Geographist

Today, www.geographist.com surpassed the 500,000 mark for total views.  Wow!  I know that's small potatoes for the big websites out there, but for me it's amazing to think that even a fraction of that number would find the time to click through this blog of things that interest me.  Thank you to every single reader! J.R. Richard Born: March 7, 1950 Sport: Baseball (107-71 pitching record, All-Star, ERA title) Happy Independence Day to everyone in the United States!  I've thoroughly enjoyed all of the celebrations for our country's 250th birthday, including my own neighborhood's 131st consecutive July 4th celebration last night, and continue to cheer on our national team as the play on the world's biggest soccer stage.  On the baseball field, we got news that Yordan Alvarez was voted into the starting position for the American League's DH at the upcoming All-Star game, and maybe he'll get to add some MVP hardware to that trophy case now that he's gett...

Dallas Keuchel Born: January 1, 1988 Sport: Baseball (103-92 pitching record, 2-time All-Star, 5-time Gold Glove, Cy Young, World Series champ) As we approach the "dog days" of summer at the end of June, baseball usually takes center stage as the only game in town for any year that doesn't have the Olympics going on.  In 2026, however, we have the World Cup occupying our sports attention.  But we are still going to give the local nine their due and keep our focus on the diamond, at least for this week.  Back in 2015, the Houston Astros became relevant for the first time in quite a while as they made the postseason for the first time in 10 years, during which time they switched leagues from the NL to the AL and also endured a streak of three consecutive seasons of 100+ losses.  Their first taste of playoff baseball since their 2005 World Series loss was a memorable one, as they dispatched the New York Yankees in a one-game Wild Card round before falling to the eventua...

Wayne Graham Born: April 6, 1936 Sport: Baseball (1,848-641-2 collegiate coaching record, 5-time NJCAA World Series Champion, 1-time NCAA World Series Champion, Hall of Fame) The 2026 College World Series has nearly wrapped up, with the deciding game 3 scheduled to be played tomorrow.  The University of Oklahoma won the first game of the championship before the University of North Carolina came out on top to even the series.  The rubber game on Monday evening will determine who goes home with the hardware.  If the Sooners win it would be their third title in school history and first since 1994, and for the Tar Heels it would be their first time to come out on top after a couple of runner-up seasons 20 years ago.  The universities within the city of Houston have not historically fared well in the tournament, with the University of Houston finishing second in 1967 and the only baseball championship in local history going to Rice University back in 2003.  The head ...

Dwayne De Rosario Born: May 15, 1978 Sport: Soccer (7-time All-Star, 6-time Best XI, MLS MVP, MLS Golden Boot, 4-time MLS Champion) This week the World Cup began, and it's already catching the imaginations of many here in a country that never seems to have embraced the most popular sport in the world.  In sharing hosting duties with Canada and Mexico, the United States is acting in the role for the first time since 1994.  Here in the Houston area, we had our very first game today and will be the site of an additional six by the time the tournament wraps up next month.  Although the city's history with professional soccer is relatively short, one star for our local team can act as an ambassador and host for many of the cities where games will be played.  Dwayne De Rosario is a native of Ontario, Canada, and competed for numerous MLS clubs during his career, including Houston, Toronto, New York, and San Jose - all metro areas that will welcome international guests watc...

Derrick Lewis Born: February 7, 1985 Sport: Mixed Martial Arts (29-13-0 professional record, 16 UFC KO/TKO wins, currently holds heavyweight records for finishes and knockouts) As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday next month, there are numerous ways that people are choosing to mark the occasion.  One of the more interesting spectacles that has been planned is a UFC event on the White House lawn, billed as Freedom 250 which will take place one week from today.  When the fight card was originally announced, according to UFC's CEO Dana White, President Donald Trump asked why Derrick Lewis wasn't included.  So the boss made a few calls and added a fight that included Houston's most famous and successful MMA fighter, lining up the seasoned veteran against one of the sport's rising heavyweight stars, Josh Hokit.  When "no holds barred" cage matches began being held years ago, I didn't really understand the styles of fighting that took pl...

Darryl Kile Born: December 2, 1968 Sport: Baseball (133-119 pitching record, 3-time All-Star) Sometimes sports go through trends.  I grew up in the golden age of basketball centers, with Olajuwon competing with the likes of Ewing, Robinson, Mutumbo, Mourning, and O'Neal.  Then for a period of time teams like the Golden State Warriors practically ignored the center position in favor of shooters specializing in the 3-pointer.  In football there have been changes in the rules that have shifted the focus for many teams away from defense and running toward a high-scoring passing attack.  In baseball, it seems that players of recent years focus on power more than average during each at-bat, which has combined with improved relief pitching to a decrease in baserunners and scoring.  Last season, for instance, all major league players averaged .245 over the year compared to .270 back in 2000.  That said, occurrences of no-hitters has not increased - in 2025 there wa...

Cesar Cedeño Born: February 25, 1951 Sport: Baseball (4-time All-Star, 5-time Gold Glove) Here in the United States, we are recognizing Memorial Day and honoring those whose lives were laid down in military service to our nation.  While it is a day off from work for most employees that have a normal M-F schedule and also represents the unofficial beginning of summer, it's not so much a day of celebration as reflection and gratitude.  If you are the survivor of someone who paid that ultimate price, our collective thoughts are with you on this day of remembrance and I'm sure I speak for many when I say that we honor that sacrifice and do not take for granted the benefits we enjoy at your expense.  Thank you.  Today, a day later than I typically post, I went back in time to find if any Houston events took place that included a local sports figure that merited inclusion in our list.  I found a couple of Rockets playoff games of interest and two big Astros come-from-...

Rene Cardenas Born: February 6, 1930 Sport: Baseball - Announcer (38 MLB seasons, first-ever Spanish MLB broadcaster, 4-time Ford C. Frick finalist) This past week a truly legendary pioneer in his field passed away at the age of 96.  Although he had an impact for numerous different major league teams, many Houstonians will always remember him most for his time with the Astros.  And yet, for as much as can be credited to Rene Cardenas, it doesn't seem that enough people know his name.  As the first Spanish broadcaster in MLB history he is responsible for expanding the influence of the game, and that included spreading the sounds of baseball beyond the borders of the US.  In honor of his passing let's take a look at the story of his life in the hopes of spreading awareness of an unheralded voice that brought the sport that he loved to millions. Cardenas announced games for the first 14 years of MLB play in Houston Born in Managua, Nicaragua, Rene Cardenas was from a we...

Van Chancellor Born: September 27, 1943 Sport: Basketball (211-111 WNBA coaching record, 4-time WNBA Champion, 3-time WNBA Coach of the Year, Olympic Gold Medal, 530-195 NCAA coaching record, Final Four, Hall of Fame) The WNBA season kicked off this past week, and for Houston area fans of women's basketball it's a season that they honestly hope goes by quickly.  Why?  Because it was recently announced that Houston will once again have a professional women's team for the first time since the Houston Comets folded after the 2008 season.  Our city hosted the original WNBA dynasty when the league was created in 1997, winning the first four consecutive titles.  In 2027, the Connecticut Sun will relocate to Houston now that they have been acquired by the Fertitta family, and the hope is that they will be able to once again use the Comets name.  This week we're going to take a look at one of the men responsible for the original team's dominance - head coach Van Chancel...