Mount Vernon museum honors Don Meredith
Mary Dearen
Lifestyle Editor
Midland Reporter-Telegram
05/31/2007
Email to a friend Post a Comment Printer-friendly
Some years ago I had the privilege of interviewing Don Meredith's parents in Mount Vernon.
Jeff and Hazel Meredith were extremely nice people and proud of their football-playing and football-announcing son.
Advertisement
Don was born and raised in Mount Vernon and played basketball and football in high school. Later he played for SMU. He and Roger Staubach took turns quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys during the Landry era. After his football career, Don was an announcer for "Monday Night Football."
The museum in Mount Vernon has opened a Don Meredith display.
"We have over 500 items and we try to make a story of them," says J.D. Baumgardner, museum manager and mayor of Mount Vernon.
"People can come in, walk around and see mementos of the family, Don's high school years and his classmates. Then it goes on through the Cowboy years and his work with ABC. He made Mount Vernon a household word during 'Monday Night Football.'"
The display has DVDs and VCRs featuring interviews with Don at various stages in his careers. There is even a radio broadcast of a Mount Vernon football game against rival Mount Pleasant when Meredith was a star player. The museum has a recently acquired trophy that was awarded Mount Vernon High School in 1954 for winning the Dr Pepper Basketball Tournament in Dallas. Meredith played on that team.
The museum has so many trophies, plaques, awards and memorabilia that the display can be rotated to always stay fresh.
"For example, we can change out the blue ABC blazer he wore during the 'Monday Night Football' broadcasts and put in the gold one," says JD.
"We have lots of his cowboy hats. We also have his 1957 jukebox, which is fully restored and beautiful."
Numerous large photographs show the Dallas Cowboys when Meredith played for the team. For any loyal fan of the Landry era, this is something to see. Nearly all players in the ring of honor are shown in team pictures and action shots.
Most of the items had been in Meredith's home in Santa Fe, N.M.
"He had duffel bags and boxes full of stuff," says JD. "I lost count of how many boxes we unpacked. Everything was inventoried and numbered."
When the display opened last October, Don Meredith was on hand.
"He signed probably 400 autographs," says JD. "We had people stacked up from inside the museum into the street for a solid two hours."
Don never forgot where home was. A few years ago he and his wife, Susan, donated $150,000 to the Mount Vernon Rotary club as a trust fund for scholarships. Each year, one boy and one girl receive a scholarship of $3,000 to $5,000.
Lifestyle Editor
Midland Reporter-Telegram
05/31/2007
Email to a friend Post a Comment Printer-friendly
Some years ago I had the privilege of interviewing Don Meredith's parents in Mount Vernon.
Jeff and Hazel Meredith were extremely nice people and proud of their football-playing and football-announcing son.
Advertisement
Don was born and raised in Mount Vernon and played basketball and football in high school. Later he played for SMU. He and Roger Staubach took turns quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys during the Landry era. After his football career, Don was an announcer for "Monday Night Football."
The museum in Mount Vernon has opened a Don Meredith display.
"We have over 500 items and we try to make a story of them," says J.D. Baumgardner, museum manager and mayor of Mount Vernon.
"People can come in, walk around and see mementos of the family, Don's high school years and his classmates. Then it goes on through the Cowboy years and his work with ABC. He made Mount Vernon a household word during 'Monday Night Football.'"
The display has DVDs and VCRs featuring interviews with Don at various stages in his careers. There is even a radio broadcast of a Mount Vernon football game against rival Mount Pleasant when Meredith was a star player. The museum has a recently acquired trophy that was awarded Mount Vernon High School in 1954 for winning the Dr Pepper Basketball Tournament in Dallas. Meredith played on that team.
The museum has so many trophies, plaques, awards and memorabilia that the display can be rotated to always stay fresh.
"For example, we can change out the blue ABC blazer he wore during the 'Monday Night Football' broadcasts and put in the gold one," says JD.
"We have lots of his cowboy hats. We also have his 1957 jukebox, which is fully restored and beautiful."
Numerous large photographs show the Dallas Cowboys when Meredith played for the team. For any loyal fan of the Landry era, this is something to see. Nearly all players in the ring of honor are shown in team pictures and action shots.
Most of the items had been in Meredith's home in Santa Fe, N.M.
"He had duffel bags and boxes full of stuff," says JD. "I lost count of how many boxes we unpacked. Everything was inventoried and numbered."
When the display opened last October, Don Meredith was on hand.
"He signed probably 400 autographs," says JD. "We had people stacked up from inside the museum into the street for a solid two hours."
Don never forgot where home was. A few years ago he and his wife, Susan, donated $150,000 to the Mount Vernon Rotary club as a trust fund for scholarships. Each year, one boy and one girl receive a scholarship of $3,000 to $5,000.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:34 PM
<< Home