Pages past — May 16

On this date ...link

1970: David Paul Ryder, a 22-year-old Briton suffering from polio, was walking from “the Pacific Blue to the Emerald Green Atlantic,” to raise money and awareness for the handicapped.

Ryder, who was passing through Clovis, said one of his missions was “to bring hope to the many handicapped people who have too long been denied the pleasure of participating on equal footing with the able bodied.”

He walked on crutches, with one leg in a brace.

1950: Portales’ Chamber of Commerce had purchased 150 pounds of dry ice with intent to “milk the clouds” and make it rain, local media reported.

Transitions ...

1943: Donny Anderson, a two-time all-American and three-time all-Southwest Conference halfback at Texas Tech University, was born in Borger in the Texas Panhandle.

Anderson was a first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1965 NFL draft and his $600,000 contract was believed to be the highest in pro football history at the time.

He played nine seasons in the NFL, the final three with the St. Louis Cardinals. He scored 55 career touchdowns and rushed for more than 4,600 career yards.

His nickname at Tech was the “Golden Palomino.”

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. For more regional history, check out his weblog at:

http://www.highplainsyesterdays.com