Sports Briefs: The Cowboy Cartoonist

Never being one to boast when good news befell me, I always tended to express my fortunate experiences rather calmly, distinctly and all in one breath.

'YouknowthoseCowboycartoonstheyhaveinthepapereverySundaytheguywhodrawsthemmissedaweek
andIdrewacartoonandsentittohimandhewrotebackandsaidhereallylikeditandthatImighttakehisjobatthenewspaper
somedaycanyoubelievethat!?'

Rather than being impressed, most teachers and students sat with their mouths open more than amply enough for a procession of dentist flies carrying miniature pliers to caravan in, remove every tooth in their mouths, and caravan out once more, leaving a bill on their tongues. One of the teachers even offered me oxygen once, for she was sure I had hyperventilated, or was about to.

Gradually, at least I think so, everyone wanted to see what I was so excited about.

It was 1987, and the Dallas Cowboys were in the middle of a 7-8, non-playoff, strike-shortened season. I was in third grade, and our family received the Wichita Falls Times Record News every day via subscription, as opposed to someone else's driveway.

Each Sunday throughout the season, a cartoon by Don Vickers was printed in the Sports Section, titled 'Trailboss Tom & the Cowboys.' Ever present in each strip were quarterback Danny White, a cheerleader named Sunshine, a talking jackrabbit, a talking snake named Smedley that wore a Cowboys helmet, and the trailboss, who represented head coach Tom Landry, even though the trailboss wore a 10-gallon hat, bandana, spurs, gun and occasionally smiled.

(Smedley and the jackrabbit were friends, though their relationship would be comparable to one you would have if you ever befriended a talking hamburger.)

There were also various players that appeared, including Steve Pelluer and Herschel Walker. The theme of the comic strip was the Cowboys' trail drive that represented their season. With each subsequent loss, a bullet was fired into the trailboss' hat.