So, I’ve never done this before. I don’t like bragging on myself. I don’t like bragging on people that were on my crew. I’ll brag on my wife a little bit because she’s the reason I’m alive today.

But, I want to talk about newspaper writers. I’ve told people many, many, many times that there was just no one to compare with Bill Stovall. He absolutely hid from all publicity. He wanted to be known as the Brownwood Lions sports writer and that’s it. He didn’t want to go to another destination. He didn’t want to go someplace and make a lot of money. He simply wanted to be the writer for the Brownwood Lions and had done it since basically his high school days in the 1950s. Then in 1960 all of a sudden he was the sports writer for Gordon Wood. He was magnificent at it! He just had a way with words. You had to have read him and be around him to know how good he was.

There was another one here who was pretty good. His name was Bud Jones. I liked Bud. I really, really liked him until he took a job in Stephenville and became the writer for the Yellow Jackets. Although he had no State Championships in Brownwood, he had two or three in Stephenville. He was a good writer and a good guy.

Another really good sports writer is my friend Mike Lee. You can read his sports in the Brownwood Bulletin. He was a sports writer in San Angelo before returning home to Goldthwaite. He has covered sports for numerous teams around and always does a great job.

I wanted to mention Derrick Stuckly because I think he is a great sports writer! I’m disappointed in one thing. He’s never had a State Championship team. He’s had one or two who could have done it but just didn’t get it done.

Not only does Derrick cover the Brownwood Lions in all sports, but the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets as well. I think Derrick would tell you one of the highlights of his sports coverage was the 2008 NCAA Division III

Women’s Basketball National Championship. He gave them the name of “The Perfect Swarm.” It was a journey that culminated in Holland, Michigan and experiencing his first airplane ride. That was an amazing experience for everyone and he did an amazing job of covering each victory to perfection.

Most people don’t realize not only is he on the field taking unbelievable photographs, but for the Lion football games he is keeping complete stats of the game at the same time. He’s been a big help to me. Some of his photographs taken for all the sports and all the area team coverage are amazing. Mama’s love him!!!

Derrick is one of the big turnarounds that I have ever seen. Now, Bill Stovall was never on the radio and he didn’t want to be on the radio. Bud Jones, no desire to be on the radio. I don’t think Derrick really wanted to be on the radio, but he has turned out to be good. The

first time I met him was just before the Lions were playing Brenham in Round Rock in the 2004 season opener. Maybe it was the next year before I got him to be on the air. Carl Wayne worked on him. I worked on him. He said, “No, I don’t want to be on the radio. I don’t want to do a voice thing. I’m not that good.”

He is a special friend and has been for a long time. He’s just very special. I wish him nothing but the best. I can’t imagine what he’s going to be like in, oh I don’t know, three or four years. Derrick can be in radio, he can be a newspaper writer, he can be all kinds of things. I admire him greatly and always will!

Until next time, so long everybody.

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‘Out of the Box’ with Dallas Huston is published each Monday morning at BrownwoodNews.com. Dallas was the radio voice of the Brownwood Lions and Howard Payne Yellow Jackets for more than 55 years. He currently is Pastor of Center City Baptist Church and hosts a Men’s Bible Study in Brownwood on Monday evenings. Your comments are welcome at [email protected].