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A legacy unrivaled: Texas League All Stars The texas league all star team was the team to be reveared in the 1970s. Each team member brought a level of play that pushed the others to bring their best every time they stepped out on the field. The game was not only a hobby, but a way of life and an opportunity to make memories with friends who became family. The legacy the Texas league all stars left behind is one that has yet to be beaten.

Stepping onto a new field

Sports is a way of life. there are those who can watch a game and tell the story in a way that makes you feel you are sitting front row in real time. New big spring herald sports writer, dustin pope, is ready to share that experience with our readers. while he may be new to the big spring herald staff, he is not new to the world of sports.

Exploring drawing mediums

Local artist kay smith discusses the different options for those looking to step into new mediums of creating art. her featured piece this month is a sketch on a non traditional medium, but shares a story in itself.

Difference between hay fever and sinusitis As the seasons begin to change once again david huchton, md at shannon clinic speaks about the difference between hay fever and chrnoic sinusitis. a few tips on what to look for and things to avoid in order to enjoy time outdoors this spring.

On the cover: Manny Negron captured the changing leaves in front of the Heritage Museum highlighting the changes of time and the importance of history in our community. The beauty captured in the photo pictured on the front cover is a reflection of the beauty that exists in our community on any given day.

growing up in the 1940s and 1950s

Local resident and chaplain joel miller shares another one of his stories with our readers. this month miller tells a story (maybe with a little truth) about what it was like growing up in the 1940s and the 1950s.

Published by the Big Spring Herald. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. Living Magazine is published monthly and distributed to businesses and residents of Howard County. Amanda Duforat is the editor of the Living Magazine. Editorial correspondence should be sent to Living, P.O.Box 1431, Big Spring, Texas, 79721. For advertising rates and other information, please call 432-263-7331.

A legacy unrivaled Texas League All Stars ByAMANDA DUFORAT

Football roots run deep in the heart of West Texas, but what many don’t know is Big Spring, Texas once held a claim to fame through the All American game of Baseball. The Texas League All Stars team - in the 1970s - achieved a feat that no other little league team in our community since has accomplished; the 15 member team made it to the State Championship held in Waco. The team was led by Manager Fred Jara and assisted by Chon Rodriguez. Not only was the team gaining fame as they traveled across Texas – Midland, San Angelo, Odessa, Big Spring - defeating opponent after opponent, but they were doing so with one of those members being a girl. Twelve-year-old Julia Hartman Montanez at the time - was recruited to the league by her brother. “I had been playing softball, but the season had ended and my brother kept after my friend (Norma) and I to come join the league,” Montanez said. “My brother was coaching and needed players. He kept after us; he finally convinced us and we ended up playing on the regular league team. We were both 12 so we just played for that one year.” As the teams progressed through the season, at the end, the All Star team was formed. As players were selected, Julia Hartman was part of the roster called up. The All Star team continued to rise to the top and made their way to the State Championship. According to a Living Magazine

newspaper article from the 1970s, Hartman (Montanez) was the first female to play at American League Park, and she made her entrance at the top of the sixth playing left field. While baseball may have been a new avenue of adventure for her, the game itself was nothing new. Growing up – since the age of 7 - she had been active in sports, especially softball where she had played shortstop, first base, pitcher, and had become a pretty good hitter. Hartman may have been a girl, but when she stepped out on the field she was one of the boys and no mercy was shown – to her or the other players. “There was no mercy for me. They treated me just like one of them. I was just a teammate,” Hartman said. “We were all raised together on the Northside. We all knew each other like brother and sister.” While her teammates didn’t treat her any differently, as the team made plans to travel to the State Championship travel arrangements had to be thought out, as she couldn’t travel with the team or sleep in the same quarters as the team. One of the mom’s ended up providing the transportation to and from and the overnight accommodations. While the game may be over and the remnants of the league’s existence in the Big Spring community has almost completely disappeared, the memories held by these team members continue to live on.

know being involved helped keep me occupied and off the streets.” Tom Olague was another member, actually one of just two of the 11 year olds, of the Texas League All Stars that made their way to the State Championship. While the Texas League may no longer be active in Big Spring, the impact it has left on the kids who once played on the team, like Olague, is an everlasting one. Baseball was a way of life for Olague and his fellow teammates; a different way of life than it is today. The team worked together to build each other up, to grow together. The weakest link wasn’t an odd man out, but a motivation point for the entire team. The determination and the drive exhibited by each member of the team created a force to be reckoned with and left lasting impacts on the lives of those who played and on the community that built them. “Teamwork and equality were two of the biggest lessons; they go hand in hand,” Olague said. “You played with what you had, and if one person wasn’t as good as the next you helped him get there.” Olague continued, “Never give up ... even now. You push through and you look for the good in people. When

“We like telling the story. We look back and we see some of the guys from the team. I have one (Johnny Green) who we see, and he is always telling me ‘Get away from me, get away from me; you struck me out,’” she said as she laughed. “I will always tell him, come on … let’s go do it again.” Hartman and the other members of the Texas League All Stars each carry with them the memories made together, the lessons learned, and a piece of history as they continue to walk the streets of Big Spring. “Big Spring is my community; I love my community, but I do wish there was more for the youth to take part in,” Hartman said. “I want to encourage parents to get their kids involved in sports, but not only get them involved, but get involved with them.” Hartman encourages the youth in the community to find a sport they love, whether it be track, baseball, basketball, football or any other sport. Hartman’s love of baseball has carried her through her life and is something she has enjoyed passing down to her kids and now her grandchildren. After her Texas League All Star games were over, Hartman continued playing the game until she was 45, through the different leagues in the area, including the Woman’s Slowpitch Co-ed team. “One thing I learned through it all is that if I could do that I could do anything,” she said. “It’s important 501 N. Birdwell Ln. • Big Spring • (432) 267-7781 for our youth today to get involved. I Living Magazine

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you stepped on the field you went out there to beat your opponent, but when you stepped off the field you leave that alone.” The lessons learned on the ballfield helped shape the man he is today. After seeing first hand the positive impact his time in the Texas League had on his life, as an adult he is doing what he can do make a positive impact

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in his community. “Just like you left everything on the field when you played ball, it’s the same thing when you are at work. You work eight hours a day with someone and whether you like them or not, you get along and get the job done; when you go home you leave it behind. A lot of the stresses in life are the same ... you leave it on the field.” The lessons learned from the game of baseball and his time spent on the Texas League team go far beyond the proper way to pitch, the right way to grip a bat; it’s about the life lessons, the memories, the unshakable transformation that a sense of community – even at a young age – instilled in each of the team members. “The atmosphere ... waking up knowing you were going to play ball and you know the support that was going to be there,” he said. “Every time you went out to play the support was overwhelming incredible. You felt like you were playing in the big league game.” The sense of team, of accomplishment of support extended beyond the players; it overflowed into the community. The Texas League was one of four leagues in the City of Big Spring and while they may not have been as polished in appearance, the caliber of talent that was exhibited on the field was above all. “We enjoyed going to the other fields to play on. There were some beautiful fields ... but we were the team people feared playing,” he said. “I remember going to a class reunion and one of my classmates

– all those years later – came up to me and told me how they were afraid to play us ...” The game of baseball may have changed over the years, but the memories continue to live on and be seen in the adulthood of those who passed through the league. “So many other kids came through; Frankie Rubio was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies. My cousin Arthur Olague and a lot of others went on to play in high school, some continued into college ball and a few lucky ones were drafted even if they didn’t go, like my cousin. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds but he opted not to go, he went to school and came home, retired and worked.” Olague continued, “It’s important not to forget the struggles. We may have had wire holding our shoe strings together and holes in the fences, but the level of play on that field was unreal... I remember playing in the International League when the airbase was open

and the soldiers would come up to us and ask us how we pulled off the double plays.” The desire to play the game was the driving force. For the Texas League it wasn’t about the new outfits – there weren’t any – or the big sponsors – they were few and far between; it was about the love of the game and the desire to play and play better every time. Even after kids would age out of the league, they wouldn’t go far. According to Olague many would return to help in practice, coach or just throw a few balls with the teams in hopes of sharing the training, their skills and adding encouragement. Just as the kids would always come back to help with the younger kids, the concept is the same all these years later. The coaches can only tell the kids so much. The important part, the part that seems to help make it stick is what happens at home. “There were times when we would have three or four parents out on the field helping in practice. They weren’t coaches, but they were out there getting involved,” he said. “That brings the camaraderie between the parents and the child. Back then we would play baseball and it didn’t matter if we played Odessa, Abilene or other big towns we would just beat up on them. The reputation was if you were going to play Big Spring you better come ready to play because them boys can play.” He continued, “I look back and think, we need a lot more of that. We need to up the level of play so we can compete. There’s no more Texas League, but every now and then you go by there and someone will be out there and we get to talking, reminiscing of how beautiful it was back then.” As with many other things in the community, as the air base closed the population of Big Spring began to move out and leagues began to dissolve. The Texas League may be non-existent and the field may be desolate, but nobody will ever take the memories instilled in Olague’s mind and the mind of those who played the game in the 70s and 80s. The history books may not reflect it, but those who lived it will tell you the history makes a difference and it’s important to keep it alive. “We don’t forget ...,” he said. “We may have come up short a few times, but we made it to the State playoffs and were able to play in the big tournaments and represent our little town. I am hoping that one year one of our little league teams will get to do that. Leave everything to the side and get your best players out there. “ The talent and the drive exhibited by the players remained long after the league dissolved. The accomplishments were a representation of the talent that stepped out of Big Spring and that’s history that can’t be erased. While there are many examples, one of the main memories Olague had is in 1982 when Big Spring won it’s first District Championship there were seven Texas League players on that team. For now, the Texas League’s history is the end of one chapter for Big Spring baseball, but it’s not the end. We are just waiting for the next chapter to begin ... Living Magazine

March House Call The difference between hay fever and chronic sinusitis enced ear pain, coughing or throat clearing, aching in the jaw or teeth, bad breath and fatigue. Allergies/hay fever or lingering infection? Hay fever could be a contributing factor to chronic sinusitis. If you do have hay fever, it rarely means you’re allergic to “hay”. The culprit usually is due to tree pollen, grass pollen, weed pollen, dust or dust mites, or mold or mold spores. Frequently, it is also a combination of reactions to all of the above. That’s because a variety of airborne pollens can set off allergy symptoms, depending on your location and the time of year. One thing you’ll notice is that those symptoms arrive with the seasons. According to the American Academy of Allergy, David Huchton, MD Asthma & Immunology, hay Shannon Clinic Otolaryngology fever is often triggered by: • Tree pollen in early spring. cheeks, • Grasses during late spring and early summer. nose or • Weeds in late summer and fall. forehead, In this geographic area, mold and mold spores are and realso very prevalent and are a cause of allergies year duced round. Pollen is usually harmless. sense of But if you have hay fever, your immune system mistaste and takes pollen for an invader, triggering the release smell. of chemicals (such as histamine) that lead to those Patients uncomfortable symptoms. have also Finding relief experi-

You’re sneezing and coughing, and your eyes are watery, red and itchy. Then there’s that runny, stuffy nose. Maybe you remember having the same miserable symptoms last year when the seasons changed. What’s going on? You may have seasonal allergies, or what’s commonly called hay fever, or you may have chronic sinusitis, a condition that occurs when the sinus cavities inside your nose and head are swollen or inflamed for three months or longer. Other common symptoms of sinusitis include thick, discolored discharge from the nose, drainage down the back of the throat, nasal congestion, pain, tenderness and swelling around the eyes

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If you think you might have allergies, tell your doctor. You may need a skin test or blood test to learn what you’re allergic to. Then your doctor can recommend a treatment plan, which may include: Avoiding your allergy triggers. Try to spend less time outdoors when pollen counts are high. You can find pollen counts online or get them through apps on your smartphone. Taking over-the-counter or prescription medicines. Options include nasal steroid sprays and antihistamine pills. These medications generally work best when you start them just before allergy season begins. Also, using a gentle saline rinse once or twice per day, especially if you have been outdoors in the wind or dust, frequently is helpful for controlling or diminishing allergy symptoms. What about allergy shots? Allergy shots (immunotherapy) might be another option. It takes time, but the shots can build up your body’s resistance to specific hay fever triggers. Many people who get allergy shots see their symptoms improve or even disappear. If your symptoms persist: Your physician will be able to determine the root of your symptoms through imaging tests, allergy tests, and collecting samples from your nasal and sinus discharge. Chronic sinusitis is treated with a variety of methods, including nasal corticosteroids, oral or injected corticosteroids, saline nasal irrigation, antibiotics, and immunotherapy. In some cases a surgical intervention, either in the office or under anesthesia, may become necessary. If you are having allergy symptoms and can’t find relief for an extended period of time, talk to your doctor. It is recommended to see a doctor immediately if you have symptoms such as fever, swelling or redness around your eyes, severe headaches, forehead swelling, confusion, vision changes or a stiff neck. For more information on hay fever, allergies and chronic sinusitis, call Shannon Clinic, Department of Otolaryngology at 325-481-2283.

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Living Magazine

Exploring drawing mediums By KAY SMITH When we think of drawing mediums we know that these ways to create art are relatively inexpensive so people can experiment with various materials without going bankrupt. So much from which to choose! There are graphite pencils of many degrees of hardness and a favorite is always the common grade school no. 2, often called an office pencil. All these allow us to make a whole array of marks in the same drawing. A personal favorite for me is the flat tipped carpenter’s pencil that gives a wide mark. Charcoal pencils or sticks in shades of black and brown make wonderful fluid lines. Graphite powder is used for swirling smudges. Everyday writing materials are available for a second look to determine if they, too, could be snatched for that next sketch, such as the ballpoint and felt tip pens. These make unique marks and textures the graphite pencils can’t. Don’t be restricted to monochrome. Water-soluble pencils and crayons are available in a vast range of colors, as are colored pastel chalks, colored pencils and oil pastels. If you are on a tight budget or just don’t want to risk purchasing something that might not work out for you, almost all these items can be obtained individually, and you don’t end up with a complete set. Some of us who do order new tools will let our artist friends try ours out first before committing to getting them ourselves. A fairly new product is called Liquid Pencil and comes in tubes as paint does, but the finished sketch looks identical to the typical graphite pencil lines. It is easy to apply with superb results. You can’t have too many drawing mediums at your disposal. Try some next time you feel the urge to sketch, or more than one

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together, and you’ll be glad you did. Visit Brushworks at 2106 Scurry St., Big Spring or https://kaysmith.artspan.com

Stepping onto a new fIeld

By DUSTIN POPE

My name is Dustin Pope, and I am the new sports reporter at the Big Spring Herald. I have been asked to give an introduction to myself. That is difficult for me because I am not that interesting, but I will give it my best shot. Let us start from the beginning; I was born in Odessa, Texas, in 1980. I spent all my childhood growing up in Crane, Texas. Now, if you are not familiar with Crane, well, it is your run of the mill small West Texas town. As with any small town, you have a friendly community where everyone seems to know everyone. Most of my family lived in Crane; my dad had an auto mechanic shop, my mother worked at the local newspaper. My grandparents were also in my hometown, as my grandfather retired from ARCO, and like my mother, my grandmother also worked at the paper. I have a younger sister named Tara. We lived on the outskirts of town One unique aspect of my life is that as I was growing up, my family raised Ostriches. We had a big Ostrich farm, and because it was something a little different, we would have schools take field trips to come see the farm. Along with Ostriches, we had many other exotic animals; we had Fenix Fox’s, hedgehogs. We had the regular animals as well. My sister raised rabbits, and I had a beagle named Bo.

As I got older, my love of sports started taking shape; I started playing little league baseball, pop warner football. I would play whatever sport was going on at the time. My favorite sport has always been baseball. From the moment I put on a glove for the first time and took a swing at

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a pitch, I was hooked. That is when I started watching my favorite team, the Chicago Cubs; I would watch my team play any chance I got. I can remember the legendary Harry Carey calling the Games, and of course, the famous seventh inning stretch where he would sing ‘Take me out to the ball game.’ When I reached my high school years, I realized that, like many small communities that high school sports meant so much to the town. I played football, baseball, and track. During my football freshman year, I got moved up to varsity and started the last three games of the season. I also pitched for the varsity team that year, winning four of my seven starts. Going into my Sophomore year, I realized that I did have some pressure to be both teams’ leaders. It was something that I relished. This was the season I started to realize that I was talented at both football and baseball. In my second year, both teams, football, and baseball went to the playoffs. Fast forward to my senior year; I knew that this would be the last time I played competitive football, 12 Living Magazine

and we made it to the state semi-finals only to fall to Childress 10-7. The baseball season was more of the same as we made it to the state tournament; we eventually lost out to the Brownfield Cubs. I received multiple awards for both sports and even received some scholarship offers to play baseball at the junior college level. After my high school career, I decided to follow my fathers and grandfathers footsteps by joining the Military. My Granddad served in the Army and was involved in World War II, and my father also joined the Army and was in the Vietnam war. I, however, decided to join the Navy. After my time in the service is when my sports writing career began. I started covering Daily Fantasy Sports. So, let me explain what Daily Fantasy sports, or DFS as we call it, is. So, with DFS, it is right as it sounds Fantasy football but a Daily variety instead of a season-long fantasy where you draft a team and keep the team for the whole year. With DFS, you can craft an entirely new team every single day. I would break down mostly baseball games when I first started. My goal was to help players learn how to study correctly and know how to make the right decisions on who to play. Through 2016-2018 I was able to make it to the DraftKings world Baseball championships. I made it to a few Football championships as well. Breaking down the games involves a lot of watching game film and studying stats, so you might be able to find that one player who nobody else is playing. I have worked for multiple different DFS sites as an

analyst. I have enjoyed my time covering Daily Fantasy Sports, and it will always be a part of my life. In 2017 I was lucky enough to meet my future wife Malinda Pope and her son Kyler Sharpe. We got married in 2018. That is when I moved to Big Spring, Texas. Her fantastic family accepted me with arms wide open. I love all my new family because they mean a lot to me and having people who care about you always make life more reassuring. Our family’s closeness amazes me her Father, Doby Walker, and mother, Kasi Walker, always

check in on us to make sure we are doing good. My stepson Kyler Sharpe is an amazing young man who is growing up way too fast. We have two Boston Terriers, one named Max and a Rizzo. My amazing wife is my heart and soul, and I would not be the man I am if not for her she is my best friend and the love of my life. I am ready to start my new career and use my love of sports to cover these young athletes and coaches to the best of my ability. I believe that being a former student-athlete will help me in this job.

Living Magazine

Growing up in the 1940s & 1950s By JOEL MILLER

My wife and I were totally enjoying myself learning all about nature and the setting on the front spoiling from a loving grandmother. My young uncle and porch last week. She I could do so many things there that I could not do in the is a day dreamer and city, sliding down hay stacks, playing in the creek, and is always looking at tormenting the farm animals. the clouds, trying to In Junior High, I met my first real girlfriend, a friendfind images and objects. ship that lasted four years. We were together all the She saw two little clouds time, even my walking her home after school, all the way closed together and said it looked across town from my house. There were the sock hops, like two bears kissing. Another time she formal dances, after school coke parties, and birthday said “God is taking a nap” . I asked what she was talkparties. I always figured we would get married and live a ing about and she said there were two little clouds closed happy life. But my family moved out of state! We wrote together that looked like two closed eyes. O.K. Change letters and called each other for about a year, but the subjects. I started reminiscing about days when I was commutations got further and further apart. Finally, durgrowing up in Oklahoma. They were days that I think of ing my junior year she wrote and said she was engaged today as much easier going back then. to a soldier she had met. So ended my serious love life. Looking back, life as a preteen and teen ager was so When we moved back to Oklahoma, my senior year, she much simpler. I didn’t have the problems of raising a had already married and left the state. family, money, and all the other problems life. My senior year was a whirlwind of activities. I was I was raised up in a small town in Southern Oklahoma driving by then and had my own car, a 1950 Plymouth and was on my grandparent’s farm on week-ends and during the summer. It was a time of fun, as well as education. Little did I realize that my time on the farm would impact my later life. Is Upon Us! The summer of my eight birthday, we moved to Northern Montana and stayed there for three years. I met my first girlfriend there, while We have what you need for Springtime! I was in the second grade (I failed the second grade the year before). There was winter ice skating, sledding, and lots of winter activities, years that are still fresh in my memory. Then we moved back to Oklahoma where I started the sixth grade. I remember one “serious problem” I had as a sixth grader. Our basketball team was playing a little country school team. While we won the game, I had only scored one basket. This was a really bad thing for me. I thought about it all day. By the next day, I had forgotten all about it. I had found a new girlfriend. I had spent many week-ends and summers on my grandad’s farm,

Spring

From Gardening Tools to Lawn Mowers,

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coupe. I had two very good friends from junior high school and we used the car to pull tricks on many people. We would set, at night, on a side road intersection, with our parking lights on. When a speeder would see the lights, they would slow down. When they slowed down, we would come out of the side road and speed up until we were behind them. Most of the time they would pull over to the side of the road. Then we would speed up and get out of there. Fortunately, we were never caught, but at the time we thought it great fun. Another thing we used to do was to put on a service station hat, used a flashlight, went to the local night parking and sparking sight and shined the spotlight on the car. Then one of us would approach the car, shining the flashlight into the car and tell them they would have to leave or get arrested. Then we would walk back to the car. Once, it did not work out that way and we were chased all over the county back roads, until we finally lost them. I had been in band since the sixth grade. I played the base horn. My senior year was an exceptionally cold year and on Friday night football games, we would freeze to death. We would have to keep our instrument mouth pieces in our pockets to keep them from freezing on our lips. Now I can talk about those nights with ease, but then, it was awful. I did not have a steady girlfriend, but there were three girls the three of us ran around with. Since we were all together, we went to parties and dances and just enjoyed each other. My two friends ended up marrying two of the girls. I lost contact with the third girl, as I went into the Army out of high school. Oklahoma was dry (no alcohol) during the mid 50’s, but we managed to always get beer or a bottle of whiskey. Our Senior Prom was titled “Hobo Days” and we all dressed up as hobos. After the prom dance, we all met at a local motel room for a drinking and gambling session. Sometime during the night someone hollered that the doors were locked from the outside and the cops had been called. We all scattered out the “locked” front door or through the windows. So ended the gambling party, but not the fun. The three of us took the girls home and went out on the highway and stopped traffic, asking for money. You have to remember, this was the 50’s and there was no danger being on the highway. We did get some money, but one car said they were going to the police station to report us. We scattered and went home, hoping our parents would not know we had been drinking. I was working during my senior year

at a local paint store. There was a doctor’s office over the top of the store. Once a week, I cleaned the offices. One office had a skeleton on display. Here I was in an office, by myself with a skeleton. This was in 1954 and I did not know about fake skeletons. That room did not get the best cleaning. Between the two jobs, I had plenty of money. It was a fun year for me. That summer, I got to experience college life. One of my friends and I went to Oklahoma A & M college. I took two courses, passed then, but decided I had had too much schooling. I tried to get into the Air Force pilot training but I was too tall (6”3 ½”) and too skinny (139 pounds). So I enlisted in the U.S. Army for three years. Four years later I was released and returned to college. I was married by then and the government paid me $135.00 per month to stay in school ($50.00 a month went to rent, the rest was for tuition, books, and living). I worked was a janitor to supplicate my income ($0.75 per hour). I was also in the Oklahoma National Guard, to fulfil my 8 year obligation to the government. That was over 60 years ago, but it seems like it was just a few years ago. Setting on the front porch makes you lose all sense of time. Where have all the years gone? Please, young people, savor all the time you are given because when you grow old, all you have left are your memories. Seniors, please write down all your memories so your children and grandchildren will know how you lived when you were young.

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