Let's Talk Wyoming - Winter is knocking, Cowboys' Defeat, A bad day for busses & The Tragic Welcome & Insight into Life's Challenges

Have you ever been swept away by the charm of Wyoming's Indian summer, or felt the sting of defeat in a challenging football match? What if there was a way to find profound wisdom within the highs and lows that life throws at us? We journey through the breathtaking Wyoming panorama, talking about the Wyoming Cowboys' devastating loss and the tragic cowboy welcome at the University of Wyoming - stories that paint a vivid picture of life's varied hues.

In the second half, we pivot to introspection. We examine the essence of life, guided by God's profound wisdom. We discuss how seemingly insurmountable challenges can morph into invaluable life lessons, and how these experiences shape our personal evolution. We invite you on this emotional rollercoaster ride, where joy and struggle interweave to form the rich tapestry of life. Let's seize the opportunities life presents, cherishing each challenge as a stepping stone towards personal growth. Tune in and take away insights that may just change the way you perceive the trials and triumphs of life.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:23

Good morning and welcome to let's Talk Wyoming. I'm Mark Hamilton, your host, and today we'll be looking at our Wyoming weather and winter is knocking on our door. We'll take a look at our Wyoming Cowboys, we'll look at a football team that had a really bad day and finally we'll have a story on the fountain and the mural remembering a tragic cowboy welcome that took place at the University of Wyoming many years ago. Thanks for joining us today and we hope you enjoy the show. We'll take a look at the weather on the 17th of October. Looking at our forecast on the National Weather Service, it looks absolutely gorgeous. We had 3 inches of rain last week. We had some weather coming in but it just rained. We'll be back up in the field pretty quick. Our forecast is really getting into our Indian summer. We're looking at a high of 75. Wednesday, 65, 74 on Thursday. This is with low temperatures in the 40s at night. You can't beat that. It's no deep frost, all 40s in the night. Wyoming weather right now is just absolutely gorgeous. Taking a look at Wyoming sports here on the 17th day of October Pretty rough weekend for the Wyoming Cowboys as they lost 34 to 27 to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs Kind of an art breaker.

Speaker 1: 2:34

Cowboys came out like gangbusters in that first half and got a lead. Air Force slowly but surely got back into the game. Air Force went up, cowboys ended up with a fumble, covered a fumble in the fourth quarter, had a chance to go ahead by a point but the extra point was blocked, so it was 27-27. Kicked back off to the Air Force Academy and sure enough the Air Force fumbled on the first play. Cowboys had it. I just thought maybe it would be a good opportunity to actually try to get another touchdown but they kind of played it close to the vest. Two running plays and an unsuccessful pass play Ended up bringing in John Hoylan they're Mr Steady and unfortunately he missed the 40 yard plus field goal, went to the right. He had missed a field goal earlier and so with that block point Extra point I should say that was seven points the Cowboys had an opportunity to score. Air Force ended up driving down, going ahead on the Cowboys on a long run and Just kind of heartbreaking. The defense was getting a little bit exhausted, I would say a little tired. In that second half Air Force put together to come out of the half time. A long drive, the consumed majority of the third quarter. But the Cowboys got it back. You're thinking maybe they got an opportunity to go down and tie this thing up and maybe we'll go to overtime. But three unsuccessful plays and they were out of there and Air Force got the ball and ran the clock out. So Cowboys drop a heartbreaker.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Air Force gets in that top spot on the Mountain West Conference right now. They have this week off. They'll be back in action next Saturday as they make the trip over to Boise play on the Smurf turf, the blue turf. They're in Boise. The Cowboys that, as coach ball had mentioned in one of his press conferences, have not beaten Boise's Since he was the coach, since he's been the coach. So kind of some bad luck for coach ball. It seems like that they've had their number a few times and always lose late. So this will be a big game for the Cowboys to see where they're going to take this season. They give a chance now to heal some Injuries, get the guys kind of back and they've had a pretty tough early season Get them refocus, get them refreshed and make the run here in the second half Strange things happen.

Speaker 1: 4:58

Air Force might lose a couple games. It doesn't look very possible. This looks like a really good Air Force team, but the Cowboys just need to finish strong. The Cowboys have been in this position before where they've had early season success Come out like they have and then that second half they just drop off. It's a little disappointing for the fans. So we'll keep our eyes out for the Cowboys. Next week They'll be on a Televised game over in Boise. Look forward to watching that game. Should be an exciting Afternoon. We'll see if the Cowboys can come back and and get the W.

Speaker 1: 5:36

And finally, another story and sports here in the state of Wyoming, not related to a team from the state of Wyoming, but the South Dakota Tech football team. They were located up in Rapid City, south Dakota. We're coming back from a game in Golden, colorado, against Colorado School of Mines and they had lost that game. They were going through Lusk at the time. They were heading home. They would go from Lingle up. You go to Torrington, to Lingle and then head north up towards Newcastle and then over into Rapid City or that direction and they were Coming back from the game. It was actually cold that last weekend we had some cold weather and of course the two buses both broke down. The one broke down the other that broke down. It caught on fire and burned to the ground or it was Unsalvageable the town of Lusk. They've got the school district out with a couple buses and picked up the players and got them to the fairgrounds they're in Lusk and they took care of them. They set Cots up for the team Blankets and took care of them for the time being. The school of Mines ended up sending a couple more buses Down from Rapid City to pick the players up and get them back up to Rapid City. So kind of a tough night, tough day and tough night for the football team from South Dakota Tech. And again I guess you feel like you're having a bad day, and they did have a bad day.

Speaker 1: 7:05

You Today, in our history section, came across a pretty cool story that I want to share. We talk about the University of Wyoming and being an alum of the University of Wyoming spent a lot of time on the campus. This story comes from wildhistoryorg, the Fountain and the Mirror Remembering a Tragic Cowboy. Welcome. This is by Phil Roberts. Halfway from Old Main to the University Avenue on the University of Wyoming campus, a seldom noticed stone drinking fountain blocks the long straight sidewalk, almost hidden among the summer flowers. At the base carved words that it was built in memory of Lowell O'Brien, who died October 10th of 1922. Above the stone inscription and now in Ockel Fountain is a brass plaque he gave himself. Ironically, the fountain shares a historical connection with the more familiar work of art, the painted mural hanging on the west wall of the Student Union Ballroom. Both the fountain and the mural recall aspects of the same event in the University's history. The mural recalls the Cowboy Welcome given to newly arriving University Wyoming President, arthur G Crane. The fountain royalizes the tragic death of a student involved in organizing the welcoming ceremony.

Speaker 1: 8:33

In August of 1922, the Board of Trustees announced that Crane, then serving as president of a college in Edelweil, pennsylvania, had accepted the University of Wyoming presidency. He would come to Laramie in October to begin his new job. Consequently, a group of students decided to greet the new prexy in traditional western style. With the help of a faculty advisor, dr Samuel Knight, and Coach John Corbett. They planned on an elaborate ambush. They would dress as cowboys and on horses meet the new president's automobile as was coming down the Telegraph Canyon into Laramie from the summit of Sherman Hill to the east of the city. On that sunny October morning, nine masked men on horses joined about 50 other cowboys bedecked in regalia. According to UW historian Deborah Hardy, they ordered Crane out of his car and into a stagecoats where he was joined by outgoing president Ava Nelson and Board of Trustee Chairman WC Deming. Crane's family continued on to town in his family automobile.

Speaker 1: 9:43

Did Crane enjoy the unique welcome? Probably not. Hardy describes a photograph taken at the time. Out from the window he peers like a prisoner. He is neither smiling nor waving, nor eagerly surveying the sagebrush around him. If anything, the camera catches a tone of disappointment and disapproval for this youthful, high-spirited prank. The riders escorted the coats through the east edge of the Laramie where the three occupants were transferred into a new Mormon automobile for the ride to the grandstands of the nearby fairground. Near today's Washington Park there are students, faculty and townspeople welcome Crane and his family.

Speaker 1: 10:24

Student President Fred Parks presented Crane with a 10-gallon hat and the crowd watched two cowboys riding bucking horses. Later, after a few speeches, the assemblage adjourned to the University Commons for a special dinner. But the festive ceremonies were dampened by an accident that had occurred earlier in the morning as the cowboys were preparing for the ambush. One of the best horsemen on campus. Lowell O'Brien, a 23-year-old junior, helped ride out the mounts for the Crane reception, that is, ride them until they calmed down and stopped bucking. O'brien was topping off each horse as it was settled in order to ensure that no amateur should accidentally get on an unsafe horse and be thrown. O'brien intentionally made his mount buck. Then suddenly the horse broke towards a wire fence. During the horse would break through and into a group of students, o'brien started this mount, a feat no different than he had often accomplished in the course's everyday work. According to the report of the UW student paper, the saddle slipped and he was thrown underneath the horse, badly kicked and dragged about 30 yards before being rescued by his comrades. The Wyoming student reported that he was taken to the hospital unconscious. Dr Robinson and Dr Turner were called to attend him and this hour O'Brien's condition is extremely critical. Dr Willard A Robinson was a young man's stepfather with whom he lived while attending University of Wyoming.

Speaker 1: 11:55

A week after the mishap, president Crane announced at the morning student assembly that O'Brien had died. He never regained consciousness from the accident. The student newspaper published a special memorial edition noting that O'Brien's death cast a pall of sadness over the university. Accounts emphasized that every effort had been made to save his life. A nurse and a physician had been constantly at his side and several other surgeons had been called into consultation. Several students had taken turns and sitting up with him. The student newspaper reported O'Brien, a native of Santa Rosa, california, died at his stepfather's home. He was 23. O'brien had been a very popular among the faculty and fellow students. The Wyoming student obituary read he was studying agriculture and was active in the agricultural clubs and other college activities. Later in the decade, friends and classmates of O'Brien raised funds to construct the memorial fountain.

Speaker 1: 12:52

In 1939, to commemorate the first anniversary of the construction of the student union building, the university and the federal art project hired Utah artist Lynn Fawcett to paint a mural depicting Crane's arrival, finally hung in the student lounge and later in the grand staircase of the union. The mural was moved to its present location in the West Ballroom in 2003 following restoration funded by the Class of 1958. Five individuals significant to the university history are depicted in the mural Crane front and center. Nelson next to him in a black hat and suit. Longtime university board secretary. Faculty member and historian, dr Grace Raymond Hebert on the left. Ina green skirt, longtime psychologist, professor and department chair, dr June Eddodowning, in a red dress and next to her longtime Greek and Latin professor and dean of liberal arts, dr Justice Soleil, in a gray suit and red tie.

Speaker 1: 13:53

But did the artist include O'Brien in the mural? No reference is made to the fact, either in the commemorative label below the mural or in the branding article published the week of his dedication of March 3rd of 1940. Might he be the hatless cowboy on the rearing horse behind the main group at the center of the painting? Is he the distant red-shirted cowboy on a bucking horse right of center? One art historian contends he is a man in the chaps just left of center. The sole male figure facing away from the picture. Only in the back of his head is visible. Whether O'Brien appears at all. The mural recalls the celebration of Crane's arrival, while the fountain west of the old main memorializes the young man accidentally killed while preparing the old west welcomed depicted in the painting.

Speaker 1: 14:43

And you know this is a story If I heard it. I don't remember Dr Crane. Of course I lived in Crane Hall when I was at the University of Wyoming. Dr Grace Raymond Hebert. Also Dr June Edda Downing. Of course there's Downing Hall, a dormitory on the campus. It was pretty amazing and it's a story that was pretty sad for that young man to have that happen on the day that this took place. Kind of at that time, the start of our University of Wyoming and Dr Crane made a big difference on the campus and I can only imagine what it was like for him when he showed up. I don't know if he was really happy about it, but the people there were wanting to make it something special, and it is a special place for a lot of people the University of Wyoming. And finally, today I want to share something that I've came across and the author is unknown.

Speaker 1: 15:39

I asked God to take away my habit.

Speaker 1: 15:41

God said no, it's not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

Speaker 1: 15:46

I asked God to heal my handicapped son. God said no, his spirit is whole, his body is only temporary. I asked God to give me patience, but God said no, patience is a byproduct of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is learned. I asked God to give me happiness, but God said no, I'll give you blessings. Happiness is up to you. I asked God to spare me pain, but God said no, suffering drives you apart from the worldly cares and brings you closer to me. I asked God to make my spirit grow, but God said no, you must grow on your own, but I will prune you and make you fruitful.

Speaker 1: 16:28

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life, but God said no, I will give you life so you may enjoy all things. I asked God to help me love others as he has loved me. God said now you have the idea. Today is yours. Don't throw it away. Some interesting thoughts here on our podcast today, some that you may want to think a little harder about as we go on our busy lives. Thanks for joining us today and we hope you enjoy our podcast. As per the code of the West, we ride for the brand and we ride for Wyoming Three, two, one stop, three, two, one stop, stop, stop, stop you.