Geographist

Dallas Keuchel Born: January 1, 1988 Sport: Baseball (103-92 pitching record, 2-time All-Star, 5-time Gold Glove, Cy Young, World Series champ) As we approach the "dog days" of summer at the end of June, baseball usually takes center stage as the only game in town for any year that doesn't have the Olympics going on.  In 2026, however, we have the World Cup occupying our sports attention.  But we are still going to give the local nine their due and keep our focus on the diamond, at least for this week.  Back in 2015, the Houston Astros became relevant for the first time in quite a while as they made the postseason for the first time in 10 years, during which time they switched leagues from the NL to the AL and also endured a streak of three consecutive seasons of 100+ losses.  Their first taste of playoff baseball since their 2005 World Series loss was a memorable one, as they dispatched the New York Yankees in a one-game Wild Card round before falling to the eventua...

Wayne Graham Born: April 6, 1936 Sport: Baseball (1,848-641-2 collegiate coaching record, 5-time NJCAA World Series Champion, 1-time NCAA World Series Champion, Hall of Fame) The 2026 College World Series has nearly wrapped up, with the deciding game 3 scheduled to be played tomorrow.  The University of Oklahoma won the first game of the championship before the University of North Carolina came out on top to even the series.  The rubber game on Monday evening will determine who goes home with the hardware.  If the Sooners win it would be their third title in school history and first since 1994, and for the Tar Heels it would be their first time to come out on top after a couple of runner-up seasons 20 years ago.  The universities within the city of Houston have not historically fared well in the tournament, with the University of Houston finishing second in 1967 and the only baseball championship in local history going to Rice University back in 2003.  The head ...

Dwayne De Rosario Born: May 15, 1978 Sport: Soccer (7-time All-Star, 6-time Best XI, MLS MVP, MLS Golden Boot, 4-time MLS Champion) This week the World Cup began, and it's already catching the imaginations of many here in a country that never seems to have embraced the most popular sport in the world.  In sharing hosting duties with Canada and Mexico, the United States is acting in the role for the first time since 1994.  Here in the Houston area, we had our very first game today and will be the site of an additional six by the time the tournament wraps up next month.  Although the city's history with professional soccer is relatively short, one star for our local team can act as an ambassador and host for many of the cities where games will be played.  Dwayne De Rosario is a native of Ontario, Canada, and competed for numerous MLS clubs during his career, including Houston, Toronto, New York, and San Jose - all metro areas that will welcome international guests watc...

Derrick Lewis Born: February 7, 1985 Sport: Mixed Martial Arts (29-13-0 professional record, 16 UFC KO/TKO wins, currently holds heavyweight records for finishes and knockouts) As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday next month, there are numerous ways that people are choosing to mark the occasion.  One of the more interesting spectacles that has been planned is a UFC event on the White House lawn, billed as Freedom 250 which will take place one week from today.  When the fight card was originally announced, according to UFC's CEO Dana White, President Donald Trump asked why Derrick Lewis wasn't included.  So the boss made a few calls and added a fight that included Houston's most famous and successful MMA fighter, lining up the seasoned veteran against one of the sport's rising heavyweight stars, Josh Hokit.  When "no holds barred" cage matches began being held years ago, I didn't really understand the styles of fighting that took pl...