The Beckett Blog

I hate to bring the room down with my first post, but the Ron Springs saga has turned from the feel good sports-story of the year to, now, one of the saddest.

Back in the Landry-era days, there was no more avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys than me. During the time when Ron was playing for the Cowboys , he ran the Dallas Hoopsters. A group of players would travel around in the off-season playing basketball games for charity, and to make some extra money. Two Dallas-based promoters, Michael Halbrooks and Brad Thomas of Events Incorporated, put together a tour through West Texas with a series of games featuring the Hoopsters and the Washington Redskins team. I was hired to as the P.A. announcer for the “Scalp The Skins ” tour that took  us to Abilene, Midland, Lubbock and Amarillo over a five day span. In 1984, no one complained about the tour name, imagine that.

Ron was evidently a better GM than Art Monk. The Redskins roster consisted of Monk, WR Alvin Garrett (one of the Smurfs), LB Monte Coleman, DB Ken Coffey, DB Curtis Jordan,  P Jeff Hayes ,a retired Terry Metcalf and a collection of spares. Springs loaded up with Tony Dorsett, Tony Hill, Doug Cosbie, Too Tall Jones, Bill Bates, Brian Baldinger, Michael Downs, Mike Hegman, Eugene Lockhart and Everson Walls.

For me, the trip was like a fantasy camp experience. A week with guys from the team I loved and the team I hated. I grew up in Dallas-Fort Worth where we were taught to love God and hate the Redskins. I almost needed psychological help by the end of the week, when I realized that I really liked the guys from the Redskins. The bus rides played out like scenes from North Dallas Forty or Semi-Tough. There were card games, insults, laughs and, for the veterans, some adult beverages. In Lubbock, former Texas Tech star Curtis Jordan treated us all to a dinner in a steakhouse that was closed for the evening. In each city, the arena was sold out. The basketball was intense, with a little Globetrotters schtick.  Importantly, the Cowboys swept the series 4-0.

For the next several years I traveled through Texas with the Hoopsters. Like all the guys, in his prime, Ron Springs was a spectacular athlete. He was not the best basketball player, but he would drive the lane like he was hitting the hole and you better get out of his way. The roster would change, but two of the constants were Springs and Walls.  Their friendship, as we all know now, lasted to this day. Ron was always the center of attention for two reasons. His sense of humor kept every one laughing and he handed out the game checks.

One day, sometime after they had both retired, Ron and Everson came by my office to buy some footballs. Ron took me outside to show me the  spectacular new black Mercedes his son Shawn had just given to him. He said, “Shawn’s the millionaire, I used to be, but now I’m only a thousandaire!” Ron was more proud of Shawn than of his own career.

I occasionally run into Everson around town, but had not seen Ron in several years when the stories of his health woes brought him back in the public eye. It was very sad to see the broken body of the once great athlete. But what a heartwarming story of friendship, as we all learned of Everson’s sacrifice for his best friend.  Ron smiled and joked through every interview, while Everson fought back tears.

As I write, Ron lies in a coma. Reportedly, the chances of recovery are bleak. My prayers are with Ron and his family.

 Ted Barker