WAR * BASEBALL STARS I - mI OKLAHOMA MUSICIANS LOOK TO GREENLEAF This is one for those hide-bound skeptics who still try to classify the entire Southwest as 'The Great-American Cultural Desert.' Some time back, some mighty important Americans decided the musical life of the American people was in danger. The threat: a serious nation-wide shortage of first class string musicians. They decided the solution was to have an International String Congress-to set up no mere one-day affair of speeches; but really have at it with two months of good basic training for at least fifty of the nation's most gifted young string students. And to bring in great string artists from all over the country for teachers, and to provide this teaching-festival with a really inspiring setting. w So where do you suppose they decided to hold it? In Oklahoma. Specifically, Greenleaf State Park, from June 15 through August 8 this summer. It's really a remarkable story. An Advisory Board including men like Leopold Mh Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Leonard Bernstein and Vladimir Golchman (now Advisor to the Tulsa Symphony). Living expenses guaranteed by the American Federation of Musicians. Instruction underwritten by Oklahoma industrialists. Lodging, boarding and recreation provided by the State of Oklahoma and the Greenleaf Lake Festival of Tulsa. And this includes some mighty nice new facilities-30 practice sheds, air conditioned rehearsal rooms, etc.-built for the event on the shores of one of the prettiest lakes in Oklahoma. Oklahomans who recognize this as a really great step in winning recognition for both the culture and the beauty of the Southwest owe thanks to many dedicated souls for this one. But chiefly to Dr. Roy Harris, celebrated American composer, Founder-Director for the Greenleaf Lake Festival; native Oklahoman. I..4 Do you want $500.00 per month starting wage? Know-how geared to automation and electronics? , Top-flight tahniciars for your indurtrpnm a old? If so, you'll be interested in . cmb- VOLUME 1. NUMBER 1 FRONTlERj I SOONER STRIP f Yesterday your old creaky editor took his nine children along for a trek around Sooner Strip territory. Here are some high spots, starting with FXONTIER CITY. TRAIN RIDE. Longest dam ride of its kind I ever saw. Whiz past buffalo, burros, stagecoaches, cowboys, Indians, mighty nice little forest, old timey oil well and Frontier Chapel. Kids pulled pop-gun on engineer. Got two more free I rides. GHOST MINE. Real wild. All sorts of pleasant new companions like skeletons and three-foot spiders try to join the family as you reel thru pitch-black tun- nels. Kids got over their scare and tried to catch spider, but he got away. I CIMARRON RIVER BOAT RIDE. Another wild one. Even outdoes Edna PHOTO BY DICK COBB 1 Ferber for jazzing up Oklahoma's Cimar- Two Front Street unmen feel the avenging wrath of Doc Holliday's blazing .4Ss .Such violence is apt to ireak out anywhere in town. Tourists and visitors are warned that there ron river countryside. are at least two gunfights like this on the streets of Frontier City every day. INDIAN KIVA. Real Indian village I with stoic drum-beaters and dancing emma& fiedl to braves in fanw feathers. Kids wanted -to 1 ' Indian wrestle; but braves refused. Blam- ed high cast of feathers; can't muss. Travel Boom for Oklahoma TEEPEES TO TOWERS HIGH RIDE. Clear to the top of a 120-foot Behind development of the "Sooner Turnpikes through Oklahoma. arrow for a view of Frontier City that Strip" area as a major site for tourist Though the actual crossroads point lies really takes your breath away. Even kids attractions lies a big fact about the new northeast of Oklahoma City, sparking were so awed they shut up for one whole U.S. system of Super Highways. "Sooner Strip" development, travel ex- minute. This system will literally transform perts ,foresee significent benefits for the JAILHOUSE. Turned over itemized Oklahoma into the "Crossroads of the whole state from the Super Highways. list of children's offenses, but Marshall Nation" for highway travel. It will do Oklahoma is ready, with topflight state refused to lock them up even -for pay. this by vastly strengthening the already parks and lodges dotting the entire state; They are missing a real bet here. strong north-south and east-west trans- new lakes galore; growing resort areas in Sated with thrills, we headed across continental travel pattern created by the northeastern and southern Oklahoma; the expressway to . Continued on page 29 cn'ss-cross of U.S. 77 and U.S. 66 and the and general growth elsewhere. - , _.. CITY U.S.A. OKLAHOMA CITY,- OKLA. Hummel .;, and 1 Travelers Find West Still,*:. Wild At Frontier City&<:; BY DAV Catch U.S. Eye Late one night last summer a truck driver barreling along the big, modern, four-lane expressway northeast of Okla- Western Writers Ride homa City saw something that caused him to slam on his brakes and leap from In For Big Convention the cab. There on a nearby hill stood an old Hummel Holiday Village developers covered wagon, blazing away against the have let no grass grow under their feet black of night as though some Indian had since they pioneered development in the just plunked a flaming arrow through the "Sooner Strip" area three years ago. ancient canvas. Since then this unique "all women" The driver rushed up the hill and sud- corporation, spearheaded by tiny dynamo denly found himself in a town that look- Lu Hummel, has parlayed their location ed like something lifted right out of directly across from Frontier City into a "Gunsmoke" or "Maverick. Down the booming business in fine, hand-braided ancient board walk-ways he ran, shouting rugs and established their "Hummel for help. Finally a soul, clad in bona fide Maid" brand-name nation-wide. old cowboy gear, emerged. More recently they have expanded into "That wagon's burning," the driver a Village of fine shops to cater to the shouted. traveler. "Sure thing," the cowboy gnnned-and Southwest three miles along Oklahoma proceeded to explain. The flames came City's northeast expressway, construction from hidden gas pipes. The wagon was in is now underway on the National Cow- no danger. It was just a gimmick to call bov Hall of Fame. Seventeen states are attention to the town of Frontier City participating in a continuing drive to USA, Oklahoma's new million-dollar reach a goal of $5-millions to complete tourist attraction. this great national shrine. The truck driver's verbal reaction was Lured in by such attractions and the colorful, but unprintable. But his surprise silver-tongued oratory of Oklahoma To- to find such a thing had suddenly sprout- day associate editor Bill Burchardt (him- ed here has become a familiar reaction self a Western Writer), the Western for several million transcontinental travel- Writers of America recently held their ers since then; as well as for the "settlers" national convention at Frontier City. themselves. Major leaguers, minor leaguers "Y" leaguers, it's fantastic how many Oklahomans.. "y" WCAgome behem ~~hnsonkgwn ad the W Nichols Hills ..,- It is safe to estimate that ninety percent of the television sets in Oklahoma were turned on the afternoon of last October 2nd, and focused on Milwaukee Stadium where the second mme of the World Series was being- played. in the fourth inning ~YckeMantle hit a home run. LED FOR IMPRESSIVE PERF In the top of the ninth, he hit another home run. At that moment I ALL-STAR GAME WHEN HE nu iH,GEHRIG,FOXX,SIMMONS it is equally safe to say that tons of air were shoved clear out of IN SUCCESSION.NICKNAM the state borders by the unison swelling of chests as Oklahomans said MEAL-TICKET. WON 233 CAME SCORING 16 STRAIGHT IN 191 to themselves, "That's our boy!" STREAK OF 461/3 SCORELESS A similar effect was produced two days later when Warren Spahn, Hartshome rancher and Milwaukee Braves pitcher, treated the Yankees OKLAHOMA TODAY to a shutout, and Milwaukee won 4 to 0. It looks like Gomez became Hubbell's sixth strikeout victim. we'd be used to it by now. ?'hen there are the Waners, Paul and Lloyd. "Big But every baseball season continues to be a time of Poison", and "Little Poison", whose deadly batting ac- unusual rejoicing in this panhandled state, and World curacy was the terror of National League pitchers. In four- Series time produces almost the equivalent of a series of teen years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Lloyd Waner successive state holidays. It is a startling fact that this struck out only 158 times in 7,219 trips to the plate. state has sent one hundred and four baseball players up Look at these batting averages: 1928-.336, 1929-.359, to the Major Leagues. 1930A.362, 1931-.318! Who can concentrate on routine business details Paul Waner was the National League's Most Valu- when one of the home town bovs is starring in the World able Player in 1927. He batted .380 that year. He hit .379 Series? For instance, just to the current crop of his second year in the big leagues. In '27, he drove in 131 standout Sooner big leaguers, there was Allie Reynolds. runs, and hit 17 triples to lead the league for the second The "Super Chief" tied the all-time record with successive year. Paul Waner is in the National Baseball seven World Series wins. He pitched for the All-Star Hall of Fame. teams of '43, '47, '49, '51, '52, and '53.