Here and There…With F.C.A.

The following roundup column appeared in the inaugural issue of The Christian Athlete, which was delivered in March, 1959. That first issue was a four-page, digest size (one 8 ½” x 11” piece of paper folded in half) newsletter. The first page featured an article informing readers about the new publication, the reasons for its existence and plans for its future contents. The third page featured a Bible study called “The Huddle,” which came in response to requests for Bible studies from small groups that were forming on campuses, while the back page featured suggestions for Huddle groups and an announcement of “The Big Event This Month,” the first Western Regional Conference in Forest Home, Calif. The Christian Athlete was the precursor to Sharing The Victory, and later, FCA Magazine.

Here and There…With F.C.A.

The big news for F.C.A. since the first of the year has been the appearance of F.C.A. representatives on four major city-wide efforts. The first program of 1959 was held in Dallas on January 10-12. Chairman Ron Morris and his splendid committee did a marvelous job in the advance of preparations…

… a new innovation in Dallas was the Saturday afternoon Rally and Sports Jamboree. The rally was held in the SMU Auditorium, where more than 1,000 kids listened to Al Dark, Don Meredith and “Boo” Ferriss share their witness…Bill Mann led group singing…Gary Demarest emceed…

…after the Rally, everyone moved outdoors to Owenby Stadium where more than 25 of our men put on demonstrations of track, football, golf and baseball events… participants included Bob Harrison, Ross Coyle, Frank Broyles, Adrian Burk, Bill Glass, Charles Milstead, Vern Law, Perry McGriff, Bob Chiappone, Hank Olquin, Clendon Thomas, Bill Krisher, Murray Wall and many others.

…the team attended the SMU-Texas Tech basketball game that night and were introduced individually at half-time…four prisons and juvenile detention homes were visited Sunday morning…more than 40 churches heard team members on Sunday…appearances in more than thirty high school assemblies rounded out the program on Monday…

…from Dallas, a team composed of Meredith, Milstead, Dark, McClanen and Demarest drove to Tyler…a youth rally was attended by more than 700 on Monday night…team members appeared in all Tyler high schools and junior high schools as well as before civic clubs on Tuesday.

…Tulsa was the stage for the next city-wide effort on February 1-2. Local Chairman Don Moyers was stricken with a heart attack just prior to the program, but Aureal Cross stepped in for a great relief job…the Sunday afternoon youth rally was attended by more than 800…Meredith, Kell and Erskine witnessed…Donn Moomaw delivered a stirring challenge…others on Tulsa team included Pepper Martin, Billy Hunter, Bob Holliday, Pete De Moto, Dick Harp, Ron Morris.

…five youth rallies were held in central churches of various denominations on Sunday night…a fine meeting was held late Sunday with Tulsa U athletes…team members visited twelve high schools in Tulsa and vicinity on Monday.

…a coaches dinner was held in each of the city-wide efforts…this is proving to be a vital part of the program…each program was financed locally…press, radio and TV were most helpful everywhere.

…a coaches dinner meeting was held in Oklahoma City on February 8…more than 60 coaches heard Bill Peterson of LSU speak…Bob Harrison, Charlie Dowell, Roger Bourland and Dary Demarest visited six OK CITY high schools on Monday…thanx to O.C. Glenn, Bob Mistele and Dave Meekhof for local arrangements…

…at the NCAA football coaches meeting in Cincinatti (sic)…a breakfast for coaches sponsored by F.C.A. was attended by more than 30 coaches…new film of Estes Park warmly received following stirring remarks by “Biggie” Munn.

…over-all financial picture improving…but more help urgently needed if this year’s budget is to be approached.

…Fourth annual Estes Park, Colo. Conference announcement and enrollment blank will be mailed out with April 1 edition of The Christian Athlete.

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