On Orville Henry being selected to the Southwest Confernce Hall of Fame along with several Razorbacks including Ron Brewer Sr. Old dudes like me grew up reading Orville’s take on all things Razorback. He was a wonderful writer and always had inside info that explained things very clearly.
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree Clay.
I know you and your brothers are proud!
Danny
When I was growing up, my dad delivered the Fort Smith Times Record newspaper in our hometown, and three mornings each week I had to get up and help roll and bag the papers. When Orville switched to DonRey Media, his columns appeared in that paper. Each morning I would take a quick break to read what Orville had to say, especially on Sundays after a football or basketball game.
So he had a great influence on me wanting to get into this profession. Even what we do now at WholeHogSports can be directly linked back to all those years he spent at the Gazette. Anyone who works on this side of the sports world in Arkansas owes a lot to him and everyone I know thought highly of him.
I’ve known about this for about two months. Bill Montgomery called to ask me if I’d represent our family and speak at the luncheon as part of the LR Touchdown Club. It’s the Monday after the Ole Miss game. So I’ll just stop in LR on the trip back from Oxford. It just so happens that my older brother, Butch, will be in Little Rock that weekend for his high school reunion. He already had booked two nights room at the Embassy Suites. So he just added a day on his stay.
Both Butch and I have accepted several awards on behalf of my father over the 15 years since he passed. We actually jointly accepted his award when he was inducted into the state’s golf Hall of Fame. I accepted his award when he was the first to go into the state’s sports writers/sportcasters Hall. These deals are always emotional.
Gone are the days when I just hit his name on my cell phone to call him. I did that for about the first 4-5 months after he died, just instinct. I actually got his voice mail a few times before hanging up.
We talked almost daily for many years. I’ve shared here before that I felt extreme pressure when I’d watch a football practice and he’d call me for a report after he moved to Malvern and wasn’t at practices. It was evident that I couldn’t answer all of his questions. I got to where I did not want to sit by anyone at practice because I didn’t want to be distracted and miss anything.
I know it’s pressure to be the eyes for fans at a practice. But it’s more pressure when you are my dad’s eyes. One question and the way you answered it would always lead him to ask a deeper question. I wanted to be able to answer them.
I second that. Congratulations to the Henry family. What a rich legacy of sports reporting that Orville created and his sons have carried on.
Clay, I’m glad you’ll be able to accept your dad’s award at the Touchdown Club in October. That wasn’t on my calendar to attend, but it is now!
That’s great Clay.
I didn’t grow up in Arkansas, close, but I missed following O.H. as a kid.
I began to follow him once I got connected on the net. I quickly understood why everyone wanted to read his columns. This is a well deserved honor.
I, like Matt, grew up in Fort Smith (a few years earlier than Matt, though). When I decided to go into sports writing, I was a freshman in junior high school. A year or so after that (dates leave me these days), I was doing string work for the Times-Record and Lee Trevino came to town to put on a show. Lee was terrific, as always, and treated me kindly. But I enjoyed the day for two reasons:
(1) Charlie Jones of NBC Sports, a Fort Smith native who did golf coverage, and I shared a golf cart, and I heard many great stories from him for a column I enjoyed writing later.
(2) Orville Henry of the Gazette was in town. I had followed the Hogs through his legendary writing for years. To get to meet him and get to ask him questions about sports writing was just, well, unbelievable.
Thinking back on it, a teen-ager got to meet three legends in one day: Trevino, Jones and Orville (BTW, it was Mr. Henry to me that day, but the name Orville is like Elvis, Cher, Madonna–it’s all you needed to know in Arkansas and regions beyond). Even though I had less time with him than I did with the other two, it had an enormous impact.
Congratulations, Clay. Your father’s reach went further than he may have even known. This is a well-deserving honor.
Well deserved honor Clay. I know your proud to receive your fathers award.
It obvious you have the same talents .
Congratulations to the Henry family.
Arkansas has been richly blessed by your family’s
contributions.
I have so many fond memories of setting off
in search for the Sunday paper just to read
the sports page to see what Orville Henry had
to report on what had happened in the Razorback
game.
The line is not broken.
These are kind notes. I appreciate each and every one of you taking time to write them.
Orville, Clay, and Henry Family = Greatness! I was fortunate enough to meet Orville one time when he stopped by by to see Russ at the old Star Sporting goods Store (many years ago). I’ve been acquainted with Russ quite a long time, but haven’t seen him in years.
For many years growing up I never read anything in the newspaper but the sports section. Orville Henry was always the first and sometimes the only article I would read. Even when I gathered interest in other news, nothing got read before Orville and the sports.
Congrats Clay and the Henry Family, and for the record you are carrying the torch very well.