the playoffs arrive, another sport has taken its place on the usual highlight shows.  In the heart of New York, the best tennis players in the world have gathered to compete in the 2025 US Open, which will have its final events wrapped up by the time next week's post is made.  The venue for one of the sport's four major tournaments, boasting 17 individual courts, is called the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.  While not from Houston, the namesake had a memorable match in the city's most iconic venue with which she will forever be associated.  As a sad coincidence, both King's younge...

Andre Ware Born: July 31, 1968 Sport: Football (All-American, Heisman Trophy, College Football Hall of Fame) The NFL preseason ended this weekend while the college football season kicked off with a partial slate of games.  The city of Houston has been no stranger to producing talent at both levels, and with several universities calling the city home we've had our share of local players to cheer for.  But only one player to play their college career within the city limits has ever brought home the top individual award for performance on the field, and that was Andre Ware.  A local talent who soared to unprecedented heights, Ware made it to the professional ranks as a quarterback after his time in college and then returned to his roots to be a long-time contributor for his hometown team.  This week, we'll learn more about the local legend who is now heard every week by fans across the region. The Astrodome, home of the UH Cougars during Ware's 1989 season As the only c...

Mike Scott Born: April 26, 1955 Sport: Baseball (124-108, 3-time All-Star, 1986 Cy Young) As major league baseball continues its relentless march through the "dog days of summer", the kids of little league have been rapidly working their way towards their championship.  In just one week the Little League World Series will be played in Williamsport, PA, but today the kids get to see some of the stars of their sport perform in the annual Little League Classic, with the New York Mets playing against the Seattle Mariners.  As a 10-12 year old playing the game you love, it's inspiring to see the professionals perform at the highest level, especially when you recognize that many of them started off as little leaguers themselves.  This week we'll look at the story of Mike Scott, a Houston baseball legend who took that very path, learning the sport on a team that his dad coached before rising to the major league ranks to make his mark in the history books. The Astrodome durin...

Gene Elston Born: March 26, 1922 Sport: Baseball - Announcer (2006 Ford C. Frick Award - National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) Like many sports fans, I follow games and events on numerous media formats.  Although the modern increase in apps, websites, and regional TV networks has increased the ways games are consumed, the radio broadcast has remained a staple of sports coverage for over a century.  Baseball, long known as America's Pastime, has been especially associated with radio as the frequency of games and pace of play allowed for announcers to not only to explain how the action on the field would play out, but also tell stories, explain rules, discuss players, or provide other commentary.  Houston has been no stranger to quality broadcasters over the years, and this week we will learn about Gene Elston, the city's first play-by-play baseball announcer whose voice became synonymous with the team itself.  The Astrodome and nearby Colts Stadium, where Gene El...

Brian Ching Born: May 24, 1978 Sport: Soccer (82 MLS career goals, 6-time All-Star, 2004 MLS Golden Boot, 3-time MLS Cup Champion, 2006 World Cup participant, 2007 Gold Cup champion) The world's most popular sport took a long time to reach Houston at the professional level.  Once it arrived, however, the city that boasted a massive international population (including a plurality of the residents descended from Latin American nations that love "the beautiful game") could proudly boast one of the most talented and recognizable names in the MLS.  From the day the Houston Dynamo relocated from their previous home in San Diego, Brian Ching was the face of the franchise.  He achieved success on the field, but made himself beloved to the city due to his work off the field.  This week we'll dig into the story behind the first professional soccer star in Houston history. The Houston Dynamo moved to their new permanent home near downtown in 2012 Brian Ching was born in Hawaii,...