PAUL HANSON FOLLOW-UP...

As it often happens, when key people in events move away, one tends to assume and end up "changing history" if not careful. Roy Franklin, former Athletic Director of Gallup McKinley County Schools, set the record straight via post card to John Samford. Originally, I had stated that Ed Ping was the first chairman of the tournament, that is incorrect, the first chairman was actually Roy Franklin, who preceded Ed Ping as Athletic Director.

The Paul Hanson Memorial was originally called the GMCS Coaches & Administrators Invitational. It was a "bragging rights" and fellowship affair that begun in 1976 at the end of the sports season. After the School Board established the scholarship in Paul Hanson's name, Roy saw the opportunity to honor Paul's name by renaming the tournament and changing the date to the weekend before Memorial weekend, which worked perfect, since many people take off during for the holiday, so it makes sense to have it the week before to get more participation. This is the only tournament in Gallup in which all teams are required to have a name...

Thank you Roy!

P.S. Larry Binkley sent an e-mail reassuring us that his absence is not permanent, he did not attend for the first time ever, not because he now lives in Las Cruces, but because the week before the event he had a heart follow-up procedure that put him in the hospital for a few days. Larry... GET WELL!!!