Gone but not forgotten
The Oklahoman’s Scott Munn says farewell to people with Oklahoma ties who enjoyed the game day experience.
Farewell to people with Oklahoma ties who enjoyed the game day experience:
•Mike Peters, 67, of Wichita, Kan. The legendary open-wheel race car driver won five points championships at old State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City, two titles at Tulsa Speedway and two more at Lakeside Speedway in Dewey.
During his racing career, which began in 1971, Peters totaled more than 50 wins with the National Championship Racing Association; won two NCRA points titles; won races at 26 tracks over seven states; and finished a respectable 10th place on the World of Outlaws professional tour for the 1980 season.
The friendly, soft-spoken Peters was popular among fans and fellow drivers. He often gave away trophies and other racing memorabilia to fans to let them know how much he appreciated their support.
Away from racing, Peters spent 45 years as a pipe insulator.
•Dean Davis, 80, of Tulsa. Davis and twin brother Don were members of Tulsa Central's state baseball champion in 1955. After high school, Dean signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs organization. The outfielder spent the 195657 seasons playing in the minors, including part of one summer with the Class D league Ponca City Cubs.
Davis never made it to the majors, instead making a career as a first responder with the Emergency Service Division of McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft.
•John Stinson, 69, of Norman. He played football for Mangum High School.
•Frank Hyde, 76, of Del City. The retired accountant had a third degree black belt in the Japanese martial art of Goju Ryu. Hyde was also an avid fisherman, golfer and swimmer.
•Wes St. Clair III, 75, of Altus. He spent several years as a volunteer girls soccer coach at Altus High School. St. Clair spent 27 years in the Air Force.
•B.K. Shaw, 72, of Norman. The computer systems tester for Western Electric/ AT&T was a big outdoorsman. He taught youngsters safe hunting and firearm techniques as an Oklahoma Hunter Safety Education instructor.
•Ban Ormsby, 90, of Tulsa. Ormsby was proud of his baseball heritage, being named after former American League president Ban Johnson. The Notre Dame graduate was born in Chicago in October 1927, while his father, Emmett, was umpiring the World Series between the Yankees and Pirates.
•Rick Roberston, 16, of Ada. He played basketball for Ada Junior High.
•Silviano Torres, 86, of Frederick. The retired farmworker was a boxer as a young man.
•Steve Hodkinson, 62, of Oklahoma City. A speed demon who was one of the country's best poor-boy funny car drivers. Hodkinson gassed $80,000 worth of fiberglass and aluminum down a quarter-mile track at 260 mph, winning many NHRA races against drivers sponsored by major corporations. After a five-year professional racing career, he owned and operated a local wrecker and towing service.
•Peggy VanMeter Funk, 91, of Oklahoma City. It was a family affair on Friday nights. While her brothers starred on the football field for Henryetta High, she was the band's majorette.
•Paul Veenker, 61, of Oklahoma City. Played football and baseball for Putnam City High School. The oilman was a sports fanatic — he held season tickets for OU football, Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma City Thunder games. Attended the Kentucky Derby each year.
•David Hale, 79, of McKinney, Texas. An All-State basketball player at Guymon High School. He also played baseball and ran track, but it was hoops that helped Hale get a college education.
Legendary Oklahoma City U. coach Abe Lemons gave Hale a scholarship, and he played for the Chiefs from 1957-61. Hale went into coaching after college and spent time at Star Spencer High School.
He later worked for the Cordell School District, serving as a principal, counselor and vo-tech instructor.
•Bob Neil, 87, of Edmond. A basketball player who spent eight years in the Navy. He played in the military Olympics, helping his team win gold in 1955. One of Neil's highlights was playing against the Harlem Globetrotters.
•Harold Hale, 81, of El Reno. The Hinton High School graduate played baseball and football at Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva. He served in the House of Representatives for District 43 from 1981-1990.
•Patsy McClenahan Carter, 87, of Oklahoma City. She and husband Bobby were longtime partners in Carter-Maxwell Auto Service, which later turned into a leading Goodyear racing tire distributorship. Carter-Maxwell sponsored many race cars at State Fair Speedway.