rodeo – Texas History Notebook

Dr. James Patrick Evans

Dr. Evans was born August 5, 1930 in Dallas, Texas to James Cook Evans and Johnie Alma Henson Evans. His father was a teller at First National Bank. Dr. Evans was one of two sons of the couple. He grew up in Dallas. After high school, he headed for Whitworth College, a small Presbyterian school in Spokane, Washington on a football scholarship. Whitworth, now known as Whitworth University, has been a member of several athletic conferences over the years, usually competing in a small college division. Various biographical articles note that while at Whitworth, Evans suffered a knee injury which ended his playing career. However this led him to the path he pursued in sports medicine as he remained with the team as athletic trainer.

Upon completing his undergraduate work, Dr. Evans returned to Dallas where he enrolled in a physical therapy school at Grady Vaughn School of Physical Therapy, a part of what was then known as Baylor University Hospital. Upon completing his studies there, he began to work at the hospital as a physical therapist. His supervisors suggested that he should consider becoming a doctor and heeding this advice, he was accepted into University of Texas Southwestern Medical School where he earned his medical degree.

Two Early Bullfighters, George Doak & Junior Meek

It’s been said that in rodeo, eight seconds can seem like an eternity. In the early days of rodeo, the role of rodeo clowns began. Initially they provided entertainment by dressing up with face paint and garish costumes. Between events, they would sometimes do stunts, tell jokes and the like. They also stayed in the arena most of the time and during bull riding events, they attempted to distract the bulls after the rider either completed the timed event or got bucked off. As American rodeo expanded and professional organizations developed, the need for specialized protection for the contestants increased.

Tex Austin, King of the Rodeos

The Albuquerque Journal issue of October 29,1938 carried this paragraph on page 10.

The death of Tex Austin removed to the big corral of “the Boss in the sky” one of the nation’s greatest showmen. Texas was an actor always, when staging a rodeo on the plains, in New York or London, or when merely walking down the street or welcoming guests in his cafe and bar in Santa Fe. He brought world-wide attention to New Mexico because he was the Barnum of the cowboy show business.
Albuquerque Journal – October 29, 1938

Mitzi Ann Lucas Riley and Her Rodeo Family

Mitzi Ann Lucas Riley passed away on August 29, 2023 in Fort Worth. Her interesting obituary told of her long career as a trick rider and rodeo performer. Mitzi had a remarkable rodeo heritage. She was born January 10, 1928 and was the daughter of rodeo cowboy James Edward “Buck” Lucas (1894 – 1960) and Barbara Inez “Tad” Barnes (1902 – 1990). Buck and Tad were well known in rodeo circles and were quite successful during the years that they were active.

Henry Clay McGonagill

Henry Clay McGonagill was born on September 24, 1879 to George M. McGonagill (1841 – 1921) and Narcissa Josephine “Grandma” Haynes McGonagill (1839 – 1935) in Sweet Home, Texas. George was born in Oxford, Mississippi in 1841. By the time he was nineteen, his family had moved to Lavaca County, Texas where George was working on his father’s farm. George then served in the Civil War after which he returned to Texas. By 1870, he had married Narcissa and two of their children were born. Narcissa had been born in Tennessee. At the time the 1870 federal census was taken, George was working on his own stock farm. By 1880 their family was complete. They had six children that lived to adulthood, of which Clay was the youngest, and they were still residing in Lavaca County. By 1900, they had moved to West Texas and were living in Midland. Sometime within the next ten years, they had moved to what was then Eddy County in the New Mexico Territory where George was raising horses.