Welcome to Carlisle's Creek Weblog

Wildcat Great, Boone Wilkening, Passes Away

One of the first great stars of the George Carlisle era of Webster/Clear Creek High School basketball passed away on May 3, 2010.  Many remember that soft, left-handed jump shot that propelled the Wildcats to many victories and two district championships for the team Boonie played on in the early to mid-1950's.  Below is the obituary for Boonie that appeared in the Brenham newspaper.

 

You can also read more about Boonie and his passing in a comment written by Dan Jensen on the thread entitled Who Has Departed From Us?   To access that comment, click here.  Once on the thread, scroll to the last comment to see what Dan has written.  You can also go to Dan's comment directly by looking over in the right sidebar under Recent Comments and click on Dan's comment that is posted on the thread.

 

We will miss you greatly, Boonie.

Here is the obituary:

Franklin Boone Wilkening, 72, went to meet our Lord on Monday, May 3, 2010 with his family at his side, encircling him with love and prayers and sharing stories about their loved one.

Boone was born June 25, 1937 in Monahans, Texas. He was the son of Murry and Hazel Wilkening. He graduated from Webster High School, Webster, Texas. He graduated from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos with a Bachelor’s degree. While at SWT, he was an All American basketball player and shooting guard on their 1960 NAIA National Championship winning team.

He was an accomplished high school basketball coach, entrepreneur, and award winning salesman.  A loving, outgoing, Christian man, Boone never met a stranger. He took care of his mother and enjoyed working the ranch in Burton, Texas. An avid hunter and fisherman, no one ever caught a fish bigger than his.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Murry E. and Hazel Wilkening. Surviving him are his loving wife, Barbara, along with children, Becky Wilkening Paddock and husband Bill of Riverton, WY, Michael Boone Wilkening and wife AnnMarie of McDade, Texas, and Laura Wilkening Eubanks and husband, Kim of McKinney, Texas. His grandchildren are Laura Crowley and husband Charlie, Mary Ann Wilkening, Cameron Eubanks, Weston Eubanks and Taylor Eubanks. His great grandchildren are Caleb and Ava Crowley, Becky Bohanan and Robert Simmons. His sister, Virginia Wilkening McCune and husband Jim of Burton, Texas, and Ronald E. Wilkening and wife Sharon of Alvin, Texas and many nieces and nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.

A Visit with "The Coach" - Report from Ed Davis

My son, Matt, and I are in Houston this weekend (March 26-28) to watch my Baylor Bears in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Championship basketball tournament.  How great it was to see the Bears beat St. Mary's last night and advance to the Elite 8 game on Sunday against number-one seed Duke.  Sic 'em, Bears!

 

But, perhaps the greatest moment of my weekend was a chance to visit with Coach Carlisle at his permanent residence at the Regency Center across from our old Webster High School building.  Buddy knew that I was going to be in town for the tourney and invited me to join him and Coach at lunchtime on Saturday, our off day before the Sunday game.  I jumped at the chance and it was a fantastic experience for me.

 

Buddy had warned me that Coach does not remember people even though he often acts like he does.  Buddy was correct.  Coach was eating his lunch with Buddy's help and looked at me the whole time like he was trying hard to remember.  He looked great but never said a word.  Buddy and I visited about the Baylor game (Buddy was at the St. Mary's game as well) and we talked about Peggy as well.

 

When we got ready to leave, Buddy took coach's hand and put it in mine so he could shake hands with me as a good-bye gesture.  I have got to tell you that Coach still has a very strong grip.  It was a very emotional moment for me as Coach looked me directly in the eye.  I felt like his inner mind really did remember me even if his outer mind appeared not to.  That is my feeling and I am sticking to it! 

 

My prayers continue to be raised up for Coach Carlisle and all the Carlisle family.  I hope you will join me in that.

Coach Bobby Proctor Has Passed Away

Former Clear Creek ISD coach, Bobby Proctor, passed away at a nursing home in Logview, Texas, at the age of 81.  Coach Proctor was a well-known and loved coach and mentor to many Clear Creek athletes back in the 1950's and 1960's before moving on to teach, coach, and serve in several administrative positions (including Superintendent of Schools) in White Oak, Texas.  He will be missed by many people all over this great state and beyond and we send our condolences and a wish for peace to all of his family.

 

Funeral services for Coach Proctor will be held at the Lakeview Funeral Home in Longview on Sunday, March 7, at 2 P.M.  To read his obituary, you can click here to go to the Lakeview Funeral Home site.  While there you can sign a guest book in his honor and leave a message for his family.

 

If you wish to leave some thoughts about Coach Proctor on this blog, go to the post that includes some thoughts he wrote for us a while back and add your comments there.  The post is entitled Bobby Proctor Remembers.  You can access this post by going to the index over in the right side-bar of this blog or you can just click here to take you to the post.

 

Dan Jensen's New Post as of 2/6/10- A Compelling Addition to the Blog

Dan Jensen has written a new and very compelling post entitled Let's Repeat That Game!  In this post, Dan describes some very close losses over the years of Wildcat basketball and wishes that we could replay those games with different outcomes. To check out this great post, click here.  Then add your comments below the post - maybe you can think of another close loss or give us your thoughts on the games Dan has talked about. 

What's Happening with the 2009/10 Wildcat Roundball Team? 

Check out the new post below about the current Wildcat squad.  How are they doing in their 3rd year under coach Chris Romine?  Inquiring minds will really want to know!  Just click here to read Dan's report.

Read about a Great Reclamation Project on the State Championship Trophy

You can get things done when you send in the right men to do the job!  And Buddy Carlisle and Lynn Davis proved to be the right men in restoring the 1963 state championship trophy to the lustre that it deserves.  Read about this project in Dan Jensen's new post entitled The State Championship Trophy Shines Again!  Click here to go to this great post.  Thanks, Lynn and Buddy!!!!

You Just Have to Read Curley Lenox's Comments on the 1963 State Championship Year!!!

Dwayne "Curley" Lenox was one of the star players on the only CCHS boys' basketball team to win the coveted state championship.  In his comment to Dan Jensen's post, which is entitled "Our Championship Year", Curley has written a tremendous narrative, in great detail, about that year and it touches on many topics like the coaches, the individual games, the practices, the interaction between coaches and players, the feelings and emotions and many more.  You just cannot fail to read this somewhat long but vastly entertaining article.  To go to the post, just click here.  Then simply scroll down until you get to Curley's comment.  However, I would suggest you read all the comments leading up to that particular one.  You will not be disappointed.

Update on Coach George Carlisle as of 8-26-09

Peggy Carlisle has sent us some new information about the situation with Coach Carlisle and how he is faring these days.  Here is what Peggy has reported:

George is about the same.  He is definitely more at peace with most things at the Regency Village Nursing Home that we moved him to in April.  He does not walk anymore, and is beyond rehab, because he does not take instructions.  Possibly he does not comprehend what is being said to him. 

 

He does move around in his wheelchair some, and he has bruises on his arms and legs to prove it.  He seems to bump into furniture a lot.  He still eats well, although he does not do that too well by himself.  I try to be there for his lunch and evening meal to feed him.  He weighs about 175, and I think he looks good. 

 

He sleeps quite a bit.  Sometimes it is probably from the medication that he gets to keep him calm, but sometimes it can be from not having a good night's sleep.  I surely know what that is like.  Ha!! 

 

I still say "Hey Babe" when I walk in the room, and he still seems glad to see me.  A part of me feels like we still have that special connection we will always have, and so I really look forward to seeing him every day.  I talk to him a lot just like he knows what I'm talking about.  Of course I only tell him the good and newsey things.  I talk about things we see together on TV.  He has a new flat screen and it is on most of the time with sports.  So that's the same. Ha! 

 

I really encourage anyone who would like to visit him to do so, as most of the time, he really seems to enjoy company.  We have a nice reception area, or lobby I guess, and if I know ahead of time, I usually take him out front to visit with anyone.  However, people come to visit him in his room, too.  It is always interesting to watch him when he sees an old friend.  Usually you can tell if he gets a connection.

 

Thanks so much to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.  Believe me, they are felt and appreciated.

Peggy is certainly the most positive person I know and our prayers and thoughts should continue to go out to her, Coach, and the entire Carlisle clan.

 Check Out the Post on Scholarship Offers - New as of 8/10/09

Many of the Clear Creek star athletes received scholarship offers from colleges and universities in Texas and around the nation.  Dan Jensen has developed a new post in which he invites former Wildcat players to tell all of us what scholarship offers came as a result of their stellar play at CCHS.  Paul Hackett shares his and we are awaiting others.  To go to this post, simply click here.

New Post on Book About Jowers

Dan Jensen has posted a new article on the blog concerning a book that has been published about the highly successful Southwest Texas basketball coach, Milton Jowers. The book includes stories about some of our CCHS Wildcat colleagues. Click here to read this great new post.

Table of Contents for Blog Posts

This blog is now over 4 years old and many people have contributed great articles and comments.  In order for you to get to those posts that may interest you the most, a Table of Contents has been created and can be found in the left sidebar.  Simply scroll down through the list and click on those posts which may be of interest to you. 

Of course, once you have read a post, we would like for you to add your comments.  If you used the Table of Contents to get to the post, you will see the comments that others have already added.  At the end of the comments section, you will find a place for adding your own comments.  Just type in your name (no need to fill in the URL or e-mail categories) and then type in your comment.  When finished, just click on the word Post found below the comment box.  Your comment is now on the blog.

To return to the main blog area, you can scroll back to the top of any page and click on the word Main found there.  Or you can scroll to the top of either the left or right sidebar and click on anything of interest found there.

We hope you enjoy your visit to this blog.  Read on down in this introductory post for information on recent posts, instructions for finding your way around the blog, and other interesting "stuff" related to Clear Creek sports, personalities, and many other areas.

About This Weblog

Posted by Edward Davis, Class of 1959 - Site Manager

This weblog is for Clear Creek Independent School District basketball fans, former basketball players, former coaches, faculty, and friends of the Wildcats everywhere. This includes the Wildcats of Webster High School and as well as those of Clear Creek High School. It is the hope of those who have helped to create this site that many will contribute stories, memories, highlights, questions, statistics, discussion topics, photos, and much more to make this an exciting and inviting place to visit in order to relive some of those "good old days" that we fondly remember. We sincerely hope that all will visit the site often.

This site has also been created in large part to pay tribute to some of the special basketball coaches from the district, especially the legendary coach, George Carlisle, for whom this weblog site is named. Hopefully, many former players, fans, and friends will take time to share some special thoughts and memories of these former coaches. Besides Coach Carlisle, special coaches we should all remember include such as Henry Bauerschlag, Bobby Proctor, Les Talley, and Bill Krueger, just to name a few. We know there are stories out there about these great coaches just waiting to be told.

Special thanks go out to Dan Jensen (Class of 53) who has been the spark that got this whole venture started in the first place. He has poked, cajoled, begged, pleaded, laid guilt upon, and perpetrated numerous other acts in an attempt to get former Wildcat basketball players from the days of yesterday to put some things in writing so that all their stories and memories can be documented and can become part of a living history for all of us to enjoy. Dan is the common thread among us all.

So, let's go Wildcats! Take the plunge and let's hear what you have to say. Send us some photos, tell us some stories, comment on what you see and read, make us laugh, make us cry. Take a tour of this site. See what is here. Enjoy the opportunity. The Wildcat faithful everywhere are waiting to hear just from you!

Site Navigation Tips

• To read main posts, simply scroll down through the main page.
• To read or make comments, go to the bottom of each post and click on the "comments" button.  At the end of the last comment, you can add your own comment by inserting your name (no need to type in email or url addresses) and then typing your comment.  When finished typing, click on the "Post" button under the comment box.
• To return to the main weblog page, use the back arrow of your browser bar or scroll back up to top of current page being viewed and click on the tag entitled "Main."
• To view information about Coach Carlisle, click on the "About" tag on the right-hand sidebar.
• To view photo albums, click on the title of each album found in the right-hand sidebar.  Click on individual thumbnails in each album to view larger picture and information about the photo.

Comments

[Pat Jensen]

First of all, special thanks to you two for putting this together. I hope it catches on.

It took me about a month to recall my memories of Coach Carlisle and put them on paper for the Carlisle Project, so the well is fairly dry at the moment. Maybe somebody will post something to jog a failing memory.

I have been curious about the "phantom shot" mentioned by Jodie (or is it Joddie) Witte, and hoping to hear further on this. I cannot say one way or another. If I was there, and I'd bet I was, I've forgotten it. I do remember another one to add to the list however, which may turn out to be a phantom shot as well. The teammates I've talked to about it, do not remember it, but most of them can not remember yesterday.

The '56 Wildcats, the final class of Webster High, and I think the first Wildcat team to make it to the State Tournament, went to Austin with a 32-0 record. We lost the first game of the season and the tournament to Phillips 84-81. The half-time score was 40-40 and ended with Phillips making a last second desperation half court shot.

Over the years, I've tried every mathematical manipulation I could come up with to somehow deduct that lucky two points to alter the outcome and make us winners .... to no avail .... but 82-81 is better, and if that missed call when I was fouled while shooting but got no call is corrected ..... which I'm doing now ..... the Wildcats won 83-82.

We need to address these faulty memories on this blog. One problem with that is I am one of the guilty ones.

I honestly don't recall for sure if I saw that 1954 regional game that we lost to Lamar Consolidated. But whether I did or not, I think Joddie Witte is wrong on that across half line, buzzer beater of a shot.

And, I question brother Patrick's account of the long Phillips shot at halftime. I was definitely there and don't remember it but I could definitely be wrong on the shot too. We need other eyewitness accounts with better memories.

Failing memories may not be as humorous to Pat and me as some others because our 94-year-old father has the same health issue as Coach Carlisle.

[Dan Jensen]

I would like to advise that I authored the post directly above. Some may think it is because of a faulty memory but, in reality, I just wanted to see if you could tell who it was without a name.

[Jim Pell]

Wow, this just blows me away! I have visited a lot of blogs but this one outclasses all the others. Very nicely done, Ed. It really is a thing of beauty. I always suspected you were a genius, and, now, I know it is true. And, Dan, thank you again for your thoughtfulness in making this forum possible in the first place. This is a wonderful tribute to Coach Carlisle.

[Bruce Montague]

There is one subject that hasn't been touched on yet. That is what we learned and how it applied in our professional lives after those years at W.H.S. back in the fifties. We all pretty much came from humble beginnings back in those days. At least I know that I did and I'm pretty sure most of my teammates did too. Without giving much thought to why or where it came from, I always had a driving desire to succeed in life and to be the best I could be; even better at times. Never giving up until I exceeded my goals, both short range and long range ones. Thank you, George!....Thank you, Henry! I now know that what you taught (beyond basketball) was a drive to be the best in whatever field we chose to pursue and to be the best in character. Because of the desire to be the best, I was one of the top five in the nation in my field of endeavor. I'm sure that I'm not the only one that benefitted from having George as my coach. While he was putting together championship teams, he was molding our minds to be successful in our future lives. While winning games and championships were very important to us then, we had no idea that we would utilize what we learned from him in the many years to come.
Thanks again coach for preparing us for the future.
So that you know.....what you taught us went far beyond those great years at old W.H.S.

[Ed Davis]

Amen, Bruce. Thanks for sharing this great message. We are all indebted in so many ways to people like George, Henry, and other coaches.

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

Dan,
If you would write to me at my email address. That way we can keep up with who and what is happening in LC.I couldn't find yours so I can tell you about things or people that we might know. I don't want to post it here since it doesn't have anything to do with basketball.
debbie

[Dan Jensen]

What makes you think I can find your email address? Mine is [email protected]

And, postings don't have to do with basketball. Lots of other things ought to interest this crew. On second thought, maybe not. The overall response to this blog has been quite disappointing. Maybe many are like Lynn Davis--they never learned to type.

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

I will try and get this out to my classmates and see what we can do. My class just went on a cruise together and we try to get together about 2 to 3 times a year. Just hang on and we will see what we can do..
debbie

[Sharon Goodwin]

Clear Creek High School basketball was a big part of my growing up! I graduated in 1967, but it was my junior high years that CCHS basketball played such a huge part. My father loved the game and we always went to them. I even had a poodle skirt with a wildcat on it instead of a poodle. I remember spending some great, and pretty wild, times in Austin because the Wildcats were there for the State tournament!! My Dad, Jim Goodwin, and several of the other father and daughter duos would go together to the tournament. The girls would all stay in a room together, without a parent and just be with our Dads for the games. It was a great time!! When I was in high school myself, I was in the band and a twirler. So, I was at pretty much all the games. Growing up in League City meant being a Wildcat fan!!! I guess I still am. This is great - thanks for doing it!

[Dan Jensen]

These Goodwin girls are putting our old warhorses to shame lately.

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

with dad's like we had and the involvement that they had in the town the only thing we knew was b-ball,football and baseball. It was a great childhood though. I don't remember all of the stats but I remember going to all of the places to watch. We kept the roads HOT between Austin(for state) and College Station to watch Bennie. I finally found Connie and Nelson the other day and hopefully my mom will get to see them soon.
But I'm like you I wish some of the old players would get on and tell me what they remember.

[Dan Jensen]

We are supposed to know who Connie and Nelson are?

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

maybe you don't. Connie was married to Bennie and Nelson is Fuller who's family has lived in League City since 19??. I know they have been here as long as we have and we came in 1956. Sorry I didn't put the last name. I'm not sure when Connie and Nelson married but it has been quite sometime.

[Dan Jensen]

So we are supposed to know who Connie is because she was married to someone named Bennie? Who is Bennie?

I just don't want you to incur the wrath of our administrator, Sir Edward Davis. He takes a dim view of posters not properly identifying who they are talking about.

But, I am sure that he appreciates your efforts to revive this lagging site and will overlook it--for now.

Me, I am more concerned that our old warhorses have gone into hibernation. Folks like Frank, Jim, Hugh, etc. And, should you see C. Lynn around town, teach him to type, would you?

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

I will try and write all last names from now on....I will see if Lynn Davis is at Craig Johnson's serivce today..I will try and get the word out as much as I can. I will be with Robbie Harper Hanson today and maybe she can get her class to get on here too.

[Dan Jensen]

Debbie, I like to kid folks and am glad you are here and trying to promote this site to others. Keep on keeping on. If you see C. Lynn, tell him he is a decided disappointment, deep, dark, dank and dismal.

[Ed Davis]

I remember Connie quite well. Her last name was also Davis (no kin) and a fine young lady that was in the class of 1959 and a very good friend of mine (one of the Kemah and Seabrook connections that ended up at CCHS - like me). Bennie Lenox must have gone for the older ladies since he was a mere lad in the class of '60. Bennie, Connie, and my wife and I kept up friendships with one another for a number of years - especially when Bennie was an assistant basketball coach at UT (under a Coach Black)- how does an Aggie get or even want to do that? He and Connie would come to Waco when UT played Baylor. I was sorry to hear they split up and have not seen either for a number of years.

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

I thought Connie was a year old than Bennie but I couldn't remember. I sent Connie this website and she said that she liked it. I don't know if her and Bennie still talk or not. I hope they would for the kids. She has her on website too. She is selling real estate in Georgetown. I found an article about Bennie and he lives about 40 north of Austin with his wife. I hope that my mom calls him to and she too can tell him about this site.
It was in the Galveston Daily News today about Buddy Carlisle. I hope that they can find someonethat understand the tradition of Creek basketball to replace him.

[Dan Jensen]

Connie Davis was a good basketball player and was on our first girls state tournament team that also included Deanna Jensen and Marlene Lehew.

[Arthur Landriault]

Debbie,
I was reading the comments about your dad and his love for Clear Creek, (Webster in my day), basketball, 51-54 years. I believe I knew him about as well as anyone during my high school and later years as we worked together at the old Gulf Service Station located at the corner of hiway 3 and 518. He was an avid basketball fan even back then. Your father was a great person to have been associated with. We spent some very hot days in the summer washing J. D. Salmon's gas company fleet of dump trucks covered in mud, fixing flats the old way, and servicing the customers with the "full" service used for the public in those days. I can't recall if you were even born during this time. It has been a pleasure reading the comments about Jim as it revives some fond memories of the past.

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

Yes Dan I was born then. We moved here in 1956 and my sister was born here. Dad(George) worked with Delbert(old Gulf station),Bill Abel (driving dump truck),and Jack Rowe (working in the funeral home). My mom(Betty) worked for Willis Drug store behind the fountain, and then went to work for the post office. Dad got sick in the 70's and finally had to retire and they went back to Arkansas where he passed away in 1980 (at the age of50). He was also involved with anything he could, fire department,rode with the police when they needed extra people,he wasn't in the lions club but he worked every year for the village fair. I just wish sometime that I had followed in his steps.
Now when I see all of the other old League City people going it always brings be back to thinking of all the times we were at the football field,basketball court or baseball diamond.
Well I guess enough reflecting back. I get all wrapped up in talking about him and mom.
Thank you for remembering him. I really miss him.
debbie

[Debbie Goodwin (Cooper)]

I'm sorry Arthur I thought it was Dan that wrote that about dad. I guess I need to get my eyes checked...
debbie

[debbie cooper]

Dan,
I got on the Houston Chronicle website and found a way to find out the score and I found CC 43-Kingwood 55. Kingwood is now 16-0 and is rate 10 in the state. I guess that is why we might have lost.

[Kenneth Findley]

Kilgore College is having a 50th class reunion and is looking for Norman Lunday who graduated from Clear Creek and played baskeball at Kilgore. The contact person is Dickey McGaughey at 903-825-6344 if anyone has contact with Mr. Lunday. Thanks