Stories from Texas

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December 1, 2021

The Most Generous Texan Of Yore?

By: W.F. Strong

Most Texans probably know the Brackenridge name. But, depending on where you’re from, you might have a different landmark (and namesake) in mind. In Austin, there was the area’s first public hospital. In Edna, there’s a more than one thousand acre Brackenridge Recreation Complex. But as Commentator WF Strong notes, the Brackenridge who lent his name to a park in San Antonio, George Washington Brackenridge, may have given more to Texas — in financial terms — than anyone else.


Episodes

January 22, 2026

LBJ’s Humor (re-run)

LBJ’s presidency was marked by turbulent change. And while the longtime Texas-born politician is often remembered for his role in the war and in civil rights, few remember what Commentator WF Strong calls LBJ’s ‘ secret weapon’ — his sense of humor.

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January 7, 2026

Traces of Texas – A priceless gift for all Texans

W.F. Strong offers up a story of thanks for Traces of Texas.

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December 17, 2025

How Three Gifts To UT Gave All Texans A Fourth: The Gift Of The Stars (re-run)

WF Strong talks about how the McDonald Observatory came to be.

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December 3, 2025

Mix up your holiday entertainment with a history of Texas’ lawless influence on Old West

WF Strong tells us that the author has a new book he’d recommend for those who might need an antidote for Hallmark holiday movies.

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November 19, 2025

George Foreman’s resilience: A two-time rags-to-riches story

Boxer, preacher, and grill super salesman George Foreman died in his longtime hometown of Houston in March. Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong has been thinking about Foreman’s life and how he literally fought his way from rags to riches more than once.

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October 22, 2025

The two men who rescued Shiner Beer

In 1909, in the little town of Shiner, a group of German and Czech farmers decided they missed the beer of the old country. They pooled their money, built a ramshackle brewery, and called it the Shiner Brewing Association. But they weren’t brewers. They were farmers. The beer was, well, bad. Locals apparently joked it […]

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October 8, 2025

They called her ‘Babe’

Did you know a Texan actually co-founded the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA)? But before that, she showed prowess in several other sports. Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong explains that she was so good at baseball, she was nicknamed after one of the greatest players of all time. Here is the story of Mildred “Babe” […]

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September 24, 2025

Belle and Lea

Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong has met a lot of Texans throughout the years. Some have shared bits of history from the Lone Star State. Some have recalled old family traditions or news of certain oddities. But others have imparted on him some unique problem-solving skills. This story tells of two old friends and their […]

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