I saw my first sporting even at the age of one and a half in 1954, but don’t remember much of that basketball game between my Uncle John Pratt’s Midwest City Bombers basketball team and an unknown opponent. Yes, just a toddler, just barely able to scoot a few feet without help. Within a year or so, I have vivid memories of games, one a tournament game with the Bombers in Drumright, OK.
I am an Oklahoma native and have viewed over 15,000 sporting events in my 73 years. As a youth, my Dad would take me to many high school games, mostly basketball, football, and some tract events. As mentioned, my Uncle John Pratt, a member of the Oklahoma Coaches Hall-0f-Fame, coached the Midwest City High School basketall team, and I viewed most of their game from age 3 until went to Junior High. My Dad took me to many college games, such as Oklahoma football and Okla. City Univ. basketball games. A season ticket holder of the Oklahoma City Thunder from the first season to today, a former season tickect holder for the Oklahoma Sooners, football and basketball, and the Oklahoma City University Chiefs/Stars, I love being in the arena to view “live” sportig events.
A high school athlete at Classen High School in basketball and tennis, I played amateur tennis after high school in the Missouri Valley Tennis Association. A graduate of Oklahoma City University, I taught in the public schools for 6 years before becoming a building administrator in the Oklahoma City Public Schools for 31 years, 28 as the Principal of various schools in the district. My most significant events viewed live and in person have been viewing National Championship teams, including the Sooners, the Chiefs, and the NBA champions, Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, twice, one losing to Miami, and the winnig season, over the Pacers of Indiana.
I can be found at www.fredpahlke.com. also.
