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Today we mourn the passing of Walt Garrison, a cowboy in every sense of the word.
Oklahoma State, his alma mater, announced that Garrison had died at age 79.
Garrison was a rodeo cowboy, above all else. That was his first love. He was also a Dallas Cowboy of the NFL.
In fact, when he signed with the Cowboys out of Oklahoma State, his only demand was that his bonus include a two-horse trailer. The request was said to have incensed Cowboys General Manager Tex Schramm, but Garrison got his trailer and permission to continue to compete in professional rodeo.
Tom Landry, the Cowboys coach, finally made Garrison stop competing in nearby rodeos the night before a game, but otherwise this literal cowboy was making the rounds regularly in the off-season.
The highlight of Garrison’s rodeo career was placing fifth in the steer wrestling average at the 1974 Cheyenne Frontier Days. That was his last year with the Cowboys.
Garrison was also a persuasive fundraiser, including raising millions for multiple sclerosis through the Walt Garrison All Star Rodeos.
He also had a great sense of humor which he used as a magnificent storyteller. He was in many ways an miniature Will Rogers.
I ran into him in 2011, the year Fort Worth-Dallas-Arlington hosted the Super Bowl. The city threw a reception at the Convention Center for volunteers helping out-of-town visitors navigate downtown. Mayor Mike Moncrief brought along Garrison and Mike Renfro, a Fort Worth native and former NFL player, to the party.
“I had to live in Dallas for nine years," said Garrison told the party-goers in his trademark drawl. “Nothing against Dallas, but Fort Worth is more my kind of place because people in Fort Worth can understand me, for one.
“And y’all have a lot of fun over here."
Then Garrison, capable of turning any spot where he stands into his personal improv, got to the highlight of his presentation. He said he was often asked the difference between Fort Worth and Dallas.
“The big difference between our friends to the east and Fort Worth is in Fort Worth the bullshit is on the outside of the boot.”
Moncrief asked me how I could possibly get that in the newspaper. I told him that I'd figure it out. But on that spot Fort Worthians gave a whoop and holler that would have made Hell’s Half Acre take notice.