Geographist

Harriett Peckham Born: May 9, 1930 Sport: Horse Racing (Hall of Fame) My dad was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where horse racing was a staple of life and Derby Day may as well have been an official holiday.  The Kentucky Derby was the biggest event on the calendar every year, and I remember being driven by Churchill Downs at a young age to see those iconic twin spires long before they were dwarfed by today's massive grandstands.  Yesterday marked the 152nd Run for the Roses there, and for the first time in history a female trainer, Cherie DeVaux, became a Kentucky Derby winner when her horse, Golden Tempo, raced from the back of the pack to win by a nose.  Houston's interest in horses has historically been more aligned with their use by cowboys than by jockeys, but in keeping with the momentous achievement by a woman in a male-dominated arena I thought it would be good to turn the spotlight towards a Houstonian who became known as the "First Lady of Quarter Ho...

Roy Oswalt Born: August 29, 1977 Sport: Baseball (163-102 record, 3-time All-Star, NLCS MVP, NL Wins Leader, NL ERA Title, Gold medal) The Houston Astros have developed a bit of a rivalry against the New York Yankees since joining the American League back in 2013, although it's been almost entirely one-sided in games that matter.  Most people who know the game are aware that the Yankees played the Astros in the first-ever exhibition game at the Astrodome on April 9, 1965, with the local team claiming a 2-1 victory.  They didn't play while in opposite leagues for several decades, but Houston has now knocked off their AL counterparts from the Big Apple in all four of their playoff meetings, meaning that in their first decade of playing in the same league the Astros had eliminated the Yankees more than any other team in history.  Today those two teams played the final game of a three-game series where the local nine managed to claim a victory to avoid being swept, but in an ...

Jose Cruz Born: August 8, 1947 Sport: Baseball (2-time All-Star, 2-time Silver Slugger) If you're a Houston Astros fan, you've probably gotten used to the recent run of success for the team but also sometimes get frustrated at the show starts that seem to plague them more often than not.  Stumbling out of the gate has become something of an annual occurrence, and 2026 has not been a departure from that trend.  In spite of that, however, there continue to be bright spots in the organization that show promise.  The Astros just finished getting swept by the St. Louis Cardinals, falling to a division-worst 8-15 record.  I thought it might be fun to look back at one of the team's favorite figures who may have gotten his start with those Cardinals but was soon brought to town by the Astros and became influential in their first shot at postseason games, and who ultimately was present for every playoff moment Houston had while part of the National League.  What's more, ...

Jim Nantz Born: May 17, 1959 Sport: Broadcasting (2-time Emmy Award winner, 5-time National Sportscaster of the Year winner, Hall of Fame) Before anything else, I want to acknowledge the passing of Phil Garner, former MLB player and beloved manager of the Houston Astros, as well as the Brewers and Tigers.  He ended a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer on Saturday night, and you can read more about his story on my post about him here .  My heart and prayers go out to his loved ones.  Turning our attention to the current sports calendar, we just closed the book on the 2026 NCAA Tournament earlier in the week when the University of Michigan outlasted the University of Connecticut to take home the title and today is the final round of the Masters.  Many sports fans have long equated both events with one particular voice that has lent his skills to announcing basketball, golf, and football.  As one of only two men to broadcast a Super Bowl, Masters, and NCAA Cham...

George Springer Born: September 19, 1989 Sport: Baseball (2-time All-American, 4-time All-Star, 3-time Silver Slugger, World Series MVP) My daughter and I went to the NCAA South Region Final during March Madness last week, and while we didn't get the chance to see the team we hoped for (UH Cougars) it was still a fun time.  This week, however, the University of Connecticut and the University of Michigan each punched their tickets to the championship game.  The city of Houston has had a few significant players in their history that have come from both schools, but today I've opted to give the Huskies the nod by throwing the spotlight on a UConn product who played his best baseball while in Houston.  Unlike last week's focus that came from the early years of his sport this player is still active, although while he remains a favorite of Astros fans he has been employed by the Toronto Blue Jays for several seasons.  So let's dive into the story of George Springer. The do...

Tris Speaker Born: April 4, 1888 Sport: Baseball (3-time World Series champion, MVP, Batting Title winner, 617-520 managerial record, Hall of Fame) It is the very beginning of baseball season and the temperatures are on their way up, so we're returning to look at the boys of summer.  Just for fun, why don't we go way back in time and learn about one of the all-time greatest?  While he doesn't get as much recognition now and never played in an era where a major league team existed in the state of Texas, he is a native of the Lone Star State who came through Houston on his way up the minor league ladder.  He played the game 100 years ago but Tris Speaker still holds records that have never been matched, and in recognition of that fact he became the very first inductee into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.  But that was just one of the many honors and achievements he received after a storied baseball career.  Let's find out more about the man known as the Gray Eagle....

Chuck Norris Born: March 10, 1940 Sport: Martial Arts (183-10-2 career record, 6-time undefeated World Karate Middleweight Champion, Numerous Black Belts - Chun Kuk Do: 10th, American Tang Soo Do: 9th, Taekwondo: 8th, Kyokushin Budokai: 8th, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: 3rd, Judo: 1st) Six years ago, my youngest daughter was in need of a physical activity that could teach her some discipline while also socializing outside the house.  A few friends of ours recommended a local martial arts school under the leadership of a man named Al Garza, a grand master in karate who held a number of belts in other disciplines.  On the wall of his school was a picture of Grand Master Garza alongside a familiar face who had become legendary in movies and TV, but who got his start on the mat as a dominant and respected martial artist.  This week, people around the world were shocked to hear that the second person in that photo, Chuck Norris, had died unexpectedly shortly after his 86th birthday....

Otis Birdsong Born: December 9, 1955 Sport: Basketball (All-American, 4-time All-Star, All-NBA) While the World Baseball Classic has caught quite a bit of attention in recent days, I wanted to wait just a bit before launching into posts about the boys of summer.  Instead, with college basketball season coming to its conclusion with this week's conference tournaments (not to mention that it's Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament and I'm taking my daughter to the regional final that will hopefully include Houston) I've decided to shine the light on one of the great players to take the court for the Houston Cougars.  Otis Birdsong may not be the household name that some other UH alumni have become but his career stands among the very best, and his jersey is one of just five to have been retired by the school.  So even though he played on teams that didn't reach the same levels of success as other Cougars squads, let's give credit where its due and get to know t...

Calvin Murphy Born: May 9, 1948 Sport: Basketball (3-time All-American, All-Rookie, All-Star, Hall of Fame) I hope you've enjoyed our time focused on the Olympics, but this week we return to basketball which is the most significant US sport currently enjoying a regular season.  Football has been in the news because players are getting released or traded, contracts reworked, and rosters otherwise prepared for the upcoming draft.  Baseball has entered spring training while also going through its once-every-four-year World Baseball Classic tournament.  Hockey...well, we've already covered the one guy I could come up with that was related to Houston.  The spotlight falls on someone who originally came to Houston along with his entire team, and he ended up becoming the shortest member of the Hall of Fame during his lengthy career.  And once he took off the uniform and sneakers Calvin Murphy stayed in town, becoming a regular and well-loved face of the team's TV broad...