I want to write about three people in my past at the radio station. One of them was one of the most humble men I’ve ever met in my life. His named was Wendell Mayes.
I started working at KBWD, which he founded, back in the early ’60s. At that time the Federal Communications Commission only allowed a person or a group to own a maximum of seven radio stations. Mr. Mayes owned seven.
Not only did I find out that he was one of the most powerful men in Brownwood, he was one of the most powerful men in Texas, and he was known by a lot of people in Washington, D.C. Even though I’m sure he was very wealthy, he never acted like it around me. He had power beyond what any of us knew, yet humble.
I can recall a Saturday afternoon when there was no one at the radio station, except me doing a board shift, and I saw somebody come in the outer office in the dark. It was an elderly man with old clothes on, driving an old pickup. I’m thinking ‘why in the world would they give a key to the front office to some lawn care guy?’ But upon further inspection, it was Mr. Mayes doing some dirty work around the building, as I learned later, he often did. A humble man with great power.
Late one afternoon, he came into the control room where I was at the controls. I could tell someone was with him as they entered from the hallway. As they got to the control room I recognized who was with him. It was John Connally, who at the time was the Governor of Texas. All Mr. Mayes did was push the door open, and point at me and say, “John, you will never guess what his name is.”
Wendell Mayes. I miss him and his qualities so very, very much.
Fred Perry was one of the wisest men I ever worked with. My favorite memory of Fred was him taking me in 1961 to Weatherford for a Brownwood Lion basketball game. He was the play by play man and I just went along for the ride. Fact is, I had never broadcast a basketball game, or baseball game, or football game for that matter, but he knew I certainly wanted to someday.
Now back then, at halftime of those ballgames they would simply send it back to the radio station for about 10 minutes of music and then they would come back and do the second half.
The first half ended and Fred got up and said, “I’m going to get something to drink, you want something?” I said, “Sure.” He said laughingly, “If I’m not back in time just do the rest of the game for me.” Guess what? He didn’t come back. So I picked up the headset and did the only thing I knew to do – I started broadcasting the game.
About 10 minutes into the second half, I glance over to my left and Fred was leaning against a wall smiling real big. He came back in a few minutes and took over the broadcast but at least he had thrown me into the water to see if I could swim.
I said he was the wisest, and he was. Fred gave me great advice all through life that I now share with people. Looking back, I didn’t take as much of his advice as I should have. It was always very wise advice.
The third person is simply very, very special. His name is Walter Banks. I met him not too long after I started in radio. He would come to the radio station every day, sometimes near daybreak and he would stay until midnight or later. I loved being around him.
Fact is, for about 30 or more years he was my constant companion at every football game, every basketball game, and every baseball game I went to. He could do stuff with equipment that I had no idea how to do. He was literally my right hand man. He would do anything for me and I can’t stay that about too many people. No one will ever know how special Walter is to me.
One, the most humble; one, the wisest; and one, the most special.
I am blessed to have known them all.
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 lindalh2@verizon.net.