Geographist

Elvin Hayes Born: November 17, 1945 Sport: Basketball (2-time All-American, Collegiate Player of the Year, 12-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA, Hall of Fame) I originally had other plans for our focus this week, but hopefully my change of plans is well-received.  All of the major professional sports are currently underway, with baseball about to wrap up and crown a new champ, football in the midst of their regular season, and both hockey and basketball recently getting started.  It was basketball that caught my attention, however, as the local team has welcomed a new superstar who will likely end his career in the Hall of Fame.  But since he's new in town, I'll give him a year before we let him get onto our list.  Instead, I've decided to go back in time to learn about someone who had a laundry list of "firsts" for the city of Houston, a giant man known as much for his skill as his durability, Elvin Hayes. Hayes played at numerous arenas across Houston during his thr...

George Blanda Born: September 17, 1927 Sport: Football (4-time All-AFL, 4-time AFL All-Star, MVP, Hall of Fame) I hope everyone has had a wonderful time since my last post, because I had a blast on a short cruise with my wife.  We definitely recommend the experience to anyone who hasn't had a chance to enjoy sailing away and disconnecting for a while.  As indicated on last week's post, we crossed the 300,000 threshold for views on this blog and it's mind-blowing to me to think about that many clicks on a website that just has a bunch of things I'm learning and want to share.  Thanks to all!  As we climb back into the study of Houston athletic figures, this week we'll go back in time to our city's first professional quarterback and the only man to bring football titles to a city that is obsessed with the gridiron.  Since it's been a long time since my last post, I thought it would be fun to look at someone who spent a long time playing the game he loved - Geo...

Hey all, I'm taking this week off to cruise around with Mrs. Geographist.  We'll get back to our study of Houston athletics once I'm back onshore.  By that point, the blog will have surpassed 300,000 views - thank you to each and every one of you!  If you've enjoyed what is on the site, I would encourage you to find and purchase my 52-week devotional, Our Story With God.  As of this writing, it's discounted from its original price on several sites, so take advantage now!  I've linked some popular sellers where it's available, and it is the perfect complement to the audio blogs that started this site a few years ago.  Our Story with God by Brian W. McClain on Apple Books https://share.google/sjKofhzAmq3NVhOCb Our Story with God: A One-Year Devotional Study of the Bible by Brian W. McClain | eBook | Barnes & Noble® https://share.google/oxr7uJoPwlS4gPO83 Amazon.com: Brian W McClain: books, biography, latest update https://share.google/nItHMJFtojY9yfe1...

Dicky Maegle Born: September 14, 1934 Sport: Football (All-American, Pro Bowl, All-Pro, College Football Hall of Fame)  Most sports fans align themselves with certain teams, while others pick particular players to cheer.  Personally, I've always been a homer, rooting for my local teams no matter what the sport happens to be.  There have been a few players that have caught my eye over the years, however, that have drawn my interest and caused my to cheer their successes, as long as it didn't interfere with anyone from Houston.  But one thing nearly every sports fan has in common is the excitement over the remarkable play.  The thrill of watching incredible athletes perform at the highest level sometimes results in a moment of amazement, disbelief, or awe that embeds itself in our collective memories, causing us to think (or say), "I've never seen that before!"  This week I wanted to give a nod to one of Houston's universities that has a distinctive sports pa...