Country Lifestyles
March 2017 Profile – A Champion in Various Arenas : Buddy Cockrell
By Jessica Crabtree
When Gene O. “Buddy” Cockrell was young, his brother Lee began calling him brother, mispronouncing it the word came out sounding like “Bubber.” That was when the family began calling him “Buddy” and the name stuck. Cockrell was born in June of 1934 in Pampa, Texas, and was raised on his grandparents’ farm, and ranch located twelve miles east of Pampa. “I was sent to the field to plow when I was six years old,” Cockrell said. Work was ever constant on the farm, plowing, feeding livestock and making hay all by a team of horses before modernization introduced a tractor to the farm.
By age seven Cockrell was aboard a horse riding. “There was a six to seven year stint of us riding almost daily for three months.” Cockrell went on to explain, “Screw worms were not eradicated yet and every summer day we checked calves. Newborns’ navels would have screwworms or if newly branded, the brand would be filled with worms—any open wound. Lee and I would take and clean off the worms and smear a black ointment called black widow smear on the area.”
This process went on for several summers while getting more manageable yearly, while still living at home. “Finally the screwworm was eradicated after Lee and I had left home in 1964 by sterile flies.”
“We would milk before school each morning, get on the school bus and ride 12 miles. We went to an old country school with one room; all grades were together,” Cockrell recalled. “I remember two boys failing and having to sit in the corner. Both would chew tobacco and spit it out the window,” he laughed. Cockrell completed school, graduating from Pampa High school in 1954.
In junior high and high school Cockrell found his size and stature of six-foot three inches tall and 220 lbs. were an advantage in sports. He lettered in shot put, football and basketball playing defensive end and offensive tackle in football.
Cockrell was a natural athlete, finding great success in various games, even being chosen for the National High School All American Football Team, playing on the 1953 State Champion Pampa High School basketball team and that same year winner of the regional heavy weight Golden Glove boxing, winning his first match with a 43 second knock out.
To read more pick up a copy of the March 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
Football photo of Cockrell while playing football at OU. (Photos courtesy of Geneva Cockrell)
Cockrell — horse trainer, professional football player, rodeo cowboy and entrepreneur.
Cockrell steer tripping at the Windy Ryon Memorial Day Roping.
Cockrell’s football card when playing for the New York Titans.
By Lacey Vilhauer
Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Wings:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lbs. chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
Hot honey butter:
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup honey
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Directions
In a large bowl whisk together olive oil, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper. Add wings and toss to coat fully. You can also put wings and coating in a ziplock bag and shake to coat.
Heat air fryer to 400 degrees. Arrange wings in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 12 minutes.
While the wings are cooking, make hot honey butter sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, hot sauce, honey and salt, taste and add more salt if needed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
There’s still some chill in the air and a need for sleeves before we hit spring. This mesh western print top is the prefect addition to wardrobe to layer under your short sleeves with, and I think it pairs perfectly with the jumpsuit. So many options with both of these pieces to dress up or keep it casual. Find these and more at www.jessesjewelz.com.
By Annette Bridges
Most of the time I’m all about not simply following the crowd. I’m a fan of thinking outside the box. I love creative folks who are always coming up with unique ideas and new ways of doing things. I’m especially tickled when someone comes up with a fresh idea that implements the smarter-not-harder philosophy.
Those folks that inspire me the most know themselves very well and stay true to their desires and passions even when that makes them different from the majority of popular opinion or fads, but are there times when having a herd mentality gets a bad rap? Our cows certainly seem to believe so.
Is there more than one trail that leads to water? Perhaps, but why not simply follow the well-established path that has proven to be reliable in the past? Why should you follow other cows making their way toward a gate that leads to a different pasture? History tells us that when others are moseying toward or waiting at a closed gate, it is very likely the gate will soon be opened and access to fresh grass can be reached.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
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