TODAYS NOTABLE TEXAN HONDO CROUCH JUNE 25th 2014 John Russell (Hondo) Crouch was born in Hondo Texas on December 4th 1916. He was a humorist, writer, athlete and owner and self-proclaimed mayor of Luckenbach, Texas. He had been an All-American swimmer at the University of Texas, where he was awarded a degree in physical education in 1941. After training as a navigator in the Air Corps at Garner Field in 1942, he settled down to raise sheep, goats, and cattle near Fredericksburg. He was swimming coach at various Texas childrens camps from the 1930s until the 1970s. In 1964 he was president of the Hall of Fame for UT athletes. In 1971 he bought Luckenbach, a community established as an Indian trading post by a German immigrant named Albert Luckenbach in 1849. Here Hondo presided as mayor over a population of three citizens plus a single parking meter. As clown prince, he held zany celebrations, such as the Luckenbach Worlds Fair, the first Texas women only chili cook-off, and “No-Talent” contests. On July 4, 1976, Luckenbach received national attention for celebrating the “Non-Buy Centennial” protesting the commercialization of the American Bicentennial. Hondo proclaimed himself a Libertarian Republican and was married for thirty years to Helen Ruth (Shatzie) Stieler, daughter of the 1945 Goat King of the World, Adolf Stieler of Comfort, Texas. They had four children. Hondo Crouch died of a heart attack. He is mourned by many friends such as Waylon and Willie and the boys. He once stated: Everybodys Somebody in Luckenbach.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 23:33:08 +0000
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