Down Memory Lane

[50's PONY]

As the Mustangs began the 1949 season hopes were high because Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker was still around and the addition of sophomore Kyle Rote of San Antonio also added to the excitement on the Hilltop.
On October 15 the Rice Owls came to Dallas to face the Ponies before 72,000 in the Cotton Bowl. The Owls had a veteran team led by quarterback Tobin Rote, end James (Froggie) Williams, and two otstanding linebackers, Gerald Weatherly and Joe Watson. Just before the end of the first half Walker ran a sweep around left end. As he appeared to cross the sideline he was hit by Weatherly knocking him into a wheel chair next to the stands. Doak was knocked out and taken to the locker room. He returned in the second half but was not himself. Rice won the game 41-27 on their way to a Cotton Bowl date with North Carolina and Charlie (Choo-Choo) Justice. Unfortunately for Doak this was the beginning of a series of illnesses and accidents that severely hampered him the rest of the season. The Ponies finished the season 5-4-1 including the memorable game against Notre Dame. I only mention all of this because I noticed in today's DMN the obituary for Gerald Weatherly, which is well worth reading.

[MrMustang1965]

WEATHERLY, GERALD CRAFT ("Bones"), age 76, died peacefully and painlessly at home in his sleep of congestive heart failure secondary to cerebellar degeneration on Tuesday, December 28, 2004. At his side were his great friend Della Branch, his middle daughter Cheryl Weatherly Binnie and her best friend Angela Stephenson of Houston. The former Chicago Bear middle linebacker and Rice University Hall of Famer has joined God's company of saints in the Church Triumphant and is now reunited with his family, friends, team mates, coaches and his beloved dogs who have preceded him to Heaven. Gerald was born in Houston, Texas on December 26, 1928 to Homer Edgar Weatherly and Ouida Craft Weatherly. On Gerald's 76th birthday (Sunday), he happily celebrated his birthday at home with his great friend Ollie Allen, daughter Cheryl, son-in-law Bill Binnie, sister Evelyn Weatherly Cobb, niece Lisa Cobb Porter, her husband Scott Porter, oldest daughter Lynea Weatherly, her husband Richard Weston, and grandson Ki Hughes. Gerald loved great food and enjoyed a magnificent birthday feast with the family. A fifth generation Texan directly descended of French and English nobility, Gerald always preferred the simple things in life, loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He taught his daughters unconditional love. A true gentleman, he was always smiling and never had a bad word to say about anyone. Gerald Weatherly was a Man among Men, a decent human being. Gerald attended Cuero High School where he began his illustrious athletic career. Entering Rice Institute (now Rice University) at age 16, Gerald "Bones" Weatherly had the longest athletic career in Rice's history due to World War II eligibility quirks. He was 1949 All-Southwest Conference, inducted into the Rice Owls Football Hall of Fame in 1974 and was voted most valuable player in 1948 and thus honored with The George Martin Award. He was the most proud of this honor as it was voted by his team mates. Along with football legend Froggie Williams, Gerald was the co-captain of the great 1949 Southwest Conference Champion Rice Owls Football Team who defeated "Choo-Choo" Charlie Justice 27-13 in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Upon his induction into the Rice Hall of fame, "Bones" declared "I won't be happy until each and every one of my team mates from the 1949 team is up here with me." Following Rice, Gerald played from 1950 to 1955 for NFL Legend George Halas' Chicago Bears as a punishing middle linebacker. As Bears "Rookie of the Year, "Bones" had "Papa Bear" George Halas asking Houston reporters "if they had any more boys like Weatherly down at Rice because he sure solved our problems at middle linebacker!" Playing for the Bears for one year prior to being drafted into the Army, Gerald was named All-Army at Fort Sam Houston and came out of the service in November 1951, playing the last few Chicago games that season. Gerald retired (post-injury) from The Bears in 1955 and moved back to his Texas roots. A "favorite son" of Halas, the two remained in touch until Halas' death in 1983. A successful Houston businessman, "Bones" never lost touch with the simple lessons learned at home during his happy, carefree boyhood summers at his grandparents' country house: the value of doing things well; keeping a sense of humor; maintaining friendships; rooting for the underdog; that character counts and doing the right thing is not always the same as doing the easy thing; being a living example of honesty, integrity, and above all humility. He was a man of his word. Gerald Weatherly leaves to mourn and celebrate his life 3 daughters: Lynea Weatherly and husband Richard Weston, Cheryl Weatherly Binnie and husband Dr. William H. Binnie, Candace Coyle; sister Evelyn Weatherly Cobb; aunt Helen Brittain; uncle Thomas Weatherly and wife Mary Lou; Granddaughter Kristen Fraser, Grandsons Ish Hughes, Ki Hughes, Michael Fraser, Parker Coyle; nieces Linda Cobb Atkinson, her daughter Anna Atkinson, Leann Cobb Holder, her husband Brad Holder, their son, Donald Holder, Lisa Cobb Porter and husband Scott Porter; nephew Kevin Cobb, wife Robin and their children Sam and Holly; his beloved grand-dogs Dobie and Bob Binnie and a host of other cousins, relatives and good friends. Very Special Thanks to Susan Carmichael, R.N. of Visiting Nurses Association (V.N.A.) Hospice , Paul Ramler) V.N.A. Hospice Chaplain, Dr. Jewel Daughety, Golden Acres Hospice M.D., Bruce Feltrup-Exum, G.A. Hospice Chaplain, Jani Dykes, G.A. Chef, Ollie Allen, R.N., Della Branch, C.N.A., Evalyn Macharia, C.N.A., Sherry Hawkins, C.N.A., Doris Ndelebe, C.N.A., Sly Onyia, R.N., Sonya Williams, C.N.A., Faye Hardin, C.N.A., Kenny Ashiru, M.A., Pat Bryson, James Brooks, L.V.N., YaYa Suwareh, C.N.A., Paulette Williams, C.N.A., and all staff of Schepps-Jacobs and N-1 who treated Gerald so well and loved him as their very own. Pallbearers will be Ki Hughes, Kevin Cobb, Brad Holder, Gordon Payne, Neal Stephenson, Nathan Stephenson. Honorary pallbearers: Dr. William H. Binnie, Richard Weston, Ish Hughes, and the entire 1949 Rice Owls SWC Championship Football Team. Family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to The Gerald Craft Weatherly Captain's Award for Leadership and/or The Gerald Craft Weatherly Football Scholarship care of Rice Athletic Development, 6100 Main Street-MS546, Houston, Texas ,77005, Gerald Weatherly Endowment #E21502. Visitation and viewing will be on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 at George H. Lewis and Sons, 1010 Bering Drive, Houston, Texas , 77057-2110. Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, January 5, 6:30 P.M. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 5501 S. Main St., Houston, Texas 77004 with procession to Rice University and Reception and Celebration of Life in the "R" Room at Rice University, 6100 Main Street at the upper end of Rice Stadium. On Thursday, burial procession departs 8:30 A.M. from George Lewis and Sons to Cuero, Texas for burial in Hillside Cemetery next to Gerald's parents. Approximate time for graveside services is 11:45 A.M. Reception and lunch at The Doll House in Cuero afterwards.

[MrMustang1965]

Lisa Cobb Porter and husband Scott Porter; nephew Kevin Cobb, wife Robin and their children Sam and Holly; his beloved grand-dogs Dobie and Bob Binnie and a host of other cousins, relatives and good friends. Very Special Thanks to Susan Carmichael, R.N. of Visiting Nurses Association (V.N.A.) Hospice , Paul Ramler) V.N.A. Hospice Chaplain, Dr. Jewel Daughety, Golden Acres Hospice M.D., Bruce Feltrup-Exum, G.A. Hospice Chaplain, Jani Dykes, G.A. Chef, Ollie Allen, R.N., Della Branch, C.N.A., Evalyn Macharia, C.N.A., Sherry Hawkins, C.N.A., Doris Ndelebe, C.N.A., Sly Onyia, R.N., Sonya Williams, C.N.A., Faye Hardin, C.N.A., Kenny Ashiru, M.A., Pat Bryson, James Brooks, L.V.N., YaYa Suwareh, C.N.A., Paulette Williams, C.N.A., and all staff of Schepps-Jacobs and N-1 who treated Gerald so well and loved him as their very own. Pallbearers will be Ki Hughes, Kevin Cobb, Brad Holder, Gordon Payne, Neal Stephenson, Nathan Stephenson. Honorary pallbearers: Dr. William H. Binnie, Richard Weston, Ish Hughes, and the entire 1949 Rice Owls SWC Championship Football Team. Family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to The Gerald Craft Weatherly Captain's Award for Leadership and/or The Gerald Craft Weatherly Football Scholarship care of Rice Athletic Development, 6100 Main Street-MS546, Houston, Texas ,77005, Gerald Weatherly Endowment #E21502. Visitation and viewing will be on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 at George H. Lewis and Sons, 1010 Bering Drive, Houston, Texas , 77057-2110. Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, January 5, 6:30 P.M. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 5501 S. Main St., Houston, Texas 77004 with procession to Rice University and Reception and Celebration of Life in the "R" Room at Rice University, 6100 Main Street at the upper end of Rice Stadium. On Thursday, burial procession departs 8:30 A.M. from George Lewis and Sons to Cuero, Texas for burial in Hillside Cemetery next to Gerald's parents. Approximate time for graveside services is 11:45 A.M. Reception and lunch at The Doll House in Cuero afterwards.