1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:08,120 Speaker 1: M You know most stories have a need a protagonist 2 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: and an antagonist to tell her the story. Well, um 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: and telling this story the protagonists. The good is the community, 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: it's the team, it's the boys. The antagonist is a 5 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: world that pushes against us. On this episode of the 6 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: Beargrease podcast, will be crossing the streams of sports, rural life, 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: and hunting as we learned about the Bradleyville Eagles basketball 8 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: dynasty in Missouri, lasting from nineteen sixty two to nineteen 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: sixty eight, which includes a still standing state record, sixty 10 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: four game winning streak, and three state championships. We'll talk 11 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: with author Leon Combs, who wrote a book about the dynasty, 12 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: and we'll meet one of the players, Mr. Leon Boyd, 13 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: the team's ball handling point guard and coon hunter extraordinaire 14 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: who still hunts and loves basketball to this day. In 15 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: today's world, extreme specialization is often seen as the key 16 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: to success in sports in life, but is that true? 17 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: I want to explore the idea of how having diversity 18 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: can make us better at everything we do, like being 19 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: a coon hunting basketball player. But it's a toss up. 20 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: The drama of this sports story will have you on 21 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: the edge of your bleacher as we hear the actual 22 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: broadcast of the Bradleyville Eagles nineteen sixty eight State championship game. 23 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: And we're gonna go on a coon hunt with Leon Boyd. 24 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: I doubt you're gonna want to miss this one. Boys, 25 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: it's all fun. The only other thing I've done this 26 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: about was coon hunt, So if you know, that's that 27 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: the whole plan of fun to me, alright, I enjoyed it. 28 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: My name is Clay Nukelem. This is the Bear Grease Podcast, 29 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: where we'll explore things forgotten but relevant, search for insight 30 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: and unlikely places, and where we'll tell the story of 31 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:15,119 Speaker 1: Americans who lived their lives close to the land. Presented 32 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: by f HF Gear, American made, purpose built hunting and 33 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: fishing gear that's designed to be as rugged as the 34 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: places we explore. Great passed by Ali Shepherd Newcomb with 35 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: the With the Two, I want to let you in 36 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: on a little known secret. The Newcombs are ballers. We 37 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: love some basketball. But let me qualify this. I wish 38 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 1: I could say that I had been a great basketball player, 39 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: but I can't. Though I had the potential to be 40 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: a dec a small town point guard, and I did 41 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: play through my high school years. I was not a star. 42 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: I had one night of glory when I knocked down 43 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: five three pointers against Clark's full and won the Player 44 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: of the Game award. But I pretty much squandered my 45 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: high school years away in an identity struggle of whether 46 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: I was an athlete or a coon hunter. I'm being 47 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: quite serious, it's the truth. In my youth, the two 48 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: worlds couldn't coexist. I couldn't resolve their conflicts. My dad 49 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: always wanted me to be well rounded, and he'd say, 50 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: you need to be able to play a round a 51 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: golf and kill a deer with a bow. Much to 52 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: his chagrin, I wasn't very well rounded, and let's just 53 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: say I didn't play much golf. The older I've gotten, however, 54 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: the more I've realized his general idea was correct if 55 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: his intent was to make me more successful in life, 56 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: but would it have a common narrator of in America 57 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: is that early starting, extreme specialization in sports and life 58 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: is key to success. Stories like Tiger Woods, whose father 59 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: intensely trained him when he was five years old, as 60 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: a compelling story all the way to the Bobby Fisher 61 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: child chest prodigy stories of the nineteen seventies. All these 62 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: stories spurred on this ideology, and it's a compelling idea 63 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: when our society has been on a pathway of increasing 64 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: specialization in our careers in general skill sets since the 65 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 1: Industrial Revolution. Before that, we had to be a jack 66 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: of all trades just to survive. But have we lost 67 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: something in specialization. I'm in search of the answer, and 68 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: of all places that I'm gonna look for it, how 69 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: about a basketball team in Bradleyville, Missouri. I love the 70 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: audacity of it. My wife, Missy, and I are at 71 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: our fourteen year old son, Shepherd nucam a a U 72 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 1: basketball game. The a U is a summer league for 73 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: up and coming ball players. The top players in the 74 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: country played some type of a U ball, and the 75 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: vast majority of NBA players played a U ball when 76 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: they were young. In this gym, everyone's focuses on the 77 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: kids on the court, but I find myself watching and 78 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: listening to the parents. I'm often amazed at their intensity 79 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: and the wild things that they say to the referees 80 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: and the wild stuff they say to their kids. But 81 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: I'm right there with them. I'm one of them, and 82 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 1: I'll be at a biased assessment. Shepherd nucom is a 83 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: baller with the capital beat. The boy tries to shoot 84 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: a thousand three pointers every day and he would literally 85 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: eat basketballs if they were a little bit smaller. But 86 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: here's another question I'd like to understand in order to 87 00:05:55,640 --> 00:06:03,119 Speaker 1: understand Bradleyville's basketball phenomena. Wow, this is intense. They broke 88 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: his ankles, so misty. Basketball is a great sport for 89 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: smaller rural schools in in America. Basketball you don't need 90 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: eleven players, you don't need a huge football field. You 91 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: only really only need five players. You can practice at 92 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 1: your house with just a single hoop, a rim, a 93 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: basketball goal. Why do you think rural schools loves basketball 94 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: some months, Well, basketball is a great sport in rural 95 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: communities because you don't have the population base to secure 96 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: a full on football team. I mean, you go to 97 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: a football game and they've got thirty six forty kids 98 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: out there. At basketball, you need five main players eight. 99 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: You know, eight kids will give you a good backup. 100 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: It doesn't require a lot of money. You know, you 101 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: need a gym. Most schools have that. But individual kids, though, 102 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: can put hoops up outside their house. They don't need 103 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 1: a lot of fancy contraptions. I mean, it's not like 104 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,919 Speaker 1: how many kids that we're looking at, So Shephard is 105 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: not in the game right now. How many of these 106 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: boys do you think of killed bears and have coon dogs. 107 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: I can't answer that question. But what I'm really asking 108 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: is are these elite young athletes growing into diverse people 109 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: that can be successful in life? I know that's the 110 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: question Missy and I are asking about our own children. 111 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: Are we setting them up for success? The draw to 112 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: extreme specialization is enticing to a kid and to parents. 113 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: But let's get back to our conversation about why rural 114 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: areas like basketball. Obviously it's not just rural places that 115 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: love hoops. It's probably more known as an urban sport. 116 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: But when all you have is basketball and all your 117 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: eggs are in one basket, you have the opportunity for 118 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: a blaze of glory or utter failure. I want to 119 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: introduce you to one of the best basketball stories I've 120 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: ever heard, and touches home deeply with me because it 121 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: involves some incredible ballers, some coon hunters, in the building 122 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: of the Missouri basketball dynasty with records that have stood 123 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: for over sixty years. Leon Combs is eighty seven years old, 124 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: but I would have believed him if he said he 125 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: was sixty seven. He's spry, with a tent of eyes 126 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: and a sharp mind and a voice fit for radio. 127 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: I'm sitting in his home in Bradleyville, overlooking a stunning 128 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: view of the Ozarks. In he wrote a book called 129 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 1: The Hicks from the Sticks. It's about the Bradleyville basketball era. 130 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: Bradleyville is in Taney County in southwest Missouri and today 131 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: has a population of eighty people. It's located about thirty 132 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: miles east of the famed music show town of Branson, Missouri, 133 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: in the rural Ozarks. Mr Combs didn't play basketball during 134 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: the Dynasty years. He played ten years prior. But he's 135 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: going to introduce us to Bradleyville basketball before their meteoric rise. 136 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 1: I went to school here and played basketball here, but 137 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: Bradleyby on those days. What's the tiny school. We did 138 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: have a gymnasium and we played outdoors. We had an outdoor, 139 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 1: we held board backboards. We had rims with no nats 140 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: on them. I think the rents were made by local 141 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: blacksmith and we would play out there in the mud. 142 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: And the rain and snow, we try to play. We did, 143 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: and then um we got a coach who when I 144 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,439 Speaker 1: was a sophomore I think, interested in the subregional tournament 145 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: in Branson, as it calls the days. Well, we were, 146 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: you know, seated last and we played Branson uh first night, 147 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: which was a big school compared to won the state 148 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: championship the year of our They beat a sixty four 149 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: to six. I was in that game. Then I think, 150 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: we want to I played four years on the basketball team. 151 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: We lost every game we played except two. We want 152 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:05,959 Speaker 1: two games years? Was that fifty three? I graduated in nine. 153 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: You know, I just we just we didn't expect to win. 154 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: But we left to go to other schools to play 155 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: because we got to play on a gym, you know, 156 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: with the ball would bounce straight. You know, we could 157 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: dribble the ball halfway. During my senior junior year, they 158 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: decided to build a gymnasium. They appropriated a hundred dollars 159 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: to build a gym, but they got a lot of 160 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: volunteer labor and materials and so forth. They build a 161 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 1: gymnasium and put a tile floor in it. I helped drop. 162 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: They had us boys going over with sand rock and 163 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: smoothed out the concrete so the tile would stick. Finally 164 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: got it down in the very first game we played. 165 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: We played Spokane, first game Bradley ever played indoors at home. 166 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: The concrete had been poured directly on the ground and 167 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: it started sweating, and so that tile got a slick 168 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: as ice. It's like we're playing on ice rink. We 169 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: had to call the game at halfway because guys were 170 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: just busting her head just slidely on that thing already dangerous. 171 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: So the story is is that Bradleyville was not a 172 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: good athletic school at the time. We were at the 173 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: bottom of heap. Everybody just beat the heck hours, I mean, 174 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: would't even I hate to admiture. This was rural Ozarks. 175 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: I think the school in those days was not even 176 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: accredited by the state, winning two games in four years, 177 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: building a gymnasium that was almost unusable. You can feel 178 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: the humiliation hovering over this community like a thick fog. Sadly, 179 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: this community had given all they had, but it didn't 180 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: stand up to the standards of the time. The entire 181 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: school first through twelve had about sixty students. The people 182 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:48,559 Speaker 1: in the community lived in what the Times called poverty 183 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: and primarily worked as loggers and subsistence farmers. These people 184 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:58,079 Speaker 1: worked hard, and sports success was a luxury. But after 185 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: the gym was built, a glenn of hope arose. Redeville 186 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: was getting better once they give They got the gymnasium 187 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty three. And they've always had good strong boys, 188 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: A lot of big, tall kids did the typical bill hillbilly, 189 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: I guess, and they just had some good talent, but 190 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: they never did never had any chance to developer, never 191 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: had a good coach. They started getting some coaches towards 192 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: the end of the fifties, and then in nineteen sixty 193 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: one they were they didn't have a coach, they didn't 194 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: have a superintendent. And Burt Horner was on the school 195 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: board and he had heard about a couple of brothers 196 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: over in Blue Eye Blue Ahmasaria and Blue Eye, Arkansas, 197 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: and so he went on up and talked to Omar 198 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 1: Gibson about the possibility of being superintendent and to his 199 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 1: brother Ray Gibson about being a coach. They they talked 200 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: to negotiated and end up signing a deal, a package 201 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: deal for ten thousand dollars a year that Omar I 202 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: was superintendent, we get six thousand, and Ray as coach 203 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: get four thousand. So they agreed that and Ray Gibson 204 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: was a was a great coach. He was a young coach. 205 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: He didn't know how good he was. He told me 206 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 1: he came over here. He said, I never saw some 207 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: raw talent. I don't never starting strong boys. I never 208 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 1: saw a young man who are so eager to learn. 209 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: They listened to. I told them they were so easy 210 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: to coach. He so I could run them to death 211 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: and they would never complain. And so he said they 212 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: were a great condition and all they needed was some 213 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: basics and fundamentals and someone We're doing pretty well. So 214 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:35,760 Speaker 1: they started playing games in the nineteen sixty two and 215 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: Ray coached him hard. He he emphasized sportsmanship. He said, 216 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: I don't ever want to see any attitude problems. I 217 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: don't want to see argue with a referee. I don't 218 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: want to see argue with a calling of no matter 219 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: how bad they call it is. He said that they 220 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: won the first tournament that year and the first one 221 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 1: that they ever had ever want to tournament before, and 222 00:13:56,040 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: they won the Sportsmanship Award and from then on through 223 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: the sixties rather be one of sportsmanship award and every 224 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: every tournament they played there. There are three things that 225 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 1: just happened, and I'll list them numerically for your listening needs. 226 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 1: Number One, the beginning of hope for the team began 227 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: with a coach who believed in the boys despite their 228 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: historical record. Number Two, it's inferred, but the difficulty of 229 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: the life of these boys and the Ozarks made them coachable, tough, 230 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: and extremely hard workers. Number Three, a core philosophy of 231 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: the team was sportsmanship. Leon Combs moved away from Bradleyville 232 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: after he graduated high school and assumed he'd never come back. 233 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: Now he's going to tell us about his extreme shock 234 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: when he saw his old alma mater, Bradleyville having a 235 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: winning season. And I was living in Columbia then. That 236 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: was in nineteen two. I started reading about Brudneyville. So 237 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: you'd moved away from your I've been gone since fifty three. 238 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: I've been a Marine Corps. I've been I'd come back 239 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: to visit my parents, but for just a weekend overnight 240 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: and go up. I lost all attached. So I started 241 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: seeing the newspapers stories of basketball in the springtime, the 242 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: basketball tournaments, and Bradleyville was winning games and winning game. Wow, 243 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: this is unusual. I had a brother who was a 244 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: Jerry Colmes was a center on the team, and Lannie 245 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: Colms and David Colms were my first cousins. Anyhow, I 246 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: kept watching, and the next thing I know, they were 247 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: coming to Columbia there on the final four. I couldn't 248 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: believe this, So I went down to Old Brewer field 249 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: House at the University Missouri there and I watched him 250 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: play the semifinal game and they won it. And I 251 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: watched the final game and they won that and just 252 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: state championship, State championship. Yeah, state championship. In the course 253 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: of ten years, Bradleyville went from the humiliation of Southwest 254 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: Missouri to the nineteen sixty two Class S Missouri State 255 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: Ampiens and S stands for small. This was absolutely incredible 256 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: for this community. Here's Mr Leon Combs telling us why 257 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: he named his book The Hicks from the Sticks. One 258 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: of the games that from bradley was playing in the 259 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: Blue Gold Tournament. They're playing part view. They call him 260 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: a jolly Green Giants or color green. They had won 261 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: the state championship before. That's where the name of the 262 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: book came from. The day the game was going to 263 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: be played. People calling into k w t O radio 264 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: in Springfield talking about the game tonight, which from Undefeated 265 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: Bradleyville an undefeated part view and uh one guy called. 266 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: They said, well, you know, Bradleyville may be good down there, 267 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 1: and they played those little schools down there in South Missouri. 268 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: But PA, I can tell you one thing. Those hicks 269 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: from US Sticks are gonna meet their match tonight. They 270 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: went up there and uh, Gary Kelder played on the 271 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: part of few team. I'll be underviewed him fifty years later. 272 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: Gary said, we couldn't believe leeve the struggle were having 273 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: those team and he said they called time out and 274 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:06,120 Speaker 1: he said that they were huddling close to our bench there. 275 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: He said, Dwayne Margot had curly black hair. Dwyne always 276 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: had a comb in his shock. He carried a calmb 277 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 1: he camed his hair doing a game and they were 278 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: sitting there a call in time out in front of mention. 279 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: He was combing his hair and calling. I said that. 280 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,199 Speaker 1: One of players said, are you pramp and comb your 281 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: hair doing the game all the time? He said, I'm 282 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: only one. I know we're gonna win and get a picture. 283 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: Took only one. I had to beat hig part and 284 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 1: the coach told me our jealous said that was that 285 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: when was more gratifying to me than the state championship. 286 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,360 Speaker 1: I want to now introduce you to the court general 287 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: of that team, Leon Boyd. He was a senior in 288 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty two and today he's seventy eight years old. 289 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: He still looks like he could be me and one 290 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: on one. I'm standing in his home, nine miles north 291 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: of Bradleyville, on the land he was born on and 292 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: still lives on to this day. In his living room, 293 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 1: there are three white tail racks, a wooden clock with 294 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: the image of a raccoon behind the hands of the clock, 295 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 1: uncountable photos of his family, and lots of pictures of dogs, 296 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: coon dogs. He's showing a newspaper to my son, Shepherd. 297 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:35,879 Speaker 1: So this is a the Branson Sports Tri Lakes newspaper. 298 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: This is April night two and there's a picture of 299 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: the nineteen sixty two Bradleyville Eagles celebrate sixty years. So 300 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: this was your sixty year class reunion, Yes, sixty years, 301 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: And they put a picture of the basketball team that 302 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: won the state championship. Where are you at? Mr? Leon? 303 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,040 Speaker 1: And he didn't look at day older and they in 304 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: that picture doesn't show see the year we took state 305 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 1: there Branson played for state the same place with playing 306 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: and they got beat the second we want to beat Branson. 307 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: They was a large school with small you know, and 308 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,880 Speaker 1: they got beaten. And they had ballroom all set up 309 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 1: for their celebration, you know, but they got beat that night. 310 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: And but they they're deal at Branson anyway, had us 311 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 1: down there for a meal or two. You know, you 312 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,399 Speaker 1: guys were the heroes and the big the bigger school 313 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 1: got beat. Who's all friends? You know? One things back then? 314 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 1: And ever read read that byline for me, all right. 315 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 1: Members of the nineteen sixty two state Class S basketball 316 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: champions our front row, Bill Roberts and Jerry Combs in 317 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: back row Coach Ray Gibson, Leon Boyd's Roy Combs, Darryl Paul, 318 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: Eddie Hunts, Saker and Matt Wakeley. I was a little guy, 319 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 1: but you were You were the ball handler when they 320 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: when they needed to get through a press, they passed 321 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 1: it to you there, right. That seemed to be the 322 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: way it happened. You know that kind of sounds like 323 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: the way I would describe you ball handler. I don't 324 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 1: always get to bring my kids along when I travel, 325 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 1: but I really wanted my son's shepherd to meet Leon Boyd. 326 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: I think they might have a lot in common. I 327 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,719 Speaker 1: think you can hear it. But Mr Boyd is an 328 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: unusually humble man, which is an honorable trait. I want 329 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: to ask him specifically about the state championship. So what 330 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: do you what would you say is your most significant 331 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: memory of winning that state championship and and that being 332 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:51,679 Speaker 1: the first one that Bradleyville had won one ever Sportsman 333 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: Chip trophy that there was that here, I'd say that's 334 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,159 Speaker 1: my best memory. We had a coach and he was 335 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: just always smiling when you look Debaine. He would never 336 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: mean and he was a good coach really, so he 337 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: he didn't get intense with you guys. How how did 338 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: he motivate you? Well, he just let us play ball 339 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: and he'd tell us what to do and and we 340 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 1: just pay attention to him. Now, I assume he really 341 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 1: worked you guys hard though, I mean he worked you 342 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 1: hard in practice, that's just part of it. We enjoyed 343 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 1: the practice as much as the game. You know, it's 344 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: all fun. The only other thing I've done this about 345 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: was coon hunt, so you know that's that the whole 346 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 1: plan was fun to me. I really enjoyed it. When 347 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: did you start coon hunting? Probably when I was Levin 348 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 1: when they started letting me carry a gun by myself. Go, well, 349 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 1: we had no hound half hound that would tria, cooner 350 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: or squirrel either one. And and then Barrel Mayer gave 351 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 1: me my first hound, and he was your bus driver. 352 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 1: He had my bus driver. Was that first town? Any good? 353 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: Would it? Trick? Trick coon? It like a lot being 354 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 1: perfect kind of like me, you know, but in Treer 355 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: coon and so you've had you've had dogs and coon 356 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 1: hunted ever since then? Yeah, yeah, all my life I 357 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: have and still enjoyed. It was something I could do 358 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: when I wouldn't have worked. You know, I could hunt 359 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: at night and other things. You know, I needed to 360 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: work in daytime to coon hunt at night. I could 361 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: work in the daytime and I could coon hunt at night. 362 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: Now that's some functional rationale. Here's Mr leon Comb's given 363 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 1: us some insight into how the upbringing and lifestyle of 364 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 1: these boys plays into the story. But don't get to 365 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: nostalgic about winning one state championship, because that's just the beginning. 366 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: They won some more. It feels like the work ethic 367 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,120 Speaker 1: and kind of the fabric of the character of these 368 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 1: boys was formed by hardships inside of their life that 369 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: would have come from poverty, would have come from living 370 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: in a rural area, would have come from not having 371 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: any extras inside of their life. And it feels like 372 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 1: that played into their success and and a lot of 373 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: them later in their success in life. Can you talk 374 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 1: to me about that? Well, Leon Boyd here who you're 375 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: gonna talk to. He comes to a very poor family, 376 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: and uh, when it came time to buy a letter 377 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: jacket basketball letter jacket, he couldn't afford it. He didn't 378 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: have any money. So the boys took up a collection 379 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 1: and bought him. He still wears it today, he's seventy 380 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 1: years old. He still fits in it. There are a 381 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: lot of poor people, I think I wrote in the 382 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 1: book about Hollywood. Run along the highway and pick pop 383 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: bottles up the glass pop bottles. They get two cents 384 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,239 Speaker 1: for him and get to get the money. And they 385 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: would buy cartons milky when those they didn't have free 386 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: lunches in no days. If you didn't have any money, 387 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 1: you didn't eat. So they had a little carton s 388 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,120 Speaker 1: milk you get for ten cents, I think, so they 389 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: have that. So literally a lot of these boys came 390 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: from before they barely had enough to eat, and they 391 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: worked hard. They had to milk cows and feed hogs. 392 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: So the boys grew up in and very poor Faminist, 393 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: but they were taught the morality, the right things to do. 394 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: They they would never think about those days. Ye mean 395 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: that I thought about smoking a mari want a cigarette 396 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: was just out out the colt. I mean, wouldn't even 397 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,360 Speaker 1: touch it or any other kind of dope. And mostly 398 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:17,199 Speaker 1: a lot of guys didn't even drink. It was a 399 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 1: work ethic is in the community. Everybody started to work. 400 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 1: If someone was on welfare, they were they were almost 401 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 1: disgraced in the community. A lot of people people would 402 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 1: almost starve before they were going welfare because of the 403 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: disgrace attached to it. But I don't know what made 404 00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: the community what it was, but it was. It was 405 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: a beautiful community from a standpoint of humanity and loving 406 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: each other and helping each other. You know, farmers would 407 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: help each other. You come over and work for me, 408 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: putting on my hay, and well, I don't talk about 409 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: paying you that I come and help you. And uh. 410 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: People they were just good neighbors and uh they were 411 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 1: very proud of this community. And as we tell this story, 412 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: it's a story. You know, most stories have to need 413 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: a protagon in an antagonist to tell her good story. Well, um, 414 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: and telling this story the protagonists. The good is the community, 415 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 1: it's the team, it's the boys. The antagonists is the 416 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: world that pushes against us. This is an insightful statement 417 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: from Leon Combs. When we look back in history, it 418 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 1: seems that things were more simple, and in many ways 419 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: this is true, but they still had complicated lives. Roy 420 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: and Jerry Combs were cousins and played with Leon Boyd 421 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: in that nineteen sixty two state championship team. Their grandfather 422 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 1: was named John Riley Combs, and he was the sheriff 423 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: of Taney County, Missouri. During Prohibition. His sons, who would 424 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: have been Roy and Jerry's father and uncle, were caught 425 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: making and selling moonshine, and rather than letting his sons 426 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: go to prison, sure if John Riley Combs claimed that 427 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: the Stills were his and he served six months in 428 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: Leavenworth Prison in Kansas. He took the heat for his sons. 429 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 1: There's another story of one of the families selling a 430 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 1: cow so they could afford to travel to Columbia to 431 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: go to the state championship game. Life was simple, but 432 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,719 Speaker 1: it was also hard. Here's Leon Combs talking to us 433 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 1: about how good Leon Boyd's team was in nineteen sixty two. 434 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: You'll hear them mentioned one of the players, Darryl Paul. 435 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 1: He was a real ringer. Here's what the coach, Ray 436 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:35,399 Speaker 1: Gibson said about this team. He said that the boys 437 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 1: were great. They were they were easy to coach. And 438 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: he said, I wasn't surprised what the state not surrivor? 439 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: He said they lost a couple of games that Europe, 440 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: but he said we shouldn't have lost. Talks. Yeah, the 441 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:49,439 Speaker 1: couple of they lost Leon Boyd was six, Yes, is 442 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: that what they said? There was another something like that, 443 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: and then they were they were playing a big school. 444 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,880 Speaker 1: They were playing They be Joplin, which was a school 445 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: two thousand students. Brother I had had sixty or seventies 446 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 1: students in the whole school. Yeah, that's at the Blue 447 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: and Gold Tournament in Springfield, Darrell Paul had the record 448 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 1: for the most points scored and that stood from two. 449 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 1: Finally he was broom and you know they started three 450 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,360 Speaker 1: points in the tournament. It was a record for that 451 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 1: tournament or for that tournament, for that tournament, it was 452 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 1: before the three point line, so he was hitting what 453 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 1: would have been counted as studies. And the people who 454 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: be him, of course, they had most of the three porters, right. Yeah, 455 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:34,679 Speaker 1: So I mean if they said, if they had done 456 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: Darryl Paul three parts, he still hold the record. Well, 457 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 1: and they and a lot of guys said that we're 458 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: in the know and new basketball at that time that 459 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: he was potentially one of the best spot shooters ever. 460 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: In the statement had that from Charlie spood charge he said, 461 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 1: I watched his kid plays. I've never seen anybody could 462 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: catch the ball and released it almost instantly. I mean, 463 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: it reminded why I see Steph Curry played. Yeah, he 464 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: probably wasn't going to Stephen Curry because in those days, 465 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 1: boys didn't have a au camps or summer night. We 466 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: weren't allowed to play on a summer nime. I think 467 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,959 Speaker 1: the real thermometer for how good this team was was 468 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: in that they were beating schools that were twenty times 469 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 1: their size. As a side note, this great shooter Darryl 470 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: Paul who played with Leon Boyd on this team. He 471 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: sadly passed away at the age of seven in the 472 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 1: nineteen seventies from cancer. I want to get some more 473 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: from this coon hunting point guard, Mr. Boyd. I want 474 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: to hear his story. You you look like you're in 475 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: great shape right now. You look like you could outrun 476 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: me right now. Probably deceiving. So you were. You were 477 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: kind of on the team that brought an upswing that 478 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: kind of started this Bradleyville streak of about six or 479 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: seven years where y'all are really good. Kind of let 480 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: people know where Bradley Bill was. Yeah, we had a 481 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: lot of fun. So you were, you were a point guarden. 482 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: As I understand that you've you've played basketball up into 483 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: your adult life, just just for fun till seven and 484 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,959 Speaker 1: then I hurt my shoulder throwing a coon up maccree 485 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: for the dog. Really, so you played basketball till you're seventy. Yeah, 486 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 1: I played at St. John's. I've worked at twenty five 487 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 1: year and plaid on the league up there, and then 488 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,479 Speaker 1: then I played Town Team Bowl, you know with guys. 489 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 1: I like the longevity and passion of Mr Boyd playing 490 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: organized basketball until he was seventy years old. And if 491 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: you're gonna go down in an injury, why not go 492 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: down doing the other thing that you loved, coon hunting. 493 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: I think there's a plausible connection in the diversity in 494 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: Mr Boyd's life the physical fitness game. By playing ball 495 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: his whole life enabled him to stay active as a 496 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: coon hunter. Or maybe it was the other way around, 497 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: and it's possible that his coon hunting might have balanced 498 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: out his passion for the game of basketball, allowing him 499 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: to excel. I want to have a conversation about extreme 500 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: specialization and the benefits of being a jack of all 501 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: trades or a generalist. My wife, Mr. Nukeam, has run 502 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 1: a high school sports program for many years. She's a 503 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: PhD candidate at the University of Arkansas, and most of all, 504 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: she's a die hard bee ball fan. We're gonna talk 505 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: about a book titled Range by David Epstein that makes 506 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 1: the case that generalists often succeed in a world that 507 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: is demanding increasingly specialization. Will also talk about the youth 508 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: Sports World. I want to see what she has to say. 509 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: The example that I'm most identifying this book is the 510 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 1: example of Tiger Woods, which was a narrative that was 511 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: kind of put on us in a pretty significant way 512 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,120 Speaker 1: because his dad really pushed him as a child. He 513 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: was playing golf by the time he was three or four, 514 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 1: and there was this extreme specialization that pushed him to 515 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 1: become the greatest golfer in the world. And the idea 516 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:15,479 Speaker 1: was that that's what you should do in life. So 517 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 1: we took this. You know, golf is like the game 518 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: of life. The other example that the author uses his chess. Well, 519 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 1: what Epstein says is that those were pretty much false 520 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 1: narratives for most of life. He said that in super 521 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 1: predictable situations, like on a golf course, there's always a 522 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: t box, there's always a hole, it's just slightly different. 523 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: In those situations, extreme specialization is beneficial, But in most 524 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,920 Speaker 1: of life extreme specialization isn't as beneficial. And what in 525 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: the whole book is about how generalists, people that that 526 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 1: didn't specialize in one thing but ended up becoming experts 527 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: in something else that they were never even trained in. 528 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: And his whole thing is is that by being a generalist, 529 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: we learn how to respond to the irregularities that life 530 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 1: throws at us. Yeah, I think that that narrative of 531 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:10,240 Speaker 1: you should really focus in on one thing. It probably 532 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: comes from, you know, parents getting a certain level of 533 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: identity from their kids performance and wanting them to be 534 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: really good. It probably comes from just in general, a 535 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: focus on happiness and what makes our you know, wanting 536 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:22,720 Speaker 1: our kids to be good at things. Question I think 537 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,480 Speaker 1: you're asking, is is that good? It Is it good 538 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: to have that sort of extreme focus in one area. 539 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 1: And we're seeing this more in children's sports and use sports, 540 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 1: and we've seen it with our own son. We experienced 541 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: personally like a real push too. He did have some 542 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: native talent, and so people wanted us to make schooling 543 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 1: decisions around that, like where we lived, life decisions around that, 544 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 1: and then how our family operated, and we kind of 545 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 1: put some boundaries around that saying no. And I there's 546 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 1: a lot of arguments about this, like our athletes better 547 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: if they just play one sport. And I'm obviously a 548 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: little bit more towards the general starea, not just in 549 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 1: sports but in life. I think that we're better people 550 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: if we're more well rounded. So when I was in 551 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:06,240 Speaker 1: high school, pretty much if you were a good basketball 552 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: player and you went to play college basketball, it was 553 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: just a much more simple process. Today, they are prepping 554 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 1: these kids from the time they're young. If you're not 555 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: in the world, you'd be shocked. I mean you would 556 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:21,360 Speaker 1: be shocked to find out the amount of money that's 557 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: going into getting kids trained personal trainers. We're talking elementary 558 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 1: school and flying kids into play on teams. It's it's 559 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: pretty wild. And and again I think that as a 560 00:33:31,600 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 1: there's an elite group of kids who might be able 561 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: to do that in high school and that might actually 562 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,920 Speaker 1: be beneficial for them or even in college. But to 563 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: start all kids at elementary I think that's pretty pretty 564 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: narrow focus to put on a seven year old. Don't 565 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 1: get me wrong, we love sports. We love the discipline 566 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 1: and work ethic that it builds. But we try to 567 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 1: deal with sports on our terms and make sure our 568 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: kids are balanced. I have another question for missing, what 569 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 1: do you think about my connection with Leon Boyd and all. 570 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 1: A lot of these guys were coon hunters and had 571 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 1: this rural, diverse experience of life. Basketball wasn't their main focus. 572 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,320 Speaker 1: We're kind of using this story just to look into 573 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:18,360 Speaker 1: this big question of specialization versus being a generalist. But 574 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: what do you think? I think what you're really highlighting 575 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:22,880 Speaker 1: is that there were some character traits that were built 576 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 1: in their lifestyle at home, in their lifestyle when they 577 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:28,480 Speaker 1: went coon hunting, that were also evident in their lifestyle 578 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: at basketball. And we're being pushed right now to push 579 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:34,760 Speaker 1: our kids towards these skills and these very specific niches 580 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 1: of development, when the reality is what kids need are 581 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:42,719 Speaker 1: these developmental, more internal, character based things, and then those 582 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 1: can be applied to a whole number of areas. But 583 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: it's not just about should you be a hunter or 584 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 1: should you be a baller? It's what should we really 585 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,719 Speaker 1: be developing in young people? Is it? Should we really 586 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: be so focused on my opic functionality inside of one 587 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 1: thing versus building a holistic person and then allowing them 588 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 1: to apply those skills in lots of different areas. Good point, 589 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 1: miss snookem and she hasked some more to say. Malcolm 590 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:10,040 Speaker 1: Gladwell wrote a book like twenty years ago, and it 591 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: talked about and it popularized this view of the ten 592 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:14,879 Speaker 1: thousand hour rule that to be an expert at something, 593 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: you have to vote ten thousand hours to it. And 594 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,400 Speaker 1: so a lot of people started, you know, talking about 595 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: like real targeted practice for ten thousand hours and and 596 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:25,360 Speaker 1: doing a lot of different things to to make yourself 597 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: an expert. But the reality is most of us are 598 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:29,919 Speaker 1: experts at one to five things in our whole life, 599 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 1: if even that meant I mean, I remember when I 600 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:34,560 Speaker 1: was trying to learn the banjo. The ten thousand hour 601 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: rule was kind of overwhelming to me, and then I 602 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: watched this Ted talket. It was like, wait a second, 603 00:35:38,719 --> 00:35:40,840 Speaker 1: the ten thousand hour rule is what made the Beatles 604 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:43,360 Speaker 1: the Beatles. I'm not trying to be a performance artist. 605 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,319 Speaker 1: I just want to pick up my porch and it 606 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 1: takes about thirty hours to learn how to pick on 607 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,960 Speaker 1: your porch. And I was like, oh, I could I 608 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 1: could give thirty hours to something. And I think that, 609 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:56,279 Speaker 1: you know, playing the banjo has added a lot of dimensions. 610 00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 1: That's a great example. I find that people are massively 611 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 1: intimidated by the experts. And who who are the people 612 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:07,480 Speaker 1: that we see a media talking about all these things experts? 613 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:11,480 Speaker 1: My example is trim and mule feet. Okay, I'm not 614 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,960 Speaker 1: a ferrier, I'm not an expert at trim and mule feet. 615 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:19,239 Speaker 1: But guess what, it's not rocket science. But there are 616 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:23,279 Speaker 1: people who have literally devoted their lives to triman and 617 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: shoeing horses and mules. I refused to be intimidated by 618 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:29,960 Speaker 1: the experts, and I dabble in a lot of stuff, 619 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 1: and I absolutely love it. And it makes you think 620 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 1: about you. Interviewed Robert Morgan, who is a New York 621 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:39,200 Speaker 1: Times bestselling author wrote the book Moon. Tell about that conversation. 622 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 1: I said, uh, we were We weren't recording. We were 623 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:44,439 Speaker 1: eating lunch. We're eating a ham sandwich that his wife 624 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:46,439 Speaker 1: had made us at his house in rural New York. 625 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:49,839 Speaker 1: And he and I said, Mr Morgan, what would you 626 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:52,640 Speaker 1: say is the one thing that's made you most successful 627 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 1: in your career as a writer. He said, I'm a 628 00:36:56,080 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 1: good historical writer because I'm first a poet. And that's 629 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:03,640 Speaker 1: what stands out about Robert Morgan's writing. He could learn 630 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:07,520 Speaker 1: the discipline and skill of being an academic historian, but 631 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:10,680 Speaker 1: he had developed over a lifetime the art of being 632 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:13,279 Speaker 1: a poet. And so when he got the history, and 633 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 1: he had the writing skills and creative artistic skills of 634 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 1: being a poet, and when those came together, it created 635 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:23,880 Speaker 1: my favorite books. We've put quotes that Robert Morgan wrote 636 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:28,879 Speaker 1: in his biographies about people on our wall very interesting. 637 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,280 Speaker 1: The overall point I'm taking home is that having broader 638 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: interest helps us be successful in all areas of life, 639 00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 1: and being a generalist may actually help you become a 640 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: highly functional expert in an area unconnected to the expertise. 641 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:50,439 Speaker 1: But hey, we gotta talk some Bradleyville beball. I now 642 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,760 Speaker 1: want to move past the first state championship of nineteen 643 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:57,120 Speaker 1: sixty two, and here the wild story of the next 644 00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 1: six years on the court. Here's Mr Leon Combs. So 645 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:06,720 Speaker 1: they started really doing good in the early nineteen sixties. 646 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:10,840 Speaker 1: Was this team with Darryl Paul, Leon Boyd Jerry Combs. 647 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:14,480 Speaker 1: Tell me what happened from there? The Ray Gibson won 648 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 1: that state championship, and he gotta offered a big job. 649 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:20,279 Speaker 1: He went to Waynesville, Missouri, and I have much good job. 650 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 1: This was the coach. Yeah, because he'd been there one year, 651 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,040 Speaker 1: one state championship, took a team that never wanted to 652 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:27,160 Speaker 1: turn about it at all, and took him to win 653 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 1: the state champions So he got a better job. And 654 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,280 Speaker 1: they hired a guy from Lead Hill, Arkansas, named Argel 655 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:34,799 Speaker 1: Ellison never had to coach at all. He was brand new, 656 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:39,160 Speaker 1: went to Tellque, Oklahoma, to college, and he came up 657 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:43,239 Speaker 1: here and he started coaching UH in sixty two. The 658 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:47,839 Speaker 1: following sixty two had good teams sixty two. Every year 659 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 1: they won. They were always just a notcher two from 660 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:54,560 Speaker 1: going to state championship. They lost their coach, Ray Gibson. 661 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:57,400 Speaker 1: But it seemed the momentum of the state championship in 662 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:01,160 Speaker 1: sixty two spurred the younger kids watching to dedicate themselves 663 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:05,440 Speaker 1: to basketball. So coming along about that time, it was 664 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 1: another group of boys who played grade school ball. When 665 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:12,799 Speaker 1: the sixty two team won the state championship, and that 666 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:18,400 Speaker 1: was David Colmes and Lonnie Colmes and Dwayne Maggart and 667 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:22,440 Speaker 1: a couple other guys. This grade school team Arjoe Ellison. 668 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 1: So I could see we had some really good at 669 00:39:24,719 --> 00:39:27,520 Speaker 1: these And then and they were in high school and 670 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:31,040 Speaker 1: UH sixty four and they started winning games and they 671 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:35,320 Speaker 1: almost went to state in sixty four and in sixty six. 672 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:38,360 Speaker 1: From my brother Joe, who runs the store at Bradleyville 673 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:41,239 Speaker 1: over here is five miles away. The only store there. 674 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:45,399 Speaker 1: He was a senior in sixty six and they were down. 675 00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 1: They were playing Greenwood High School, Springfield, and they if 676 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: they won this game, they were going to go to state. 677 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:55,839 Speaker 1: And the game was tied at the end of the regulation. 678 00:39:56,239 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 1: But one of the guys has fell best foul shooter 679 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,040 Speaker 1: on the team, so he had two shots coming and 680 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:05,320 Speaker 1: the game was tied. Time was out. The game depended 681 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:08,640 Speaker 1: on the freshure. Brother Joe was always a joker. Rg 682 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:11,120 Speaker 1: Elsasser was joining good. He said, well he he kept 683 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 1: the team loose because these are joker. They got in 684 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 1: a huddle and Gary, and it's the guy's name was Gary, 685 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:20,600 Speaker 1: Joe the butt. Gary, you know you're gonna miss easecase. 686 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:22,440 Speaker 1: He said. Gary was the best free stro shooter on 687 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:26,040 Speaker 1: the team and he was just joking. Shars hack. Gary 688 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:29,360 Speaker 1: missed both free throwers. They went in overtime and lost 689 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:31,160 Speaker 1: the game. On the team and beat and won the 690 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:36,719 Speaker 1: stage championship. So in nineteen sixty six, Bradleyville made it 691 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 1: to the state semifinals and lost in overtime. So now 692 00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:44,280 Speaker 1: we'll fast forward to the season opener of nineteen sixty seven. 693 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:49,800 Speaker 1: This is when the incredible winning streak starts. In nineteen 694 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:52,840 Speaker 1: sixty seven. They started the season and they lost the 695 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:57,480 Speaker 1: game to Varda, and because David Combs had the flu, 696 00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:00,799 Speaker 1: he was out and Lonny Combs out the great part 697 00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:03,879 Speaker 1: he would compromise someway, so they lost that game. They 698 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:07,520 Speaker 1: didn't lose another game. They went all through the season 699 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:10,880 Speaker 1: and one every game went to state, won the state championship. 700 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:14,239 Speaker 1: They started the next year sixty seven eight. They won 701 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:17,120 Speaker 1: every game all year long, and following sixty seven the 702 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:20,600 Speaker 1: spring they they want to Columbia and won the state 703 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:24,120 Speaker 1: championship with that famous four overtime games. And so they 704 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:28,320 Speaker 1: won three state championships, went on a sixty four games, 705 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:33,720 Speaker 1: which is still a record unbroken today. Glasgow High School 706 00:41:33,719 --> 00:41:37,400 Speaker 1: in Glasgow, Missouri has tied it but still hadn't been broken. 707 00:41:39,120 --> 00:41:42,400 Speaker 1: The sixty four game winning streak was in nineteen sixty 708 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:45,520 Speaker 1: seven and sixty eight and it still stands as a 709 00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:50,200 Speaker 1: record in Missouri high school basketball by this very unlikely team. 710 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 1: When it comes to winning streaks, this should put it 711 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:56,360 Speaker 1: into perspective. The longest winning streak in NBA history is 712 00:41:56,440 --> 00:41:59,400 Speaker 1: thirty three games won by the Los Angeles Lakers in 713 00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:04,920 Speaker 1: the nineteen seventy two season. In college basketball. The second 714 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:07,840 Speaker 1: longest winning streak was the u C. L A men's 715 00:42:07,880 --> 00:42:12,879 Speaker 1: team who won eight consecutive games between nineteen and seventy four, 716 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:19,760 Speaker 1: and they won seven consecutive championships. However, the longest winning 717 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:24,040 Speaker 1: streak in n C Double A basketball history was the 718 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:28,560 Speaker 1: Yukon women's basketball team that had a one and forty 719 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:33,200 Speaker 1: five game winning streak between nineteen fifty five and fifty seven. 720 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:37,759 Speaker 1: That's incredible. But I want to hear more about this 721 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:43,120 Speaker 1: famous nineteen sixty eight game against the Howardville Hawks. Some 722 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:47,920 Speaker 1: have said it was the greatest game in Missouri basketball history, 723 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:53,080 Speaker 1: and it had some interesting dynamics. Howardville, it was an 724 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:56,759 Speaker 1: all black school. It was their last year before they 725 00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:00,319 Speaker 1: were going to be integrated into white school. There are 726 00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:03,200 Speaker 1: gonna you know. They had a great coach and Mr 727 00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:07,440 Speaker 1: Jackson Howardville by his name after a family of Elston Howard, 728 00:43:07,520 --> 00:43:11,960 Speaker 1: the great New York Yankee, and so Mr Jackson was 729 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:16,359 Speaker 1: a coach. He was a older black man, and they 730 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:20,640 Speaker 1: had two big six ft six guys and two little 731 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:23,719 Speaker 1: guys about five five. And the big guys were good 732 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:25,480 Speaker 1: and the little guys were great. I mean they could 733 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:28,319 Speaker 1: dribble that ball. They were just fast as lightning and 734 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:31,440 Speaker 1: they had a great team and they were favored to 735 00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:34,400 Speaker 1: win the state championship against Brunneville. So they went up 736 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:37,440 Speaker 1: there and Braddyville knew they were getting into it and 737 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:42,040 Speaker 1: they were highly favored. The other coaches experts said, Bradleyville 738 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:47,680 Speaker 1: have we'll meet their match tonight. And they they met them, 739 00:43:47,719 --> 00:43:50,080 Speaker 1: and it was a seesaw game all the way through, 740 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:54,960 Speaker 1: and uh, David Collins played the whole game, and he 741 00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:58,240 Speaker 1: played down under and he worked on r j Elsen 742 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:02,160 Speaker 1: told him, David, how do I get fouled? And he said, 743 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:04,439 Speaker 1: you gotta work on this big guy and get them 744 00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 1: fouled out because we can't we can't deal with that. 745 00:44:07,600 --> 00:44:11,040 Speaker 1: So it sure enough, one of the guys filed out 746 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:13,360 Speaker 1: and then the other guy filled out and Davids to 747 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:18,080 Speaker 1: end the game. And uh, they were I think at 748 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:21,359 Speaker 1: one point, I'm pretty sure that we've lost this game. 749 00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:24,520 Speaker 1: They were like ten points from behind. The crowd was 750 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:28,640 Speaker 1: all for Hartville. We had no they were playing in Colombia, Columbia. 751 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:30,680 Speaker 1: Of course we had a big contingent there from Bradleyville, 752 00:44:30,719 --> 00:44:32,839 Speaker 1: but they were like seven thousand people in this gym. 753 00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:36,160 Speaker 1: It was Waller wall St. And this is Bradleyville is 754 00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:40,000 Speaker 1: a town of fifty sixty where it's a school of students. 755 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:42,400 Speaker 1: We probably had a hundred people from Bradleyville there. I 756 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:46,279 Speaker 1: was there, and you were there. I was like, oh yeah. 757 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:49,719 Speaker 1: And all basketball people in Bradleyville, if you ask them, 758 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:52,120 Speaker 1: they'll tell you they saw that game. I don't think 759 00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:53,879 Speaker 1: they did, because it could have been that may fare, 760 00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:56,440 Speaker 1: but it was such a famous game. And then I 761 00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:59,600 Speaker 1: told you that they came down to the wire and 762 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:04,279 Speaker 1: Bradle tirely did in the last few seconds. They tied 763 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:08,319 Speaker 1: the game in regulation. Then they went into overtime and 764 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:10,560 Speaker 1: it was tired in the first over time, and it 765 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:12,840 Speaker 1: was tied in the second over time, and it was 766 00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:15,879 Speaker 1: tied in the third our time, and then Bradlegille pulled 767 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:19,560 Speaker 1: it out finally barely and the fourth over time and 768 00:45:19,600 --> 00:45:23,600 Speaker 1: won their sixty four consecutive game, the third state championship. 769 00:45:23,920 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 1: Spoonhour Charlie Spooner was a great coach. He said that 770 00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:29,320 Speaker 1: was the best game I ever saw him alive, college 771 00:45:29,400 --> 00:45:34,600 Speaker 1: or pro whatever. Incredible and lucky for us, Mr Leon 772 00:45:34,760 --> 00:45:39,239 Speaker 1: Combs has a treat for us. That game was broadcast 773 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:43,120 Speaker 1: by k R. E. S Radio and Mobile Missouri. And 774 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:46,840 Speaker 1: years later when I wrote the book, I went up 775 00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:49,560 Speaker 1: there and got a real, real tape from them of 776 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:53,560 Speaker 1: the last minute of regulation time because they were there 777 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:56,600 Speaker 1: to broadcast the game for another school that would follow. 778 00:45:56,840 --> 00:45:59,400 Speaker 1: This is a Class S championship. They were there the 779 00:45:59,719 --> 00:46:04,680 Speaker 1: broad catch the game from boonvillem so Harder were waiting 780 00:46:04,719 --> 00:46:06,920 Speaker 1: to do the Booneville game bretigs playing. They said, we 781 00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:10,160 Speaker 1: tuned in about a minute with a regulation left, they 782 00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:15,480 Speaker 1: tuned in to do that game. Here's the actual broadcast 783 00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:20,879 Speaker 1: of the Class S State Championship Bradleyville versus Howardville game 784 00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:26,320 Speaker 1: of nineteen Howardville and Bradley will Bradley wille the defending 785 00:46:26,360 --> 00:46:31,160 Speaker 1: state champions coach by R. Joe Ellison. The play this 786 00:46:31,239 --> 00:46:35,399 Speaker 1: bounsketball in Arkansas tech ball comes the ball will come 787 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:38,480 Speaker 1: in on the side. Howardville is coached by WILLIAMS. Jackson 788 00:46:38,520 --> 00:46:42,160 Speaker 1: from Lam College. They come outside with the ball bounced, 789 00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:45,759 Speaker 1: passed over to tape at long range. He hands the 790 00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:50,600 Speaker 1: ball to William Gray Gray bibling outside now thirty nine 791 00:46:50,640 --> 00:46:54,080 Speaker 1: seconds ago. William Thomas with the ball, Brother Thomas with 792 00:46:54,200 --> 00:46:57,719 Speaker 1: the all outside babling all over he's five five, he's all, 793 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:00,680 Speaker 1: he's all over the flar. They comes in front of 794 00:47:00,719 --> 00:47:04,000 Speaker 1: a circle who fans are plotting twenty five twenty three 795 00:47:04,040 --> 00:47:06,760 Speaker 1: seconds pay with the ball he's putting on a dribling 796 00:47:06,800 --> 00:47:09,720 Speaker 1: exquivation gives the ball is on that old but he's stood. 797 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:15,719 Speaker 1: He's told well called by nine. Will call tign up 798 00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:25,360 Speaker 1: with thirteen seconds to go, and the fans are going wild. 799 00:47:27,600 --> 00:47:31,000 Speaker 1: Thirteen seconds to go, all are filled by two fifty 800 00:47:31,120 --> 00:47:35,720 Speaker 1: nine fifty seven. Ball comes into Magard, Magarth, Tellum, Pelum 801 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:38,320 Speaker 1: gives them all. The Combs comes with eight seconds with 802 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:44,240 Speaker 1: seven here's a turning on, Jeffrey, were you seconds? Two seconds? 803 00:47:44,360 --> 00:47:48,480 Speaker 1: Tie up? With two seconds to go on Dave Comb 804 00:47:48,600 --> 00:47:51,680 Speaker 1: shut it in with four seconds well to tie it 805 00:47:51,760 --> 00:47:58,200 Speaker 1: up and it's hein going over time. Dave Combs Mr 806 00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:01,760 Speaker 1: Leon Comb's cousin hide the game with two seconds left 807 00:48:01,800 --> 00:48:06,080 Speaker 1: and regulation and it sends the game into overtime. It's 808 00:48:06,120 --> 00:48:08,920 Speaker 1: interesting that these radio guys weren't even here to announce 809 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:11,800 Speaker 1: this game. They only came in at the last minute 810 00:48:11,800 --> 00:48:14,520 Speaker 1: of regulation. They were here for the next game, which 811 00:48:14,520 --> 00:48:17,360 Speaker 1: was a bigger school. Here's the last few seconds of 812 00:48:17,400 --> 00:48:21,719 Speaker 1: the first overtime. Bob comes in to com bongs with 813 00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:27,799 Speaker 1: five second fourth second three two one the ball they 814 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:33,279 Speaker 1: not go in its double overtime, still tied three more 815 00:48:33,320 --> 00:48:37,920 Speaker 1: minutes in the second overtime. Here's the last ten seconds 816 00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:46,360 Speaker 1: moving not do I talk here in waiting up one 817 00:48:46,760 --> 00:48:54,680 Speaker 1: long time? Not the buzzer, not Cat looks on at 818 00:48:54,680 --> 00:48:58,719 Speaker 1: fifth problem comin. What do you think about that? If? 819 00:48:58,719 --> 00:49:00,719 Speaker 1: It's terrific crame? But I've got the team factor to 820 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:03,640 Speaker 1: play a ball handling in my life. There's there Howard 821 00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:07,640 Speaker 1: Bille ballplayers to put on here tonight just great and 822 00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:10,360 Speaker 1: uh they loved wheels against the ball club like Bradley 823 00:49:10,360 --> 00:49:12,680 Speaker 1: they all that has got the record and uh really 824 00:49:12,719 --> 00:49:16,280 Speaker 1: played tremendous basketball. But Howard bill Is is a great 825 00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:18,560 Speaker 1: team to come back like they have many times tonight 826 00:49:19,680 --> 00:49:23,160 Speaker 1: third overtime, you can fill the energy of the crowd. 827 00:49:23,520 --> 00:49:26,640 Speaker 1: There's something primal and wild about a ruined crowd and 828 00:49:26,719 --> 00:49:30,240 Speaker 1: it's hard to deny its emotional power. Here's the last 829 00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:34,560 Speaker 1: three seconds of the third overtime. Howardville had scored with 830 00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:38,000 Speaker 1: a few seconds left to tie the game. Have they 831 00:49:38,040 --> 00:49:41,279 Speaker 1: have gone into three overtime? Three seconds through all calling 832 00:49:41,400 --> 00:49:43,799 Speaker 1: fires at the length of the cart. Yet the blackboard 833 00:49:44,200 --> 00:49:49,640 Speaker 1: all overtime. We're going for another overtime. Have you ever 834 00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:55,080 Speaker 1: seen anything like this? This is the fourth overtime and 835 00:49:55,120 --> 00:49:58,279 Speaker 1: by the last few seconds Bradleyville is up by two 836 00:49:58,320 --> 00:50:02,000 Speaker 1: points and they're at the foul line. The announcers seem 837 00:50:02,040 --> 00:50:04,960 Speaker 1: a little bit spent. Market is the pole line and 838 00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:07,919 Speaker 1: Dave Combs in the number two rebound position of left. 839 00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:10,160 Speaker 1: All others have been dropped by first one up that 840 00:50:10,200 --> 00:50:17,960 Speaker 1: it is good, gladly though it looks like they have 841 00:50:18,280 --> 00:50:22,719 Speaker 1: defended their crown here tonight. It is up. That is 842 00:50:22,760 --> 00:50:25,520 Speaker 1: no good if all brought out of that A gray 843 00:50:25,680 --> 00:50:28,120 Speaker 1: comes up with two seconds he took the jump cut. 844 00:50:28,360 --> 00:50:33,040 Speaker 1: It is no good. The final card playing with lively 845 00:50:34,719 --> 00:50:42,520 Speaker 1: coy beleave gladly though the friends are crowned and badly 846 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:49,560 Speaker 1: quot fire Arjuel Ellison of Arkansas that when's the class 847 00:50:49,600 --> 00:50:54,000 Speaker 1: best championship for the second consecutive year, and when's their 848 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:59,960 Speaker 1: fifties third ball game and a roll in the doing. 849 00:51:02,440 --> 00:51:07,360 Speaker 1: Incredible win for Bradleyville. What more can be said except 850 00:51:07,400 --> 00:51:11,319 Speaker 1: that Dave Combs, Mr. Leon's first cousin was also a 851 00:51:11,360 --> 00:51:13,640 Speaker 1: big coon hunter and he would go on to play 852 00:51:13,640 --> 00:51:17,080 Speaker 1: college basketball at Arkansas Tech, and one of the driving 853 00:51:17,160 --> 00:51:19,880 Speaker 1: influences of why he chose that school was the a 854 00:51:20,040 --> 00:51:23,160 Speaker 1: t U coach was also a coon hunter, and he 855 00:51:23,239 --> 00:51:25,120 Speaker 1: said that he'd coon hunt with him if he went 856 00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:29,040 Speaker 1: to college there, coon hunters and basketball seemed to go 857 00:51:29,280 --> 00:51:36,080 Speaker 1: hand in hand. By the mona yes, h, I'm at 858 00:51:36,160 --> 00:51:40,400 Speaker 1: Leon Boyd's house nine miles north of Bradleyville. The old 859 00:51:40,400 --> 00:51:44,240 Speaker 1: point guard has a yard full of English and bluetick hounds. 860 00:51:44,760 --> 00:51:47,160 Speaker 1: It's a beautiful sight to a coon hunter, and it's 861 00:51:47,200 --> 00:51:50,760 Speaker 1: a beautiful sound to hear the dogs barking just before dark. 862 00:51:51,440 --> 00:51:54,520 Speaker 1: They know what's about to happen. We're going coon hunting. 863 00:51:56,239 --> 00:51:59,759 Speaker 1: So what's what's this dog's name? Kay? This playing k 864 00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:04,640 Speaker 1: came nice looking blue TiO. We jump in Mr. Boyd's 865 00:52:04,680 --> 00:52:08,959 Speaker 1: board ranger and head off behind his house. Shepherd nukelem 866 00:52:08,960 --> 00:52:12,880 Speaker 1: my basketball player is riding in the back with two hounds. 867 00:52:14,239 --> 00:52:21,240 Speaker 1: There's a limb and this limbs yeff. We drive about 868 00:52:21,239 --> 00:52:23,720 Speaker 1: a half mile and we can still hear the dogs 869 00:52:23,760 --> 00:52:26,120 Speaker 1: at the house. But the old dogs we've gotten the 870 00:52:26,160 --> 00:52:29,120 Speaker 1: truck begin to bark and they act like they're winding 871 00:52:29,239 --> 00:52:32,880 Speaker 1: a coon from the truck. We're in luck, we stop 872 00:52:33,160 --> 00:52:36,239 Speaker 1: and let them out. Well, they act like they're smelling one, 873 00:52:36,280 --> 00:52:42,520 Speaker 1: don't they. Yeah, I'd say, yeah, they sure do. Well, 874 00:52:42,600 --> 00:52:46,040 Speaker 1: let's cut them loose. Get you guys, hear her, and 875 00:52:46,080 --> 00:52:49,359 Speaker 1: get you loose. There there you go. Yeah, they act 876 00:52:49,400 --> 00:52:53,600 Speaker 1: like they're smelling one. Now that one dog will rig 877 00:52:53,719 --> 00:53:01,399 Speaker 1: from the truck. And she was barking. Oh her, let's 878 00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:15,759 Speaker 1: see him. Listen to him, hearty warm track. Thank Well, 879 00:53:15,800 --> 00:53:17,560 Speaker 1: there was a big shooting star. Did you see that. 880 00:53:18,120 --> 00:53:20,960 Speaker 1: I wasn't looking. Yeah, a huge shooting star just went 881 00:53:21,000 --> 00:53:24,480 Speaker 1: across this guy. The dogs take the track about a 882 00:53:24,560 --> 00:53:27,560 Speaker 1: quarter mile down the creek and begin to bark tree. 883 00:53:28,000 --> 00:53:30,920 Speaker 1: That means they think they've found the tree that raccoon 884 00:53:31,120 --> 00:53:37,560 Speaker 1: ran up. We're now walking in to see these dogs. 885 00:53:38,080 --> 00:53:45,600 Speaker 1: There's a treat on a leaning tree. It looks like 886 00:53:45,680 --> 00:53:51,959 Speaker 1: you told him. I figured that this food. Remember set 887 00:53:52,080 --> 00:53:55,520 Speaker 1: when lamb grove down into this tree, it could use 888 00:53:55,640 --> 00:53:59,560 Speaker 1: that tree on this side of the bank. Crossed over 889 00:53:59,600 --> 00:54:01,040 Speaker 1: in the camp of peach to the other side, and 890 00:54:01,080 --> 00:54:04,120 Speaker 1: the dogs pretty much stayed on this side tree. And 891 00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:08,560 Speaker 1: I'd say that's what happened. Yeah, Old Ricky raccoon fooled 892 00:54:08,600 --> 00:54:14,759 Speaker 1: him again, I'd say it did. Mr Boyd elaborates on 893 00:54:14,960 --> 00:54:20,279 Speaker 1: his stage of life Shephard and I listen intently. Glasses 894 00:54:20,360 --> 00:54:22,680 Speaker 1: and false teeth, and old age is kind of rough 895 00:54:22,760 --> 00:54:27,359 Speaker 1: on a feller. I would say it's seventy eight years 896 00:54:27,400 --> 00:54:29,560 Speaker 1: old for you to just walk down that mountain like 897 00:54:29,640 --> 00:54:32,359 Speaker 1: you did and come retrieve these dogs. You're doing real good. 898 00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:37,040 Speaker 1: I still enjoy but this can't enjoys much of it, 899 00:54:37,800 --> 00:54:40,600 Speaker 1: you know. I bet you you being physical playing basketball 900 00:54:40,640 --> 00:54:44,080 Speaker 1: until you were seventy has really helped you though, stay fit, 901 00:54:44,280 --> 00:54:47,000 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah, i'd say it did. Huh. And I 902 00:54:47,160 --> 00:54:49,800 Speaker 1: enjoyed it ever, every bit of it, you know. It 903 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:56,520 Speaker 1: just well got too old finally, I reckon. But and 904 00:54:56,680 --> 00:54:59,960 Speaker 1: I guess probably Lord will and I'll get too old coon, huh, 905 00:55:00,160 --> 00:55:03,200 Speaker 1: But I hope I'd rather. I'd rather leave it. It's 906 00:55:03,239 --> 00:55:05,480 Speaker 1: a world right here. Out of here Coon hunting is 907 00:55:06,040 --> 00:55:10,560 Speaker 1: in the best hospital in the world. Yeah, just joy 908 00:55:10,640 --> 00:55:15,239 Speaker 1: these woods. Yeah, and I'd like to see young UN's 909 00:55:15,320 --> 00:55:21,440 Speaker 1: like Shepherd there getting to enjoy hunting. Yeah. He's an 910 00:55:21,480 --> 00:55:23,799 Speaker 1: awful lot of things going on in this old world 911 00:55:23,880 --> 00:55:26,800 Speaker 1: that ain't near as clean as sport as Coon hunting is. 912 00:55:29,080 --> 00:55:31,040 Speaker 1: As we head back to the house and then load 913 00:55:31,120 --> 00:55:34,600 Speaker 1: the dogs were finished for the evening, but I wanted 914 00:55:34,680 --> 00:55:39,360 Speaker 1: to ask Mr Boyd one more thing. Tell me what advice, 915 00:55:40,440 --> 00:55:43,920 Speaker 1: what advice you'd give you'd give Shepherd with his basketball? 916 00:55:44,520 --> 00:55:46,920 Speaker 1: Do you best and enjoy it? And probably six a 917 00:55:47,000 --> 00:55:51,399 Speaker 1: year from now they'll be talking about it. I mean, 918 00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:54,279 Speaker 1: you can't beat it. Do you like that? Hardy? Yeah, 919 00:55:54,360 --> 00:55:58,080 Speaker 1: It's it's pretty amazing that here you are seventy eight 920 00:55:58,200 --> 00:56:02,360 Speaker 1: years old and and everybody's still talking about your senior 921 00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:04,759 Speaker 1: year of basketball. That's that doesn't happen. A lot of 922 00:56:04,840 --> 00:56:08,920 Speaker 1: people doesn't know it really, don't, you know. It's I mean, 923 00:56:10,040 --> 00:56:13,160 Speaker 1: and I don't know why that my class would be 924 00:56:13,280 --> 00:56:16,560 Speaker 1: that special, but they they was. I got to be 925 00:56:16,680 --> 00:56:32,080 Speaker 1: part of it. So as we left Mr Boyd's house, 926 00:56:32,280 --> 00:56:36,480 Speaker 1: I was most impacted by his humility. It wasn't something 927 00:56:36,600 --> 00:56:38,920 Speaker 1: that was put on for show. It was just who 928 00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:42,600 Speaker 1: he was, and it protruded from him with great force. 929 00:56:43,440 --> 00:56:45,880 Speaker 1: I love the people of the Ozarks, and I'm not 930 00:56:46,080 --> 00:56:48,920 Speaker 1: saying that all of them are humble, but the ones 931 00:56:49,040 --> 00:56:52,759 Speaker 1: who lived their lives close to the land usually are. 932 00:56:53,600 --> 00:56:57,200 Speaker 1: As we pull away from the old house, Shephard says, Dad, 933 00:56:57,680 --> 00:57:00,360 Speaker 1: is Mr Boyd gonna be one of your friends like 934 00:57:00,560 --> 00:57:04,280 Speaker 1: James Lawrence. James is a dear friend of our family. 935 00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:07,279 Speaker 1: I told him that I just met Mr Boyd and 936 00:57:07,400 --> 00:57:09,680 Speaker 1: he lives a long way from us, and that I 937 00:57:09,800 --> 00:57:12,680 Speaker 1: hope to see him again, but I didn't have plans to. 938 00:57:13,640 --> 00:57:17,040 Speaker 1: And Shepherd said, Dad, it seems like if he's gonna 939 00:57:17,080 --> 00:57:20,520 Speaker 1: be on your podcast, you shouldn't just never see him again. 940 00:57:21,280 --> 00:57:23,880 Speaker 1: And I say, well, do you want to come back 941 00:57:23,960 --> 00:57:27,480 Speaker 1: over here and hunt sometime? And he said, yes, I do. 942 00:57:28,560 --> 00:57:31,720 Speaker 1: I think Shepherd was impacted by being around Mr Boyd 943 00:57:32,240 --> 00:57:35,400 Speaker 1: knowing that he was an accomplished baller and coon hunter. 944 00:57:35,840 --> 00:57:38,760 Speaker 1: At this stage in his life, Shepherd really isn't that 945 00:57:38,960 --> 00:57:41,920 Speaker 1: interested in coon hunting, though he goes with me, and 946 00:57:41,960 --> 00:57:44,120 Speaker 1: he's been too more tree dogs than either one of 947 00:57:44,200 --> 00:57:48,200 Speaker 1: us can count. His primary focus his basketball, But my 948 00:57:48,360 --> 00:57:52,040 Speaker 1: hope is that the exposure to something so radically different 949 00:57:52,120 --> 00:57:56,360 Speaker 1: than sports will have expanded his horizon, increased his real 950 00:57:56,520 --> 00:57:59,680 Speaker 1: life ability to solve problems and to give him empathy 951 00:57:59,800 --> 00:58:03,400 Speaker 1: for people in all walks of life. Don't get me wrong, 952 00:58:03,640 --> 00:58:06,280 Speaker 1: Chip loves to hunt, but I really don't care what 953 00:58:06,440 --> 00:58:09,520 Speaker 1: he does. I just want him to be a successful 954 00:58:09,600 --> 00:58:14,360 Speaker 1: human and mostly I want him to value character above everything, 955 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:18,959 Speaker 1: and I do hope that that humility, like Mr Boyd has, 956 00:58:19,640 --> 00:58:24,520 Speaker 1: is a key definer for his life. The Bradleyville basketball 957 00:58:24,640 --> 00:58:28,160 Speaker 1: dynasty story is incredible. We've used it to explore the 958 00:58:28,320 --> 00:58:33,320 Speaker 1: ideas around benefits of specialization versus being a generalist. I 959 00:58:33,480 --> 00:58:36,440 Speaker 1: know there can be great benefits, but the modern narrative 960 00:58:36,600 --> 00:58:41,480 Speaker 1: of extreme specialization isn't always the best option. I was 961 00:58:41,600 --> 00:58:44,120 Speaker 1: never a golfer like Gary Nucom wanted me to be, 962 00:58:44,600 --> 00:58:48,320 Speaker 1: but later in life I have diversified and it's paid 963 00:58:48,400 --> 00:58:52,440 Speaker 1: off for me big. Maybe this conversation will make you 964 00:58:52,520 --> 00:58:57,320 Speaker 1: think about yourself and your kids. I can't thank you 965 00:58:57,480 --> 00:59:00,680 Speaker 1: enough for listening to Bear Greece. You can by Lee 966 00:59:00,800 --> 00:59:04,480 Speaker 1: Uncomb's book The Hicks from the Sticks online and it 967 00:59:04,560 --> 00:59:07,960 Speaker 1: comes with a CD of the entire four overtimes of 968 00:59:08,040 --> 00:59:11,480 Speaker 1: that state championship game. Secondly, I'd like to thank Dr 969 00:59:11,560 --> 00:59:14,880 Speaker 1: Brooks Blevins of Missouri State for giving us the hot 970 00:59:15,000 --> 00:59:18,160 Speaker 1: tip on this story. Please leave us a review on 971 00:59:18,360 --> 00:59:22,160 Speaker 1: iTunes and share our podcast with somebody this week. Thanks 972 00:59:22,440 --> 00:59:25,120 Speaker 1: and I look forward to talking more with all the 973 00:59:25,200 --> 00:59:26,880 Speaker 1: render crew next week.