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SS...Your mention of 'Gramps' making his road trips to the bootlegger made me smile, and brought back almost forgotten memories of my husband and a couple of his teammates on the 47 Straight, who had a little side hustle, making 'Home Brew' in the bathtub of our apartment, in Parkview...They even bought bottles and a 'Capper'! Their popularity soared!
And Thanks for your personal observations from that same era, Okla...Those WERE The Days, My Friend! SOONER!
BTW, Senior. While I was in Houston (1971-79), we were 6-2-1, so that made it tolerable. 😂
I used to have runs up to Caney, KS when I was 18. 18+ strip clubs. It's been 30 ish years, but I'll never forget the location/name: Club 169.
Unforgettable...That's what that are!
Well I was a few years earlier than you but there was a bar for 18s just across the state line called Black Horse or something like that but everyone just called it "State Line Beer". There was also Grannie's Bait Shop in Caney. Mostly "hole-in-the-wall" type places with picnic tables in the yards with The Doors or Steppin Wolf blaring on loud speakers. The road was treacherous between Copan and Caney then. Drinking and driving on that stretch of curvy road claimed a lot of lives from mid 60s to early 70s. The sexual revolution of the late 60s pretty much negated strip clubs. Any lake on any Sunday provided all the nudity a guy could absorb on a sunny day! Rural Oklahoma! What a life!
OU and the Big 8 was labelled "Oklahoma and the Seven Dwarfs" during the 1950's and it was a valid label as OU's opponents during the 47 game winning streak had a winning percentage of 38%, including non-conference games.
They made him an offer he couldn't refuse...Often repeated story was that when he beat Bud, his old coach, the first time, in 1958, that DKR cried, and 'upchucked'...
I read where Royal threw up after the 1976 tie with OU, as he wanted to beat Switzer due to cheating allegations. His regard for his Sooner legacy or at least Switzer was at rock bottom then, but I think he accepted his place in OU history after Switzer retired. (I have a red OU helmet autographed by Royal).
I have yet to talk football with a Horn fan with any civility. They are like Red Sox fans in that they want to remind me how much they hate my team and how great their team is, rather than just talk football/baseball.
I haven’t had that experience except when living in Texas. The Horn fans I know here in Tulsa are pretty quite. So evidently all Texas fans aren’t necessarily stupid. 😂
I've lived amongst for the past 36 years. Cowboy fans also. What a dispirited clan. 😁
I have known 3 Texas fans that I could calmly and objectively talk football with, one of whom is my great nephew who attended UT for one semester in the early 1980's and was somehow sold on the Longhorn legacy in his brief stay.
Awww...Thank You, MIkee...What a nice thing to say, but You are late to the party!
After lurking, for several years, primarily because the board was almost exclusively Male and enjoying all of the guys who posted such strong OU thoughts and opinions, I finally posted stories from what I considered The Golden Years...long ago, and far away. My story was almost like a Fairy Tale...It was wonderful being a part of The Magic Circle of The 47 Straight, but so many Wonderful People, Players, and Coaches, have come and gone since then, that all of that is Old News...It was the Best of Times...Until it Wasn't...Great post, Plaino.
You've come a lonnnnng way, SS!
Yes, thanks to my friends on this board. I have been privy to experiences that won't show up on Youtube or ESPN. Mickey Ripley was a family friend and enchanted my mother with his tales of OU football from inside the program.
Yes! Inside the program were some of The Best of Times, and occasionally, The Worst of Times...Each of the players had been used to having the Spotlight on his abilities...When he came to OU and everyone else brought similar Sensational Statistics and Talents, it got 'Interesting' seeing how each one handled their change in status. There was quite a lot of 'on-the-job-training' in lessons on acceptance and adjustments... sharing, and caring. Coaches then, and now, face indescribable challenges in making those pieces of the puzzle fit...When They Succeed, it leads to Winning Teams, and Championships!
CT...How ironic that you should call me out on this...I've been sitting on this recent story of Prentice, considering if the time was right for me to share it with my fellow Scoopers...Thanks for Nudging me, as, IMO, it is one of the Strongest Individual Stories coming out of OU Football History...That is probably because it was lived by one of the Strongest Individuals to ever set foot on Owen Field...Prentice Gautt's background is interesting, in itself, and can be googled, by anyone. It is the events that were not covered by the media that still stand out in my memories...My husband was a year ahead of Prentice, so we were already at OU when he and his wife, DeDe came on board. There is no way to describe the uniqueness of the situation...No handbook on teammate behavior...No play books for the coaches on how to integrate ONE BLACK PLAYER into a multitude of White Players who were all comfortable in the spotlights of their respective high schools...Of course there was a lot of jockeying for positions among them, but that was expected, and accepted, because They 'Belonged'...There were problems, from the beginning...From the Fans, the Students, and in the Locker Room. Prentice was a divisive presence, in the beginning. After getting to know Prentice, the Person, many of the players relaxed their opinions, and treated him more cordially, but not warmly. He never complained...Never tried to insert himself into any situation...He was humble, and never responded when jealous teammates treated him poorly. My husband and I both grew up in all-white communities, but neither of us was prejudiced about color. We became friends with Prentice and DeDe and the four of us often made road trips together to Speaker-Type Dinners throughout Oklahoma. One night, Prentice invited us to go to a Special Banquet honoring him! When we arrived, we realized we had come to an all black community. We were the only white people who were present, and for the first time, we were the Minority. We were warmly welcomed by the crowd..Completely the opposite of how Prentice was often treated. It was fortunate that Prentice was such an outstanding player, and earned his position and playing time. If it had been otherwise, his role would have been viewed as 'A Gesture...A Token'...Prentice paid the price for making the team with his own blood, sweat, and TEARS...As many players as there were, so were there that many 'Prentice Stories'...One of the best was when Jake Sanderfer went to Bud and volunteered to room with Prentice on road trips...Jakey was easily the most privileged player on the team, coming from a Very wealthy Texas Oil Family...He was also the most gracious, down-to-earth friend we had...This recent publication, which detailed Joe C's Friendship with Prentice was news to me...You may have been aware of it, Scottsdale, but if not, I'm guessing you'll enjoy reading it, and maybe even shedding a tear, as I did...I've always been proud to call Prentice Gautt 'My Friend'...https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-football-trailblazer-prentice-gautt-legacy/39267372 ...(This link may not work on here, but can be googled.)
www.koco.com
