The Love of Sports - Thanks Dad

We moved in the late 70s to Dallas Texas where my father adopted the Dallas Cowboys as if they were they were his long lost son. We still rooted for the Royals but he fully adopted the Cowpokes (his term). It was the end of the Roger Staubach era and the beginning of Danny White. To see the Cowboys in person was not a probability (probably not a priority either) so we watched the sideline stoicism of Tom Landry on the television or listened to the irascible Dale Hansen on the radio. The Cowboys were part of the culture in North Dallas and we shared the ups (three Super Bowls) and downs (the Catch) of the team. My sisters and brother may have been interested but Dad had me hooked and it was something we shared.

We had not forgotten the Royals who were on the radio nightly. 1980 was a complete heartbreak for me while we basked in the glory of 1985.

He loved that I loved sports. I knew it & ate it up. We watched it together and we played it together. He never turned me down for a shoot-around or to have a catch. He watched and encouraged my passion for the sport of basketball and softball.

My favorite sports-viewing memory of my father was when he & I ventured to Arlington to see the Royals to take on the home-town Rangers. We were getting the cheap seats & I happened to notice a very small sign in the window that said "tell us Pick a winner and get a free ticket." So we walked up and began the transaction with the ticket-window guy. I quietly stated "pick a winner" and the clerk started to crack up. And we were admitted free of charge and saw the Royals beat the Rangers. I loved that I had a hand in getting us into the game and he loved it too.

My father passed in 2005 and I often wonder about his impact on my life if he was still alive. Most of my thoughts have to do with how his love and patience would have impacted my kids and what a shame that my kids didn't know his love. But I also would have loved to share with him my opportunity to meet Frank White and the first time my daughter got hold of a foul ball at the K.

Share your father-related sports memories either with your dad or as a dad. Consider this your Sunday live thread.