Hays, Curley 1975-10-22

Curley Hays recalls his experience as an athlete and official, and as a rancher in the Southwest.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Curley Hays

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: October 22, 1975; November 19, 1975

Location: Abilene, Texas

Interviewer: Richie Cravens

Length: 2 hours, 30 minutes (total)

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Personal biography, Baseball player in Mexico, Player with St. Louis Browns, Baseball league in Abilene Texas (1938-1940), World travel as athlete, Roster of Navy team (post-World War II), Basketball player, Sam Baugh, Contrast of today’s basketball teams with those of past.

Tape 1, Side 2: Beginnings as sports official, Border Conference (1950s), Travel policies of the Southwest and Border Conferences, Policy of assigning referees to particular games, Changes in football (1930-1975), Equipment, Coaching, Player size, New football rules, Injuries, Coaching techniques.

Tape 2, Side 1: Great football players, Great football games, Texas vs. Texas A & M (1963?), Conference commissioners assignments for Texas-Texas A & M and Texas-Arkansas games, Experiences at Cotton Bowl, Best all-around football player, Joe Bob Bazell, Abilene High School football teams (1954, 1956), NCAA basketball tournaments, Naming of best high school basketball team, Best high school game, Clear Creek vs. Dumas at state tournament.

Tape 2, Side 2: Blank

Tape 3, Side 1: Basketball rule changes, Elimination of center jump, Three seconds in key hole, Evaluation of basketball rules committee, Quality of play, New emphasis on man-to-man press, Zone defense, Deportment of sports fans, Football and basketball fans compared, Television’s aid in proving officials’ accuracy, Differing natures of football and basketball fans and coaches, Move to three referees in basketball, Efforts to improve crowd behavior, Technical fouls, Black athletes in Texas, Absence of blacks in early Border Conference, Problem of games with western teams becoming racial conflicts, Jerry Levias, Evaluation of black player.

Tape 3, Side 2: Blank

Tape 4, Side 1: First experience in farming, Father’s farm in East Texas, Different breeds of cattle, Mixed breed bought from Jess Coy of Eldorado (early 1940s), Angus herd bought (1953), Hereford herd bought (1960), Appointment of Hays as Secretary West Texas Hereford Association, Father’s farm near Bagwell Texas, West Texas Utilities positions, Farm and Ranch Consultant, Public relations, Work with Stein Hall Vernon Texas in bringing guar to West Texas, Uses of guar, Position as Farm and Ranch Consultant, New directions in farming-ranching near Bagwell Texas, Hereford shows, Hosting Register of Merit shows, Register of Merit system.

Tape 4, Side 2: Blank

Range Dates: 1938-1975

Bulk Dates: 1938-1975

Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript:

---

Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.