Ask B-Frog

Bookish Frog – who lives at TCU Press – answers your questions about Texas and the Southwest. Write him at tcupress@tcu.edu, and he’ll add your name to his pad-to-pad e-mail list.

B-Frog: I understand there is a Texas Sports Hall of Fame. What can you tell me about it? – Former Athlete

     The Hall began in 1951, and was founded by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Each year, they induct new honorees at a winter banquet.

     It originally opened in Grand Prairie in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, but it closed in 1986. In 1991 it was reopened in Waco.

     This beautiful museum contains both sports memorabilia and archive material.

Dear B-Frog: Way back some 30 years ago – when I was a kid – there were lots of drive-in movie theaters in Texas. Was Texas one of the first states to build these? – Memoir Writer

     Actually, we were the third. Drive-ins had already been constructed in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before one opened in Texas in 1934.

     At one time, Texas had 475 drive-ins, which was the most in any state. You can read more about them in Braggin’ on Texas by TCU Press.

To B-Frog: Where did we get the term “jughead” from? I’ve heard it all my life in Texas, and I know it’s used elsewhere. I am guessing it is a term native to our region. – Trivia Collector

     Yes, the term did come from the Southwest. Jughead refers to a horse that is just plain dumb, or cannot understand where its rider is leading.

     My guess is: they are called jugheads because a horse has a large head, and one would expect it to house a brain large enough to comprehend where a rider wants to go.

     Jughead has expanded from just horses to also include mules and humans. But never call a human a jughead!

     To find more terms from the Southwest, read Dictionary of the American Southwest published by the TCU Press.

We want to hear from you! Send your questions to tcupress@tcu.edu. Find the books discussed in this column at your local bookstore or call 1-800-826-8911 to order.