2011
First Published
4.00
Average Rating
128
Number of Pages
Part of Series
Houston has been a sports-crazy town since its founding in 1836 when the biggest pastime was watching the horse races held south of what was then the capitol of Texas. By 1900, spectators and athletes alike enjoyed the team sports played at every school in the city and suburbs. Companies competed with one another in baseball, basketball, and track. Boxing gyms dotted the wards, and downtown boasted billiard halls, bowling alleys, and indoor shooting galleries. There was also hunting and fishing, auto racing, swimming, and hockey at the Polar Wave, a mid-century indoor ice rink. This book presents a history of how Houstonians competed, where their recreation took them, and how they enjoyed a potential 12 months of "outdoor" weather. The 20th century was a fun and vibrant time for both fans and participants in the sporting and outdoor life of Houston, and many of today's fans of sports and local history look back on Houston's sporting past with a sense of nostalgia.
Avg Rating
4.00
Number of Ratings
4
5 STARS
25%
4 STARS
50%
3 STARS
25%
2 STARS
0%
1 STARS
0%
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Author
Mike Vance
Author · 1 books
Mike Vance is the author of 3 novels and 10 non-fiction books on Texas history, historic true crime, comedy, and sports history. That non-fiction work informs his historical novels. He has produced well over 150 award-winning videos including feature length documentaries, short films and television shows on a variety of Texas history stories. Mike also traveled the English speaking world for 16 years doing stand-up comedy and fronting a band for which he wrote original music. He sometimes teaches Texas history at Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.
