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    DSHS Varsity Basketball No. 13, Max Stewart has hang time as he scores against Navarro earlier in the year. The Tigers opened district play against Navarro (formerly Lanier) and had little problem with a 71-40 win. Photo by Ron Adair

Sports Opinion: Random Musings

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Dripping Springs got back in the sports business when they returned to high school classes in 1911-12. As noted before, there was a shortage of newspapers saved in the archives of libraries to glean from for a couple of decades of the new century.

As we continue down the coronavirus trail and head toward the destination on the other side, the next question will be what will the new normal look like? Over the years of our lifetimes and past history there have been many changes due to things beyond our control that cause us to change direction. Sometimes for the good and sometimes for the less than better. Here are some of my thoughts about what might be coming down the pike.

One of the first things that came to mind was now when we tell some of our newer citizens how little traffic Dripping Springs ( a blinking light at 290 and RR12 until 1987) used to have, we need only to point out how it was during the virus. The virus also gave us a preview of how it might be after retirement. For those who dream of doing very little and staying around the house, you have something to base your decision on.

It should make us more aware of how true the data has been when experts tell us how many people live from paycheck to paycheck and do not have enough savings to get them past a month. The same with air pollution. With so few vehicles on the roads cities are reporting scenery they have not seen clearly in years. With the rules set out for us to follow for the safety of all, it is easy to tell the difference between the “Team” and “Me” players.

People will be forced to make changes they have never thought about before or tried because they have “always done it this way” and find things work out much better. It will help people make better choices because they have had to go outside the box. Most likely it will hurry up the inevitable decision and not let a difficult decision linger. It will inspire some to try new businesses and thereby open up new types of jobs for others.

The “woe is me” crowd that continues to point out the reason the economy should not be shut down by the virus, use the flu deaths as an example. The difference in my book is those deaths, along with automobile and gun related deaths have remedies to lower the results whereas COVID-19 does not at this time. Until we get a vaccine that controls the virus, it is not like the flu, except it will be a year-round deadly event. The 98% survivor rate will simply be a continuous pool until one opts out for the two percent.

Back to sports history. Dripping Springs got back in the sports business when they returned to high school classes in 1911-12. As noted before, there was a shortage of newspapers saved in the archives of libraries to glean from for a couple of decades of the new century. I know there is information stored in attics, etc. that would help fill in the gaps and one day it will come to pass. I regret while researching for my book and had access to Miss Ennis Follis I did not ask her more about the sports of the time. She went to school there in the 1910's and later taught there.

The first sport sponsored by the UIL was track and it was the sport easiest to participate in because it did not take numbers like a team would. From early on the format for sports was thus: A County meet. All schools in a county could enter the meet. If allowed, the next step was a district meet consisting of a number of counties. Then a regional meet and on to state. Schools in Hays County that took part over the years were Dripping Springs, Buda, Kyle, Driftwood, Goforth, Henly, Mt. Gainer, Fitzhugh, Wimberley, Darden Hill, San Marcos and others.

Although there were probably others earlier, the first we know of was W.A. Lyle who won first place in the pole vault in 1917. The next results with DS involved was in the 20's. The distance races seem to be their specialties. Here are some of the results found.

1923: 880: 1. Roy Shelton; 440: 3. Ralph Shelton; Mile: 2. Roy Shelton, 3. Dave Follis.

1924: 880: 3. Chisholm; Mile: 2. Chisholm.

1927: Mile: 2. Malcolm Lindsey; High Jump: 3. Kitchen, 4. Lindsey; Shot Put: Kitchen; Broad Jump: Kitchen.

1928: Mile: 1. Malcolm Lindsey; HJ: 3. Lindsey; SP: Leon Moffett; BJ: Howard Brack.

Although the girls most likely participated, either they did not place or was not reported. The only one was in 1923 when Thelma Glosson placed fourth in the 50. With the belief girls should not be in vigorous sports their county meet events were 30 dash, 50 dash, 220 relay, potato sack race, shuttle race, basketball throw and standing broad jump.

Basketball, first introduced in 1891 became a staple sport at DS in the 1910's. There is one team picture taken in 1911-12 of girls basketball with Mrs. Georgia Pound Cavett as the coach and another of the 1917 girls. Jack Lyle has pictures of his Dad, W.A., and his aunt Rose, in their basketball uniforms. It would be hard to believe the girls had a team and the boys did not.

Early games would certainly look strange to our present-day games, starting with having to play them outside on dirt courts. Some of the early rules may have taken this into account. A boys game consisted of five players. Two guards stay on defensive end the entire game. A center stayed around mid-court, passing the ball to guards and forwards. The two forwards stayed under their own basket and only ones that could score. A game had 15-minute halves and clock would only stop at jump balls, timeouts and fouls. There was a jump ball after each basket made. Later in the 20's, one of the guards was made a “running guard” that could go length of court and be a part of the offense as well as the center.

Girls had some variations. Six players. Court divided in thirds with two players in each. Ball brought to center circle after a basket. Only one dribble before passing. Later court divided in half and three on each end. Earliest score found was an 11-0 win over Driftwood on 2-11-22 by the girls and the boys took their game 13-3.

In 1927-28 season the boys lost 17-13 to Kyle in the county finals. Members of that team were Howard Brack, John Ferrell, Leon Moffett, Malcolm Lindsey, Wallace Horner, Darrell Lindsey and Norman Breed.

Dripping Springs Century-News

P.O. Box 732
Dripping Springs, Texas 78620

Phone: (512) 858-4163
Fax: (512) 847-9054