Posted by Dan Jensen
Franklin McKinney has sent me a link to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. It is getting ready to induct another batch of honorees and it was interesting to browse through the basketball list and note a lot of familiar names of heroes past. I have been to the facility in Waco and there is just so much interesting stuff to see.
Clear Creek has two or three enshrined there, depending on how you do the counting. Bill Krueger coached for seven years at Clear Creek and about 20 at Clear Lake. He probably claims the latter and that is fine with me.
Bennie Lenox is there and so is George Carlisle, although he strayed to the wrong side of the Creek for a bit too. But, in my mind, he is Clear Creek and certainly worthy to be claimed but he was honored as a player at Prairie Lea.
No doubt he was a great player on two straight state champions there but I would think his coaching credentials surpass what he did as a player. Hard for us to judge since we never saw him play. But hey! We have a poster named Peggy who did and I would like for her to give her opinion on this. Was he better as a coach or as a player? He is eligible to answer too.
I wish I knew how good a player Coach was in high school but it will be hard to convince me that he was a better Hall of Fame candidate as a player than a coach. Anyone else have any comments?
Posted by: Dan Jensen | February 20, 2006 at 04:59 PM
I honestly do not feel qualified to answer the question about whether George was a better player in High School or a better High School Basketball Coach. But I do remember that he and Vilbry White were the high scorers in both those Championship years. Of course, I was viewing him through the eyes of a very smitten teenage girl, while he was dating my best girlfriend who was a grade ahead of us. I was so lucky, because I got to sit near him in English Class. We were on one side of the classroom with our desks against the wall. Our English teacher did not seem to mind if George turned sideways in his desk with his arm on my desk while I tickled his arm as she was lecturing. Years later, it was his back that he wanted me to tickle. He liked to go to sleep that way. That same English teacher cast us in the two leads of our Senior play, but George fouled up the works by breaking his ankle sliding into 2nd base playing baseball, so Vilbry took over the male lead. Yes, George played baseball, too. I still have a picture of him in his cap and gown wearing a cast on his foot. That also resulted in his ankle that popped for so long. We can't remember when that stopped.
Anyway what I do know is that he was a "Hunk". I could only dream that I would someday be his wife.
I decided to pose the question to him, and with no hesitation at all, he answered, "I was a better Coach". I hope this is not a lot more than anyone wants to know about George and Peggy.
Dan, I know that you have been accused of being wordy. I'm sure I qualify for that title also.
Posted by: Peggy Carlisle | February 20, 2006 at 08:14 PM
Peggy, when you are providing some very interesting insight into the early lives of two of our favorite people you can not be verbose. Your narratives are not quite up to the James Michener standard for details but I for one am hanging on every word.
Posted by: Frank McKinney | February 20, 2006 at 09:34 PM
Peggy, who accused me of being wordy? I want his name!
We both know that is a false rumor. And, I always thought it was Vibry White, I am glad for the correction. I do know that Vilbry started at Texas with Slater Martin, Al Madsen and Tom Hamilton. Who was the other Longhorn starter?
Posted by: Dan Jensen | February 20, 2006 at 09:39 PM
Dan, I only remember Vilbry, Slater and Tom. Of course, Tom I remember for his deadly hook shot.
Vilbry is still a friend who we see at least once a year. Next time we are in touch, I promise to ask him that question. I went to Texas as a freshmen, then got closer to home in San Marcos. Vilbry White and I grew up together in Prairie Lea. I did not meet George until he was a sophomore and Staples started coming to Prairie Lea High in what was referred to as Consolidation of the two schools.
Staples was really about 6 miles from Prairie Lea. I had a twin brother, and he and George were good friends, so he was around our house quite a bit. My Mother fed everyone, and My Dad had a Red and White Grocery Store, so all the kids hung out there. Life was good!!!
Posted by: Peggy Carlisle | February 20, 2006 at 10:48 PM
Peggy, mega dittos to what Frank McKinney said above. Forget wordiness. Keep pumping Coach for his input and keep those words coming.
Posted by: Pat Jensen | February 21, 2006 at 09:48 AM
Are there other Clear Creek players who should be voted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame? If so, who? And why? Nominations please.
Posted by: Dan Jensen | February 23, 2006 at 12:23 PM
Buddy Carlisle, John Platzer and I are working on getting Bill Doty nominated for the Hall of Fame. Way overdue.
Posted by: Dan Jensen | February 26, 2011 at 07:34 PM