October 13, 2025 • 49 mins
We trace Terry’s path from Little League dust to a summer wood-bat revival, and how a small-town team brought a community back together. Along the way, we swap heartbreaks, hat collections, marathon games, and a father–son golf memory that sticks forever.
• Abilene roots and early baseball influence
• High school dynasty lessons and details
• Stepping away from playing and shifting to golf
• The Flying Bison launch and community lift
• Kids, autographs and summer-league pathways
• Big memories: state tournament, A&M–LSU, Rangers 2023
• The 15-inning classic and shared fandom
• Rituals: arrive early, buy caps, chase ice cream helmets
• The 100-game challenge and scorekeeping as connection
• Sports as common ground across differences
Make sure to follow the Dad Hat Chronicles: https://linktr.ee/TheDadHatChronicles
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
My favorite favorite sports memory has nothing to do
with baseball.
And it's it's one of yourfavorite sports I know, just and
I think I know from pastconversations, it involves golf.
SPEAKER_00 (00:10):
Golf of our fastest stuff and I know.
SPEAKER_01 (00:13):
Okay, let's go.
SPEAKER_00 (00:25):
All right, all right, and welcome everybody to
another Dana Hat ChroniclesPodcast, DHC Podcast.
My name is Ed, also known as theDana Hat.
Um, so we are doing fivequestions again, guys.
Uh uh this is seemed to betaking off, and it's been a lot
of fun uh with a lot of peoplethat have been interested in
coming on, and I love that itmakes me feel good inside.
So today on this podcast, wehave my good friend Terry
(00:47):
McCutcheon.
Terry, um, how you doing?
First of all, how you doing, myfriend?
SPEAKER_01 (00:51):
Oh, I'm wonderful.
Much better than I deserve, man.
Man, it's going great.
SPEAKER_00 (00:55):
I love that.
Love to hear that.
All right, Terry.
Um, before we continue, beforewe do our five questions, I want
you to tell us a little bitabout yourself.
Uh, so the floor is yours, myfriend.
SPEAKER_01 (01:05):
All right, very good.
Appreciate that, Ed.
My name is Terry McCutcheon, asuh Ed uh said in the
introduction.
Um, I was born and raised inTexas, lived here all my life in
Abilene, Texas, exactly about acouple hours to the west of
Dallas Fort Worth area.
I was in the education, teacher,administrator, all that for my
(01:25):
career.
We moved around a little bitduring that, but I retired about
four or five years ago and movedback home, if you will.
We got a summer baseball leagueteam in 2024, the Abilene Flying
Bison became a huge fan.
Uh, do everything I can to helpthere, including a member of the
booster club.
Um, so that's that's been verybeneficial, very fun.
And it was through 2024 is whereI actually um really re-lug my
(01:54):
love again for baseball.
And I'm sure we'll talk aboutthat in a little bit.
SPEAKER_00 (01:57):
So I you know what it's funny how people say it's
like, you know, as adults,sometimes like we lose sight of
baseball, we lose sight of ourwhat we really grew up in uh and
the love that we have for thesport.
And somehow, one way or another,there's something there's that
you know that uh that one momentthat just it brings us back.
But we will talk about that onour questions, my friend.
(02:19):
So as a matter of fact, veryfirst question is, and I would
love to know because everybody'sdifferent.
Um, when did you fall in lovewith uh with baseball?
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Well, I fell in love with it as a kid when you know,
at my age here where I where weare, uh little league baseball
was the first organized sportthat you could play.
Okay before foot football andbasketball came down that way.
And we didn't even have soccerhere in town until I was in
junior high.
SPEAKER_00 (02:48):
Oh, really?
SPEAKER_01 (02:49):
Really, for real.
I know that blows your mind, Ed,but uh yeah, soccer for youth
wasn't even here, and so youknow, I played little league
baseball starting about eightyears old, and that was always
the favorite in my family.
My grandparents, you know, werebig baseball fans and had my
uncles and dad had playedbaseball on into fast pitch
(03:12):
softball, which was pretty bigin our area for a while for
adults before the slow pitchsoftball took over, you know,
the tournaments and stuff likethat.
So, I mean, I I had traveledaround my dad and uncle uh all
over the West Texas as chasingfoul balls at fast pitch
softball tournaments.
So I did, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (03:27):
Matter of fact, I went to that's insanity, man.
SPEAKER_01 (03:30):
I remember one tournament, uh, you know,
normally they give you a Coke ora snow cone for a foul ball.
Well, this little tournament,they gave you a nickel for every
foul ball you returned.
That's funny.
It was an all-night tournament,and so I think I was the only
kid there chasing foul balls.
So I got rich that weekend.
I think I made$1.50 or somethinglike that.
But anyway, I thought I was kingof the world, rich.
SPEAKER_00 (03:51):
You're like, oh yeah, this is my life right
here.
This is what it's all about.
SPEAKER_01 (03:56):
Yeah, but that's that's that's where my love
began.
You know, I I couldn't play.
Uh when they started throwingcurveballs, um, I yeah, you were
we were we were out.
I was out.
I I realized too late that Ineeded glasses, um, so I
couldn't see well.
That might have held on a coupleyears, let me play a little
longer.
But my my contemporaries inschool were very, very good.
(04:18):
Um, so you know, I kind of hungaround the sport through high
school.
Uh, we had an excellent coach.
Um, my senior year, my highschool won a state baseball
championship.
I was a manager on that team.
Um, and so that was kind of theculmination of a mini dynasty,
if you will, here in Abilene atCooper High School.
Um, Coach Andy Malone was thecoach of that team.
(04:38):
He's a you know, was a greatcoach in the state of Texas.
So, anyway, through him, Ilearned the intricacies of the
game, you know, and then throughthose guys that played the hard
work and all that stuff.
And so because of that learning,I was a big fan for several
years through then in college.
Um, and then through adulthood,when I was raising my own kids,
um, they chose different paths,neither one of them were
(05:00):
baseball or softball players.
We played golf a lot, so weturned into a golf and music
family.
But um, no, like I say, when Icame back here uh and the team
started in 24, uh, that's when Ire-refound my love of the game.
SPEAKER_00 (05:15):
So this is not in five questions, but I gotta ask
because obviously, you know,that team.
I wanted I want to get yourfeeling from a fan's perspective
when you have a brand new teamthat's coming into town when
there's never been a uh likebecause this is collegiate
woodbat, right?
This is some uh summer.
SPEAKER_01 (05:31):
Exactly, exactly.
Summer summer collegiatewoodbat.
SPEAKER_00 (05:33):
Summer collegiate woodbat.
So, like what was that thatmoment, right?
Like, you know, for you whenfinding out and then getting
involved uh with this with thisteam that did what did for you
as a fan?
SPEAKER_01 (05:45):
Well, as a fan, my wife and I had kind of
discussed, you know, we're at adifferent part of life.
We had an independent minorleague team here in the 1990s,
1955 to 98, 99, called theAbilene Prairie Dogs.
And they were very popular, andthe league just folded, it just
you know, it didn't didn't last.
(06:05):
And um, so we were newlyweds andhad a and a baby.
Our first child was born in thefirst year, and so we, I mean,
we didn't have enough money toget season tickets or anything,
but we would go as much as wecould.
Then um moved, like I say, wemoved away, bounced around, and
so Abilene itself had had ball.
They they had another iterationof the prairie dogs who came, I
think, in 2012 and lasted a halfa season um in a different
(06:29):
league, and but those wereindependent minor league teams.
So when when this team wasannounced, and they had been
trying, um, Scott Kirk, awonderful guy, um, had been
trying to get baseball inAbilene for a few years that was
in place when we moved back.
And a matter of fact, theyannounced they were gonna have a
team in 23, and it just didn'twork out.
(06:50):
So, you know, that the littlesetback the wheels were greased
already, you know, and it was inthe back of my mind, hey, we're
this is gonna be fun.
And uh, you know, then when theywhen it was came to fruition, it
was Abilene.
We got a name, we're naming theteam, and we've got a league,
the Mid-America League, and allthat came to pass.
Then I was like, I want to doeverything I can to help.
Um, I work, you know, eventhough I'm retired in education,
(07:12):
I do have a job with a a signagecompany, and we make some signs,
and so I'd reached out to theteam and said, Hey, we would
like to help if you need it, ifyou know, we'll give you a
price.
Um, but you know, other thanthat, I would like to volunteer
and help and do anything I canto help.
And so much so I probably get inthe way sometimes of them.
But uh no, I the I don't I don'tknow if I answered your
(07:32):
question, but no, you mostcertainly did.
It was you did whatever we cando to help support the team, to
if just a little bit help itstay, you know, we don't we
don't want this thing to go awaybecause the city needs it, the
kids love it, the family lovesit, families love it.
It's just needed here in town,in my opinion.
And it's a wonderful nightduring the summer when there's
(07:53):
not a lot going on.
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
So you know, it's funny you say that, and again,
you know, we're we're veering alittle bit off because we've
never really had an interinteraction, you know, uh on a
podcast, but like the the notonly the economical um part of
the all of this of having a teamin a in the town such as
Abilene, right?
Because I'm sure it's Abilene'snot as a bigger town as the
(08:16):
other towns, right?
But it's um that but that need,right?
Because it does bring jobs, itdoes bring the economic you know
development and help and all ofthat.
Um, but what it actually does tolike you say, like you said
something that uh you know thatit resonates with me, family
need the families need it here,like they they like it, they
love it because you get to go dosomething other than just being
(08:38):
at home watching TV or thetablets or things like that.
SPEAKER_01 (08:41):
Sure, absolutely, yeah.
It you know, it's a it's arelatively cheap, inexpensive
evening for a family of howevermany.
You know, the kids are welcome,and those college students that
are playing the game are so uhwelcoming and so encouraging to
those kids.
(09:02):
Yeah, they'll high five them allautographs, whatever, and of
course the the players, thenthey might as well.
The the little leaguers that arehere in town, they don't know
the difference between um AaronJudge and Samson Pugh, who's a
one of our players from lastsummer.
They just know they're a ballplayer that's on that field, and
(09:22):
I'll take their autographanytime and whatever.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (09:25):
Also, you never know, right?
Because a lot of you're right.
A lot of these kids started inin, you know, for example, one
of the ones that I I I know thatare is near and dear to me, um,
the Northwoods League, right?
Because a lot of people went toa lot of major leaguers play
there.
SPEAKER_01 (09:41):
Sure.
Yeah, those kids, those guyshave to play somewhere in the
summer.
And uh we've you know in theleague already had two or three
guys drafted.
Um, and I I anticipate othersbecause there's have been some
high quality baseball playerscome through, not just Abilene,
but the whole league, you know.
So that's fun to see.
SPEAKER_00 (09:57):
Nice.
I love it, absolutely love it,absolutely love it.
So all right, my friend.
Um, okay, so that's questionnumber one.
On to question number two.
SPEAKER_01 (10:06):
Yeah, it sounds like this might turn into 10
questions instead of five.
SPEAKER_00 (10:09):
I know, you mentioned exactly right.
So officially, question numbertwo.
Officially, yes.
Uh all right, tell me.
Um, obviously, you have uh is atwo-part for you because you you
know, younger, you left, youknow, you didn't you didn't
follow baseballs for too much,and then you came back.
So I want to get your um sportsmemories for you, some of your
(10:30):
favorite sports memories.
SPEAKER_01 (10:31):
Oh wow.
Uh that's gosh, there's so manyof them at my age, yeah.
Um, and there's probably somethat I've forgotten even, but
the most vivid memories tied tosports.
I'll I'll start with baseballspecifically, and then I'm gonna
end with a non-baseball.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (10:49):
This is your podcast, my friend.
SPEAKER_01 (10:51):
Uh in high school, that team I told you about,
yeah.
My my senior year, like I say, Iwas a uh manager and an athletic
trainer on the team and made thestate tournament.
And the state tournament thenwas played at Dishfolk Field on
the University of Texas campus.
SPEAKER_00 (11:06):
That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_01 (11:08):
And that team happened that year through the
playoffs to go through severalpitchers who ended up pitching
in the major leagues, you know,David Nead and I Butch Henry, I
think.
And I mean, there's severalplayers.
Um Willie Ainsley was drafted inthe first round.
But anyway, the final or thesemifinal game was against a
(11:28):
team in Houston that BrianBohanan was the pitcher, and he
was a first-round draft pick.
Um, and you know, they weresupposed to beat us.
And I'll tell you that team thatI played on, or that I had
played on, strike that, I didnot play.
The team that I was, you know, Iremember I was I was our high
school team was one of the bestaccumulations of of talent back
(11:52):
then, before all the moneystarted being spent on travel
ball and college ball and stufflike that.
Absolutely.
Every I think every one of thosestarters and a lot of the kids
on the bench ended up playingcollege ball somewhere.
Many of them played, you know,up to double A, triple A.
But they just battled and thatteam won one to nothing, but it
was saved.
(12:13):
Uh that Bohanan kid, thepitcher, also batted, of course,
they do in high school.
Well, he he hit a ball in thegap, and our center fielder made
a diving catch going away fromhome plate, you know, to save.
There was a runner on base, sohe saved no runs, um, saved that
inning, and then he hit a uhsolo home run.
Uh, so it was a 1-0 game, and sothat's one of my vivid memories
(12:36):
there of baseball.
SPEAKER_00 (12:37):
That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_01 (12:38):
Um, then trying to think, um, in college, I I was a
big fan.
I went to AM for a few years.
I didn't graduate there, but Iwent to AM and I spent a lot
more time following the baseballteam than I did studying.
That's why I didn't graduatefrom there.
But uh we've all been there.
That was back in the MarkJohnson era.
And if you look it up, uh, ourfriend uh Eric Prophet, his with
(13:01):
his hometown Wichita State teamwon the national championship.
I believe it was in 1989.
Well, the 89 Texas AM team wasnumber one all year long.
They only lost like seven games.
But in the at the time they haduh they didn't have the super
regionals, they had oneregional, six teams in each
regional.
LSU was in our region as anumber two seed.
(13:22):
And uh LSU ended up beating AMtwo games on a Sunday to go to
the College World Series thatyear and knock AM out.
But they were led by uh BenMcDonald, and that that was the
team, and it ended up kind ofjump starting LSU into their
greatness back in 1989.
But uh that's one of myheart-sinking memories.
(13:44):
Oh, I've been there.
It was plenty of those.
Um, I do remember a player onthat team, uh, John Byington,
hit two ninth inning home runsagainst the University of Texas
that year to beat them.
That was awesome.
Um since then, it took of course2023 World Series for the
Rangers.
You know, you had the heartbreakof 11 and you know, those teams,
(14:06):
but finally getting over thehump in 2023.
Um, that's why I I enjoy what'sgoing on in the American League
with the Blue Jays, you know,even though they hadn't won it
in a while, and the Mariners.
Uh either one would make me getstatic.
SPEAKER_00 (14:20):
Obviously, uh it's you already know I'm a Cleveland
fan, right?
So like I wanted to, I wantedCleveland make it obviously that
didn't.
But the fact that we have newtwo new teams that have not been
there in such a long time, uh,in the Blue Jays and the
Mariners, the Mariners havenever been to the World Series,
right?
So you kind of feel for bothteams, you know, like I don't
want to root against them, anyof them, just because it's a
(14:42):
great story already, as it is.
Sure, you just want goodbaseball.
SPEAKER_01 (14:45):
Yeah, I know either fan base is gonna be happy, and
you know, my friend PatrickLarson, our friend there, yes,
sir, he'll be ecstatic for theBlue Jays, and I'll be happy for
him.
Um, but then you know, theeither one of those fan bases,
but even on the National Leagueside, it's gonna be great with
the two best teams from theNational League, too.
SPEAKER_00 (15:03):
The Brewers and you have the best the best team all
year, right?
In the Milwaukee Brewers,absolutely, absolutely creating
those memories and watchingthose memories.
It's been like it was a I wasactually having a conversation
with uh a uh a fellow friend ofours, uh Eric Profit, right?
And um that night, the gamewhere um the um the Mariners and
the Tigers went full 15 innings,right?
(15:23):
Yes, we went live because it waslike we might as well go do
something, right?
SPEAKER_01 (15:27):
I went back and listened a little a little bit
today.
SPEAKER_00 (15:30):
So we were there and we were watching it and we were
experiencing it, all of us forthe first time together, because
it was such a great moment.
And there's like these are tworeally good teams that are
battling, right?
Like, I mean, they're pullingthe their bullpen, they're
pulling their starting pitchersand all of that, and it was such
a cool experience.
As like, I think I'm willeventually add that as you know,
(15:53):
what is one of my favoritememories, right?
SPEAKER_01 (15:55):
Yeah, that's all I bet that I bet that was cool.
Yeah, we had we had gone to ahigh school football game, uh,
as we do every Friday night herein Texas, but um getting back,
we were kind of following alongwith it on our phone and you
know, still going we get home.
And my um my son-in-law and Ihonestly we got to cheer rooting
for hey, let's just get therecord.
(16:15):
If we we're gonna watch baseballuh this late, I know we get the
record, whatever.
And I know nobody else wantedit, but uh we it was close.
SPEAKER_00 (16:23):
We it got pretty close.
So yeah, so it was awesome.
It was awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (16:25):
Yeah, all right, but I told I sorry, I was gonna
finish the question.
SPEAKER_00 (16:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (16:29):
My favorite, favorite sports memory has
nothing to do with baseball, andit's it's one of your favorite
sports.
I know, just I think I know frompast conversations.
It involves golf.
Oh, of course.
How could I not?
But um, my like I told youearlier, my my son went the golf
route, and and he played in highschool, and I was fortunate
(16:49):
enough to be the quote, and I'mgonna do that in air quotes, but
I mean the coach uh of thatteam, you know, man.
I mean, I drove them around andtried to keep them out of
trouble.
But um, anyway, that's how itgoes, usually goes.
We we would they were they as ateam, I'm gonna say we, but uh
were able to qualify for thestate tournament, which is had
never happened in schoolhistory.
They through that year they hadset several school records in
(17:12):
their score, and uh that was funbecause it it really was a bunch
of kids who didn't play golfwhen they were little.
My son had probably played thelongest.
Now they ended up being verygood golfers, don't get me
wrong.
Yeah, some several of themplayed in college, uh, and that
was no that was nothing on me,that was all their hard work and
stuff.
But um, that was a fun group.
We it was really rainy on the inthe regional tournament, and we
(17:35):
overcame the weather and justbattled, and they had a playoff
that they had to to beat theother team to qualify, and so
they were able to do that, andthat was a fun experience to
experience that with those kidsand to see them experience that.
SPEAKER_00 (17:47):
So not only that, I think you're hiding it.
It's like, you know what?
You're an experience with yourson.
SPEAKER_01 (17:52):
Oh, most definitely, yeah.
That's what made it, and youknow, yeah, and he and I have
those memories forever, and youwill always have those golfers.
I don't I don't know.
We're we're nuts, we can stillgo back and talk about it.
If a round comes up, we can bothgo back shot for shot and yeah,
you know, kind of replay thatround in our minds.
SPEAKER_00 (18:09):
But that's cool though.
I like that.
Like, listen, again, thispodcast is obviously for a lot
of fans, so baseball, but at thesame time, if you want to come
on the podcast and you want totalk about you know how you fell
in love with golf or how youfell in love with football,
please do you know, contact mebecause these are the these are
the things that like and we'reyou know, like we're not getting
political, but like there's somuch stuff going on in the world
(18:31):
that at the very least we canescape and and and do it in a
way in which sports just does itlike no one, nothing else.
SPEAKER_01 (18:39):
Most definitely, and it may fit in under another
question, but that's what I loveabout you know going to the
baseball games in the summer.
You'd asked me a little bitearlier, is we've got fans in
our booster club, but just fansthat come in general that you
become friends with just becauseof the game, and they're all
different political persuasionsand opinions and all that stuff,
(19:00):
all walks of life, but when itcomes through the gate, we're
all Appling Flying Bison fans,and we just love on each other
and enjoy the games together,and that uh is what's cool.
I love that.
I just wish it was more of thatthroughout the world, you know.
And then we could, when we havedifferences of opinions, we
could then hey, let's just talkabout this a little bit, see
where you come from, see where Icome from, let's pick up a
(19:20):
consensus.
SPEAKER_00 (19:21):
But absolutely, and let's just and if we want to
fight, let's fight about sportsbecause there's nothing wrong
about fighting about sports,because that's just the best
part of yeah at the end of theday, you know, it's funny
because on on the DSE uh sportsshow, it's like obviously a lot
of us have different opinionswhen it comes to sports.
We argue about it andeverything, and then all of a
sudden we forget about it.
Once it's done, it's like, allright, guys, you know, love you
(19:42):
guys, gotta go.
See you later.
Exactly.
You know what I mean?
Exactly.
Uh so it's it's always funstuff.
All right, my friend.
Look at that.
Question number three.
Number three.
All right, all right.
Tell me about some of yourtraditions, some of your rituals
as a fan of sports.
Okay, that you have that youhave.
SPEAKER_01 (20:00):
Sure.
Um, one, I like to get to a gameearly.
I like that as close to gateopening time as I can for
several reasons.
If it's baseball, a lot oftimes, you know, there's a a
handout or whatever.
Absolutely.
I don't care what it is, if it'sfree, you gotta get have one.
SPEAKER_00 (20:19):
It's a giveaways free.
SPEAKER_01 (20:20):
It's a giveaway, whether I need it one or
whatever, but you know, gottahave one.
SPEAKER_00 (20:24):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01 (20:25):
But um no, I love getting there early and scoping
out my seat, getting set up, andthen scoping out the
concessions, the differentviews, things along those lines.
Um so that's kind of atradition.
Um things that I I collect capsthanks to people like the Dad
(20:48):
Hat Chronicles and those kind ofpeople.
It's rubbed off.
So so usually at every game I goto, I'll buy a cap.
Okay.
First of all.
It may be one, it may be threeor four, but we'll see.
It'll depend, yeah.
Thanks, thanks, Tulsa Drillers.
But yeah, right.
Anyway, I'll buy at least one ofthose.
Concessions-wise, I I'm gonnatry to buy an ice cream helmet.
(21:09):
Of course.
You know, I've got that.
And um if I don't, yeah,exactly.
Thanks to them, you know, andlike I need another collection.
Um, but I I like to try out thesignature food.
It's not necessarily a hot dogand a beer or a hot dog coke or
(21:29):
anything, whatever there's so ifthey have a signature item,
yeah.
I I like to try that out.
And uh so at some point in timein the game, so we don't we
don't eat previous meal,whatever it is before going to
the game.
Um, that's not the mosteconomical way to go to the
game.
It is not, but you know, it iswhat it is, it's our journey.
SPEAKER_00 (21:49):
But this is it's the ration rationale goes out the
window when it comes to sports.
Yes, you're right.
You're right.
SPEAKER_01 (21:54):
Um, and then my wife and I really kind of knew for us
is going to the games together.
You know, the summer we had ahundred-game challenge within it
to ourselves that yeah, game 100was in Chicago at Wrigley Field.
That's cool.
Congratulations.
Thank you very much.
Uh, we ended up going to, Idon't know, 102 or three total,
but you know, game 100 was in uhat Wrigley.
(22:17):
But throughout that journey, wewanted to one keep the books.
I mean, but my wife is the onethat actually keeps the books.
She she doesn't want my chickenscratch on there, she wants to
do it her neat way with hersharpened pencils and all that
stuff.
So that's that's awesome.
That's her.
My favorite favorite sports memory has nothing to do
with baseball.
And it's it's one of yourfavorite sports I know, just and
I think I know from pastconversations, it involves golf.
SPEAKER_00 (00:10):
Golf of our fastest stuff and I know.
SPEAKER_01 (00:13):
Okay, let's go.
SPEAKER_00 (00:25):
All right, all right, and welcome everybody to
another Dana Hat ChroniclesPodcast, DHC Podcast.
My name is Ed, also known as theDana Hat.
Um, so we are doing fivequestions again, guys.
Uh uh this is seemed to betaking off, and it's been a lot
of fun uh with a lot of peoplethat have been interested in
coming on, and I love that itmakes me feel good inside.
So today on this podcast, wehave my good friend Terry
(00:47):
McCutcheon.
Terry, um, how you doing?
First of all, how you doing, myfriend?
SPEAKER_01 (00:51):
Oh, I'm wonderful.
Much better than I deserve, man.
Man, it's going great.
SPEAKER_00 (00:55):
I love that.
Love to hear that.
All right, Terry.
Um, before we continue, beforewe do our five questions, I want
you to tell us a little bitabout yourself.
Uh, so the floor is yours, myfriend.
SPEAKER_01 (01:05):
All right, very good.
Appreciate that, Ed.
My name is Terry McCutcheon, asuh Ed uh said in the
introduction.
Um, I was born and raised inTexas, lived here all my life in
Abilene, Texas, exactly about acouple hours to the west of
Dallas Fort Worth area.
I was in the education, teacher,administrator, all that for my
(01:25):
career.
We moved around a little bitduring that, but I retired about
four or five years ago and movedback home, if you will.
We got a summer baseball leagueteam in 2024, the Abilene Flying
Bison became a huge fan.
Uh, do everything I can to helpthere, including a member of the
booster club.
Um, so that's that's been verybeneficial, very fun.
And it was through 2024 is whereI actually um really re-lug my
(01:54):
love again for baseball.
And I'm sure we'll talk aboutthat in a little bit.
SPEAKER_00 (01:57):
So I you know what it's funny how people say it's
like, you know, as adults,sometimes like we lose sight of
baseball, we lose sight of ourwhat we really grew up in uh and
the love that we have for thesport.
And somehow, one way or another,there's something there's that
you know that uh that one momentthat just it brings us back.
But we will talk about that onour questions, my friend.
(02:19):
So as a matter of fact, veryfirst question is, and I would
love to know because everybody'sdifferent.
Um, when did you fall in lovewith uh with baseball?
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Well, I fell in love with it as a kid when you know,
at my age here where I where weare, uh little league baseball
was the first organized sportthat you could play.
Okay before foot football andbasketball came down that way.
And we didn't even have soccerhere in town until I was in
junior high.
SPEAKER_00 (02:48):
Oh, really?
SPEAKER_01 (02:49):
Really, for real.
I know that blows your mind, Ed,but uh yeah, soccer for youth
wasn't even here, and so youknow, I played little league
baseball starting about eightyears old, and that was always
the favorite in my family.
My grandparents, you know, werebig baseball fans and had my
uncles and dad had playedbaseball on into fast pitch
(03:12):
softball, which was pretty bigin our area for a while for
adults before the slow pitchsoftball took over, you know,
the tournaments and stuff likethat.
So, I mean, I I had traveledaround my dad and uncle uh all
over the West Texas as chasingfoul balls at fast pitch
softball tournaments.
So I did, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (03:27):
Matter of fact, I went to that's insanity, man.
SPEAKER_01 (03:30):
I remember one tournament, uh, you know,
normally they give you a Coke ora snow cone for a foul ball.
Well, this little tournament,they gave you a nickel for every
foul ball you returned.
That's funny.
It was an all-night tournament,and so I think I was the only
kid there chasing foul balls.
So I got rich that weekend.
I think I made$1.50 or somethinglike that.
But anyway, I thought I was kingof the world, rich.
SPEAKER_00 (03:51):
You're like, oh yeah, this is my life right
here.
This is what it's all about.
SPEAKER_01 (03:56):
Yeah, but that's that's that's where my love
began.
You know, I I couldn't play.
Uh when they started throwingcurveballs, um, I yeah, you were
we were we were out.
I was out.
I I realized too late that Ineeded glasses, um, so I
couldn't see well.
That might have held on a coupleyears, let me play a little
longer.
But my my contemporaries inschool were very, very good.
(04:18):
Um, so you know, I kind of hungaround the sport through high
school.
Uh, we had an excellent coach.
Um, my senior year, my highschool won a state baseball
championship.
I was a manager on that team.
Um, and so that was kind of theculmination of a mini dynasty,
if you will, here in Abilene atCooper High School.
Um, Coach Andy Malone was thecoach of that team.
(04:38):
He's a you know, was a greatcoach in the state of Texas.
So, anyway, through him, Ilearned the intricacies of the
game, you know, and then throughthose guys that played the hard
work and all that stuff.
And so because of that learning,I was a big fan for several
years through then in college.
Um, and then through adulthood,when I was raising my own kids,
um, they chose different paths,neither one of them were
(05:00):
baseball or softball players.
We played golf a lot, so weturned into a golf and music
family.
But um, no, like I say, when Icame back here uh and the team
started in 24, uh, that's when Ire-refound my love of the game.
SPEAKER_00 (05:15):
So this is not in five questions, but I gotta ask
because obviously, you know,that team.
I wanted I want to get yourfeeling from a fan's perspective
when you have a brand new teamthat's coming into town when
there's never been a uh likebecause this is collegiate
woodbat, right?
This is some uh summer.
SPEAKER_01 (05:31):
Exactly, exactly.
Summer summer collegiatewoodbat.
SPEAKER_00 (05:33):
Summer collegiate woodbat.
So, like what was that thatmoment, right?
Like, you know, for you whenfinding out and then getting
involved uh with this with thisteam that did what did for you
as a fan?
SPEAKER_01 (05:45):
Well, as a fan, my wife and I had kind of
discussed, you know, we're at adifferent part of life.
We had an independent minorleague team here in the 1990s,
1955 to 98, 99, called theAbilene Prairie Dogs.
And they were very popular, andthe league just folded, it just
you know, it didn't didn't last.
(06:05):
And um, so we were newlyweds andhad a and a baby.
Our first child was born in thefirst year, and so we, I mean,
we didn't have enough money toget season tickets or anything,
but we would go as much as wecould.
Then um moved, like I say, wemoved away, bounced around, and
so Abilene itself had had ball.
They they had another iterationof the prairie dogs who came, I
think, in 2012 and lasted a halfa season um in a different
(06:29):
league, and but those wereindependent minor league teams.
So when when this team wasannounced, and they had been
trying, um, Scott Kirk, awonderful guy, um, had been
trying to get baseball inAbilene for a few years that was
in place when we moved back.
And a matter of fact, theyannounced they were gonna have a
team in 23, and it just didn'twork out.
(06:50):
So, you know, that the littlesetback the wheels were greased
already, you know, and it was inthe back of my mind, hey, we're
this is gonna be fun.
And uh, you know, then when theywhen it was came to fruition, it
was Abilene.
We got a name, we're naming theteam, and we've got a league,
the Mid-America League, and allthat came to pass.
Then I was like, I want to doeverything I can to help.
Um, I work, you know, eventhough I'm retired in education,
(07:12):
I do have a job with a a signagecompany, and we make some signs,
and so I'd reached out to theteam and said, Hey, we would
like to help if you need it, ifyou know, we'll give you a
price.
Um, but you know, other thanthat, I would like to volunteer
and help and do anything I canto help.
And so much so I probably get inthe way sometimes of them.
But uh no, I the I don't I don'tknow if I answered your
(07:32):
question, but no, you mostcertainly did.
It was you did whatever we cando to help support the team, to
if just a little bit help itstay, you know, we don't we
don't want this thing to go awaybecause the city needs it, the
kids love it, the family lovesit, families love it.
It's just needed here in town,in my opinion.
And it's a wonderful nightduring the summer when there's
(07:53):
not a lot going on.
SPEAKER_00 (07:53):
So you know, it's funny you say that, and again,
you know, we're we're veering alittle bit off because we've
never really had an interinteraction, you know, uh on a
podcast, but like the the notonly the economical um part of
the all of this of having a teamin a in the town such as
Abilene, right?
Because I'm sure it's Abilene'snot as a bigger town as the
(08:16):
other towns, right?
But it's um that but that need,right?
Because it does bring jobs, itdoes bring the economic you know
development and help and all ofthat.
Um, but what it actually does tolike you say, like you said
something that uh you know thatit resonates with me, family
need the families need it here,like they they like it, they
love it because you get to go dosomething other than just being
(08:38):
at home watching TV or thetablets or things like that.
SPEAKER_01 (08:41):
Sure, absolutely, yeah.
It you know, it's a it's arelatively cheap, inexpensive
evening for a family of howevermany.
You know, the kids are welcome,and those college students that
are playing the game are so uhwelcoming and so encouraging to
those kids.
(09:02):
Yeah, they'll high five them allautographs, whatever, and of
course the the players, thenthey might as well.
The the little leaguers that arehere in town, they don't know
the difference between um AaronJudge and Samson Pugh, who's a
one of our players from lastsummer.
They just know they're a ballplayer that's on that field, and
(09:22):
I'll take their autographanytime and whatever.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (09:25):
Also, you never know, right?
Because a lot of you're right.
A lot of these kids started inin, you know, for example, one
of the ones that I I I know thatare is near and dear to me, um,
the Northwoods League, right?
Because a lot of people went toa lot of major leaguers play
there.
SPEAKER_01 (09:41):
Sure.
Yeah, those kids, those guyshave to play somewhere in the
summer.
And uh we've you know in theleague already had two or three
guys drafted.
Um, and I I anticipate othersbecause there's have been some
high quality baseball playerscome through, not just Abilene,
but the whole league, you know.
So that's fun to see.
SPEAKER_00 (09:57):
Nice.
I love it, absolutely love it,absolutely love it.
So all right, my friend.
Um, okay, so that's questionnumber one.
On to question number two.
SPEAKER_01 (10:06):
Yeah, it sounds like this might turn into 10
questions instead of five.
SPEAKER_00 (10:09):
I know, you mentioned exactly right.
So officially, question numbertwo.
Officially, yes.
Uh all right, tell me.
Um, obviously, you have uh is atwo-part for you because you you
know, younger, you left, youknow, you didn't you didn't
follow baseballs for too much,and then you came back.
So I want to get your um sportsmemories for you, some of your
(10:30):
favorite sports memories.
SPEAKER_01 (10:31):
Oh wow.
Uh that's gosh, there's so manyof them at my age, yeah.
Um, and there's probably somethat I've forgotten even, but
the most vivid memories tied tosports.
I'll I'll start with baseballspecifically, and then I'm gonna
end with a non-baseball.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (10:49):
This is your podcast, my friend.
SPEAKER_01 (10:51):
Uh in high school, that team I told you about,
yeah.
My my senior year, like I say, Iwas a uh manager and an athletic
trainer on the team and made thestate tournament.
And the state tournament thenwas played at Dishfolk Field on
the University of Texas campus.
SPEAKER_00 (11:06):
That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_01 (11:08):
And that team happened that year through the
playoffs to go through severalpitchers who ended up pitching
in the major leagues, you know,David Nead and I Butch Henry, I
think.
And I mean, there's severalplayers.
Um Willie Ainsley was drafted inthe first round.
But anyway, the final or thesemifinal game was against a
(11:28):
team in Houston that BrianBohanan was the pitcher, and he
was a first-round draft pick.
Um, and you know, they weresupposed to beat us.
And I'll tell you that team thatI played on, or that I had
played on, strike that, I didnot play.
The team that I was, you know, Iremember I was I was our high
school team was one of the bestaccumulations of of talent back
(11:52):
then, before all the moneystarted being spent on travel
ball and college ball and stufflike that.
Absolutely.
Every I think every one of thosestarters and a lot of the kids
on the bench ended up playingcollege ball somewhere.
Many of them played, you know,up to double A, triple A.
But they just battled and thatteam won one to nothing, but it
was saved.
(12:13):
Uh that Bohanan kid, thepitcher, also batted, of course,
they do in high school.
Well, he he hit a ball in thegap, and our center fielder made
a diving catch going away fromhome plate, you know, to save.
There was a runner on base, sohe saved no runs, um, saved that
inning, and then he hit a uhsolo home run.
Uh, so it was a 1-0 game, and sothat's one of my vivid memories
(12:36):
there of baseball.
SPEAKER_00 (12:37):
That's pretty cool.
SPEAKER_01 (12:38):
Um, then trying to think, um, in college, I I was a
big fan.
I went to AM for a few years.
I didn't graduate there, but Iwent to AM and I spent a lot
more time following the baseballteam than I did studying.
That's why I didn't graduatefrom there.
But uh we've all been there.
That was back in the MarkJohnson era.
And if you look it up, uh, ourfriend uh Eric Prophet, his with
(13:01):
his hometown Wichita State teamwon the national championship.
I believe it was in 1989.
Well, the 89 Texas AM team wasnumber one all year long.
They only lost like seven games.
But in the at the time they haduh they didn't have the super
regionals, they had oneregional, six teams in each
regional.
LSU was in our region as anumber two seed.
(13:22):
And uh LSU ended up beating AMtwo games on a Sunday to go to
the College World Series thatyear and knock AM out.
But they were led by uh BenMcDonald, and that that was the
team, and it ended up kind ofjump starting LSU into their
greatness back in 1989.
But uh that's one of myheart-sinking memories.
(13:44):
Oh, I've been there.
It was plenty of those.
Um, I do remember a player onthat team, uh, John Byington,
hit two ninth inning home runsagainst the University of Texas
that year to beat them.
That was awesome.
Um since then, it took of course2023 World Series for the
Rangers.
You know, you had the heartbreakof 11 and you know, those teams,
(14:06):
but finally getting over thehump in 2023.
Um, that's why I I enjoy what'sgoing on in the American League
with the Blue Jays, you know,even though they hadn't won it
in a while, and the Mariners.
Uh either one would make me getstatic.
SPEAKER_00 (14:20):
Obviously, uh it's you already know I'm a Cleveland
fan, right?
So like I wanted to, I wantedCleveland make it obviously that
didn't.
But the fact that we have newtwo new teams that have not been
there in such a long time, uh,in the Blue Jays and the
Mariners, the Mariners havenever been to the World Series,
right?
So you kind of feel for bothteams, you know, like I don't
want to root against them, anyof them, just because it's a
(14:42):
great story already, as it is.
Sure, you just want goodbaseball.
SPEAKER_01 (14:45):
Yeah, I know either fan base is gonna be happy, and
you know, my friend PatrickLarson, our friend there, yes,
sir, he'll be ecstatic for theBlue Jays, and I'll be happy for
him.
Um, but then you know, theeither one of those fan bases,
but even on the National Leagueside, it's gonna be great with
the two best teams from theNational League, too.
SPEAKER_00 (15:03):
The Brewers and you have the best the best team all
year, right?
In the Milwaukee Brewers,absolutely, absolutely creating
those memories and watchingthose memories.
It's been like it was a I wasactually having a conversation
with uh a uh a fellow friend ofours, uh Eric Profit, right?
And um that night, the gamewhere um the um the Mariners and
the Tigers went full 15 innings,right?
(15:23):
Yes, we went live because it waslike we might as well go do
something, right?
SPEAKER_01 (15:27):
I went back and listened a little a little bit
today.
SPEAKER_00 (15:30):
So we were there and we were watching it and we were
experiencing it, all of us forthe first time together, because
it was such a great moment.
And there's like these are tworeally good teams that are
battling, right?
Like, I mean, they're pullingthe their bullpen, they're
pulling their starting pitchersand all of that, and it was such
a cool experience.
As like, I think I'm willeventually add that as you know,
(15:53):
what is one of my favoritememories, right?
SPEAKER_01 (15:55):
Yeah, that's all I bet that I bet that was cool.
Yeah, we had we had gone to ahigh school football game, uh,
as we do every Friday night herein Texas, but um getting back,
we were kind of following alongwith it on our phone and you
know, still going we get home.
And my um my son-in-law and Ihonestly we got to cheer rooting
for hey, let's just get therecord.
(16:15):
If we we're gonna watch baseballuh this late, I know we get the
record, whatever.
And I know nobody else wantedit, but uh we it was close.
SPEAKER_00 (16:23):
We it got pretty close.
So yeah, so it was awesome.
It was awesome.
SPEAKER_01 (16:25):
Yeah, all right, but I told I sorry, I was gonna
finish the question.
SPEAKER_00 (16:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (16:29):
My favorite, favorite sports memory has
nothing to do with baseball, andit's it's one of your favorite
sports.
I know, just I think I know frompast conversations.
It involves golf.
Oh, of course.
How could I not?
But um, my like I told youearlier, my my son went the golf
route, and and he played in highschool, and I was fortunate
(16:49):
enough to be the quote, and I'mgonna do that in air quotes, but
I mean the coach uh of thatteam, you know, man.
I mean, I drove them around andtried to keep them out of
trouble.
But um, anyway, that's how itgoes, usually goes.
We we would they were they as ateam, I'm gonna say we, but uh
were able to qualify for thestate tournament, which is had
never happened in schoolhistory.
They through that year they hadset several school records in
(17:12):
their score, and uh that was funbecause it it really was a bunch
of kids who didn't play golfwhen they were little.
My son had probably played thelongest.
Now they ended up being verygood golfers, don't get me
wrong.
Yeah, some several of themplayed in college, uh, and that
was no that was nothing on me,that was all their hard work and
stuff.
But um, that was a fun group.
We it was really rainy on the inthe regional tournament, and we
(17:35):
overcame the weather and justbattled, and they had a playoff
that they had to to beat theother team to qualify, and so
they were able to do that, andthat was a fun experience to
experience that with those kidsand to see them experience that.
SPEAKER_00 (17:47):
So not only that, I think you're hiding it.
It's like, you know what?
You're an experience with yourson.
SPEAKER_01 (17:52):
Oh, most definitely, yeah.
That's what made it, and youknow, yeah, and he and I have
those memories forever, and youwill always have those golfers.
I don't I don't know.
We're we're nuts, we can stillgo back and talk about it.
If a round comes up, we can bothgo back shot for shot and yeah,
you know, kind of replay thatround in our minds.
SPEAKER_00 (18:09):
But that's cool though.
I like that.
Like, listen, again, thispodcast is obviously for a lot
of fans, so baseball, but at thesame time, if you want to come
on the podcast and you want totalk about you know how you fell
in love with golf or how youfell in love with football,
please do you know, contact mebecause these are the these are
the things that like and we'reyou know, like we're not getting
political, but like there's somuch stuff going on in the world
(18:31):
that at the very least we canescape and and and do it in a
way in which sports just does itlike no one, nothing else.
SPEAKER_01 (18:39):
Most definitely, and it may fit in under another
question, but that's what I loveabout you know going to the
baseball games in the summer.
You'd asked me a little bitearlier, is we've got fans in
our booster club, but just fansthat come in general that you
become friends with just becauseof the game, and they're all
different political persuasionsand opinions and all that stuff,
(19:00):
all walks of life, but when itcomes through the gate, we're
all Appling Flying Bison fans,and we just love on each other
and enjoy the games together,and that uh is what's cool.
I love that.
I just wish it was more of thatthroughout the world, you know.
And then we could, when we havedifferences of opinions, we
could then hey, let's just talkabout this a little bit, see
where you come from, see where Icome from, let's pick up a
(19:20):
consensus.
SPEAKER_00 (19:21):
But absolutely, and let's just and if we want to
fight, let's fight about sportsbecause there's nothing wrong
about fighting about sports,because that's just the best
part of yeah at the end of theday, you know, it's funny
because on on the DSE uh sportsshow, it's like obviously a lot
of us have different opinionswhen it comes to sports.
We argue about it andeverything, and then all of a
sudden we forget about it.
Once it's done, it's like, allright, guys, you know, love you
(19:42):
guys, gotta go.
See you later.
Exactly.
You know what I mean?
Exactly.
Uh so it's it's always funstuff.
All right, my friend.
Look at that.
Question number three.
Number three.
All right, all right.
Tell me about some of yourtraditions, some of your rituals
as a fan of sports.
Okay, that you have that youhave.
SPEAKER_01 (20:00):
Sure.
Um, one, I like to get to a gameearly.
I like that as close to gateopening time as I can for
several reasons.
If it's baseball, a lot oftimes, you know, there's a a
handout or whatever.
Absolutely.
I don't care what it is, if it'sfree, you gotta get have one.
SPEAKER_00 (20:19):
It's a giveaways free.
SPEAKER_01 (20:20):
It's a giveaway, whether I need it one or
whatever, but you know, gottahave one.
SPEAKER_00 (20:24):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01 (20:25):
But um no, I love getting there early and scoping
out my seat, getting set up, andthen scoping out the
concessions, the differentviews, things along those lines.
Um so that's kind of atradition.
Um things that I I collect capsthanks to people like the Dad
(20:48):
Hat Chronicles and those kind ofpeople.
It's rubbed off.
So so usually at every game I goto, I'll buy a cap.
Okay.
First of all.
It may be one, it may be threeor four, but we'll see.
It'll depend, yeah.
Thanks, thanks, Tulsa Drillers.
But yeah, right.
Anyway, I'll buy at least one ofthose.
Concessions-wise, I I'm gonnatry to buy an ice cream helmet.
(21:09):
Of course.
You know, I've got that.
And um if I don't, yeah,exactly.
Thanks to them, you know, andlike I need another collection.
Um, but I I like to try out thesignature food.
It's not necessarily a hot dogand a beer or a hot dog coke or
(21:29):
anything, whatever there's so ifthey have a signature item,
yeah.
I I like to try that out.
And uh so at some point in timein the game, so we don't we
don't eat previous meal,whatever it is before going to
the game.
Um, that's not the mosteconomical way to go to the
game.
It is not, but you know, it iswhat it is, it's our journey.
SPEAKER_00 (21:49):
But this is it's the ration rationale goes out the
window when it comes to sports.
Yes, you're right.
You're right.
SPEAKER_01 (21:54):
Um, and then my wife and I really kind of knew for us
is going to the games together.
You know, the summer we had ahundred-game challenge within it
to ourselves that yeah, game 100was in Chicago at Wrigley Field.
That's cool.
Congratulations.
Thank you very much.
Uh, we ended up going to, Idon't know, 102 or three total,
but you know, game 100 was in uhat Wrigley.
(22:17):
But throughout that journey, wewanted to one keep the books.
I mean, but my wife is the onethat actually keeps the books.
She she doesn't want my chickenscratch on there, she wants to
do it her neat way with hersharpened pencils and all that
stuff.
So that's that's awesome.
That's her.
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CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.