Discover Wyoming: Athletics, Labor Day Beginnings and an Inspirational Journey

Unlock the history of Wyoming sports and the origins of Labor Day in our latest episode. Get your game face on as we tackle the triumphs and trials of Wyoming Cowboys and their high school counterparts, and revel in the suspense of the University of Nebraska's record-setting volleyball game, witnessed by over 92,000 spectators. We'll also turn our attention to the thrill of the football season opener and the rising temperatures and high winds that have prompted red flag warnings.

Ever wondered about the spiritual journey that drives our guest, Oliver Anthony? We're here to satisfy your curiosity. Oliver Anthony joins us to share his inspiring insights from his appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, and how his faith led him to strive for excellence. We also address a high-profile controversy involving a University of Wyoming sorority and a transgender male, and the federal judge's decision to dismiss the case. And as a special Labor Day treat, we trace back the holiday's roots in Wyoming, dating back to Governor William A. Richards' proclamation in 1895. Join us for this riveting journey through sports, faith, and history. It's time to tune in and turn up the volume!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:22

Good morning and welcome to let's Talk Wyoming. I'm Mark Hamilton, your host Today. We'll be taking a look at Wyoming sports. We'll talk about your Wyoming cowboys. We'll look at some high school sports. We'll talk volleyball. We'll also take a look at Oliver Anthony and we'll also discuss the case of the sorority girls in Laramie, wyoming. And also we'll look at the meaning of Labor Day, this Labor Day weekend. Thanks for joining us and I hope you enjoy the show.

Speaker 1: 1:01

Taking a look at Wyoming weather here today on the 30th day of August Almost the first and coming up on Labor Day weekend, red flag warnings in effect, for this part of Wyoming, the Big Horn Basin. It was 82 degrees last night at midnight, with the wind blowing pretty hard, and right now it's the same at 10.30 in the morning. We've got high winds, it's warming up and it's definitely just an oven outside. So that's what always worries you about this time of year we start getting these warmer temperatures and get these type of conditions. Fires can be an issue. There are fires around the state right now up in Montana. The nearest one would be the Pryor Mountain Fire, which is north of us here in Hot Springs County. I saw there you have that is still going and doesn't have any date for containment, just a lot of dry grass out there. We have a long weekend, but I did see some good news coming up on Monday. Starting Sunday Monday, I see a little bit of a cool down and some rain and I guess there'd be an advantage if it isn't any type of lightning and such. But here in the state of Wyoming Labor Day weekend ahead, it looks like it's going to be pretty good until about Monday. I'm about to take care out there. If you're out camping Gonna, make that last camping trip of the year. Wanna watch where you have your fires. Some of the areas may start some fire bans and restrictions. Make sure you check those out before you go out and create a bunch of work for our fire departments and firefighters in the area. Wildland fighters. It's always a good idea to take a little extra care and you feel like you can't do it safely, don't do it. But Labor Day weekend here in Wyoming should be warm. Looks like a little rain and it looks like September. We'll see what that long range forecast is, but you can tell there's fall in the air right around the corner.

Speaker 1: 3:07

Take a look at Wyoming sports this weekend. Labor Day weekend Data Laramie is the opening of the football season. 5.30 Saturday night at the war Cowboys will take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders Texas Tech, as I mentioned last week, out of the Big 12, they actually had a really good season last year. They finished out. They beat Oklahoma in their last regular season game and they beat both Texas and Oklahoma last year One of the favorites in the Big 12 this year. So that should be a little stern test for the Cowboys. They've had a few injuries but they're pretty excited, like everybody is, on this opening weekend Again with that 5.30 kickoff, that late start. It's really hard to get rooms in Laramie unless you've planned far ahead to be able to spend the night, and so it's a little hard to try to drive home after that game starting at 5.30. Probably won't get over until 8.39. And a five hour trip home gets you home a little late. So I think we're going to sip this one out. It'll be on CBS National Broadcast. So look forward to watching the Cowboys and we'll try to get down on these next couple of weekends to watch the Cowboys in action.

Speaker 1: 4:25

High school sports, even though it's Labor Day weekend, is still going strong. All the football teams are back in action. This weekend the 3A and below all had zero week games through scrimmages In such last weekend. They'll start their regular season this weekend. So it'll be kind of interesting how these teams developed. Watch the scrimmage between Worland and Thermopolis, you know. You could tell it was an early season matchup and still a lot of miscues in both young teams. I think that was some bright futures ahead of them. We have action out of town, not nothing at home. This weekend the volleyball team will be up in Cody. A lot of teams will be hitting Cody for that invitational. Last weekend. The sports, I guess where you start getting into Labor Day and getting really back into the full swing of things. So a lot of teams are starting to get excited. It's when you're getting ready to start a September, you're getting ready to get after it. So we'll keep track of all of our local teams and next week we'll have a report on what happened with each and every one of them here in our state of Wyoming.

Speaker 1: 5:34

Another note about volleyball and sports that's off to the State of Nebraska and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. I don't know how many people saw this Last night on the 30th day of August they had an outdoor volleyball game. For people that aren't familiar with the University of Nebraska People in Nebraska are definitely sports crazy. They love to follow their sports. In that state the volleyball team is a national power and they had decided about a year ago that it might be pretty cool if we had a volleyball game at an outdoor venue, which in this case would be the Memorial Stadium where the football games are played, and so, with a lot of people working on it, it was the transformation of that field. They brought in a new floor and I heard that they used that type of floor for the graduation ceremony and they had the volleyball game last night. They set a record for a women's sporting event for the whole entire world, the world's record. They had 92,000 and three people. 92,000, yes, 92,000 and three. I don't know who the three people were, but that was the highest attended sporting event for any women's sports Also broke the record for any of the Nebraska Cornhusker football games. I think they were in the 91 plus but never got to that range. So that volleyball game last night with those young ladies they took on the University of Omaha, so kind of an in-state game, kind of an overmatch, just not that Big of powerhouse. They were the team that played University of Nebraska, but the fans were unreal. They had a lot of stuff leading up to the game. After the game they had a light show. It was amazing For all you fans of women's sports. You couldn't have a better event to celebrate women's sports and hats off to the state of Nebraska for what they did at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and go cornhuskers. Not much of a cornhusker fan, but I am now, and anybody that can help promote women's sports, with all the negativities we had with transgender issue and something happened for women's sports like this is definitely one of those things that we will never forget. So 92,000 three people at a volleyball game played outdoors in Nebraska Well done.

Speaker 1: 8:21

Taking a look at other political news and just general interest news in the area and around the US this last week they had Oliver Anthony was on Joe Rogan in the last couple days and every was over two hours. It is on Spotify. Just an interesting interview and Oliver Anthony definitely has taken up the mantle for God he is. He lets his soul out and just explains what happened and why he made that decision, that he was tired of serving all these false gods and what he meant by alcohol and drugs and all these other problems, that he knew there was a better way. And he did have a moment he described when the Holy Spirit came over him and he knew that he had better things to do and God was that ultimate power in his life. And I just love Joe Rogan because I don't know about Joe's religious beliefs, but Oliver did read from the Bible. Rogan was definitely thought that was pretty cool and, as Oliver says, he just doesn't read the Bible to read it. He gets inspired to read and he's read different stuff to help guide him on his path. So he is going to continue on with his activities. And again, his songs are still out there and they've inspired a lot of people and I hope Oliver continues on his path.

Speaker 1: 9:56

As Christians we're always tested at all times. The devil has ways of trying to get you and lead you astray. So I pray for God to be with him. Give him that armor to get out and spread the word and make sure you follow all of our anthony.

Speaker 1: 10:15

So one final note here in the state of Wyoming we had talked about the transgender suit at the sorority house at the University of Wyoming, where the young ladies filed a suit against the sorority for allowing a transgender male to join the sorority house. And this is not a male that is transitioned or whatever, it's just a male that's said to see is now a female, and so they filed a lawsuit and it was kind of a drawn out lawsuit. Originally, when they filed it, they were trying to withhold their name and then the federal judge said they had to provide their names, which caused some issues, which we know there's probably was a lot of backfire, let people attack them for their views and ultimately the federal judge came out and dismissed the lawsuit, and that was kind of interesting. I don't know sometimes if our legal profession has got the courage to stand up to the crowds, but hats off to those young ladies. They took this to court, they followed their beliefs and it was too bad that the other members in the sorority were empowered to join them. And that's how they eliminate people by canceling out, in this case dropping this lawsuit to continue on with their agenda. But young ladies, there, you guys have a lot of courage. A lot of us could take that mantle up and follow your lead.

Speaker 1: 11:46

As we've talked about, it's Labor Day weekend, and it's always kind of interesting to take a look back and take a look at what happened and how we got to Labor Day and maybe some of the happenings that have happened in our past and we're going to turn to today, to sharedinmediacom. Monday, of course, as we know, is Labor Day, september 4th, and it's an old holiday in the United States. It was declared a federal holiday in 1894 by President Glover Cleveland, but before it was an official federal holiday. Labor Day was recognized as a holiday in several individual states. In Wyoming Times from Evanston, wyoming, august 31st of 1911, and article gives a brief history of how the holiday came about.

Speaker 1: 12:34

Labor Day beginning. Terrence V Poutardy, the man who is largely instrumental in organizing the Knights of Labor nearly 40 years ago, tells the Washington correspondent of the Brooklyn Eagle of the first Labor Day in 1881. There was a parade of 18,000 labor men in New York City and one of the officials said to another on reviewing stand well, jack, this is Labor Day, all right, isn't it? The remarks attracted attention and reservation. Setting aside the first Monday in September for a celebration of labor's progress was introduced in New York Legislature While it was pending in Oregon on September 21st of 1887 past a law establishing the holiday. The first state in the Union to do this, new York, was a second later states to the number of 33 past similar laws and in 1894 the day was recognized by the national government. It is now observed whether it has jurisdiction, and it is now observed wherever it has jurisdiction. The language of the government resolution was to the fact that on that day Employers and employees should get together to discuss their general welfare. That result has not been generally observed as yet, but perhaps we shall work up to it eventually. State seal on the Claremont Veterans Memorial.

Speaker 1: 14:01

State governors. State governors each year proclaim Labor Day as a holiday. One of the earliest references in Wyoming was from the Cheyenne Daily Sun Leader on August 28th of 1895. The state of Wyoming Executive Department. Whereas the Congress of the United States has designated the first Monday of September of each year as a national holiday, being known as Labor Day. Now therefore, I William A Richards, governor of the state of Wyoming, to hear by appoint and proclaim Monday September 2nd 1896 a legal holiday throughout the state of Wyoming. This day has been set aside apart as a holiday as an evidence of the fact that the people of the great republic recognize the worth and dignity of human labor, the foundation of our national prosperity, and is especially appropriate that we of Wyoming should observe such a holiday as this, because we probably have fewer people of leisure than any other state. Those do not work, do not become permanent residents. The recent troubles in our western border was largely a protest against allowing unusual privileges to a class of beings who have not yet learned that they cannot live without labor. It is earnestly requested and recommended that, upon the day named, all businesses be suspended and that it be appropriated, be observed and celebrated as Labor Day. In testimony thereof, I have set aside and set up on my hand and caused the great seal of the state of Wyoming to be affixed at the capital, in the city of Cheyenne, this 24th day of August 1895.

Speaker 1: 15:43

As the world progressed in civilization and learning of the appreciation of what labor has done and can do as it grows with us we are coming to a better realization of the fact that without labor nothing would be possible. Our country and state would have not risen to the dignity of substantial commonwealths, our people would still be upon a par with the cave dwellers of prehistoric times, while an order would be unknown and a great element which the Creator had placed in our hands would yet exist as crude materials of unknown value. With the growth of civilization, there comes a desire to better regulate labor, to lay down rules so that men, who earns his bread by his brawn, will have just a number of stipulated hours for work. Rules so that women and children cannot be imposed upon by the more powerful who control their exertions. There also comes a desire to recognize the splendid part which those who labor play in the advancement and upbuilding of the world and bring to the attention of the people as a whole, and in the most forceful manner possible, the high regard in which such men and women are held by society. With this end in view, one day in each year has been set aside as Labor Day. Therefore I, john B Kendrick, governor of the State of Wyoming, do designate Monday, september 6, 1915 Labor Day and request that the citizens of the state observe the day to the fullest extent, so as to increase the respect to which labor is held and show due regard for those who toil. Let the day be observed as a holiday, let all businesses be suspended insofar as it is practical and let friendly word be spoken on all hands in honor of those upon whom the material progress and success of our state and nation depend. In witnessware of, I have set upon my hand and caused to be affixed the great seal of the State of Wyoming, done in the city of Cheyenne on the 25th day of August 1915 by John B Kendrick, governor, and of course, the home of our ex-governor John Kendrick, is in Sheridan. It was celebrated in Sheridan with parades, baseball and other activities, as this article in the semi-weekly enterprise of August 25th of 1907.

Speaker 1: 18:05

Monday is Labor Day and the occasion will be appropriately celebrated in Sheridan. The exercises will be under the direction of the Sheridan trades and labor council. The parade will start from Eales Hall at 830 and proceed to Burlington Depot where it will meet the organization from Deets, carniville and Monarch. The parade will then proceed south on Main Street to Works, west Arm Works, to Linden Avenue, hence to Kendrick Park. At the Park, speeches we made by Honorable John S Taylor, the Mayor of Sheridan, and other prominent men.

Speaker 1: 18:40

At 2 pm there will be sports and races on Grinnell Avenue, occupying the time from 2 to 4 o'clock. There will be two boys races, a young man's race, old man's race, fat man's race, a girl's race, young ladies race, old ladies race, three-legged race, a sack race, a running high jump and a tug-of-war. Suitable prizes are offered in all these contests. A prize of $25 is offered for the local making the best showing in the parade. A game of ball between the Sheridan Tigers and the world for a purse of $100 at the baseball park.

Speaker 1: 19:19

The Executive Committee of the Trades and Labor Council desired to state that it has no control over the closing of stores on Labor Day, but requests a general observance of the closing order, at least between the hours of 10 and 6. Many stores have agreed to close during these hours and it is announced that all employees will be free to join in the exercises on Monday. On account of Saturday being payday at the Mines, requests have come from that quarter to allow visitors from these places an opportunity to purchase what they desire during the day. And here in the City of Wyoming today we celebrate the upcoming Labor Day and working people look forward to it as a three-day holiday and official end of summer. Happy Labor Day to everyone. Thanks for joining us today and we hope you enjoy our podcast. Thanks for the code of the west. We ride for the brand and we ride for Wyoming. How high? Come on, come on.