Steve Wallis gave me a very public opportunity to rant about all that is wrong with sport. I know he would have preferred Off Base to cover local sports, as that was always a hole in the paper that took his time away from other stories. That's why the photos were so large in the sports section, and sometimes my banner was HUGE!.
Some long-time readers may recall my first column written as a foreign sports writer in Mexico, where I forged a Vernal Express press pass and gained entry to the clubhouse in Oaxaca. Steve didn't know what he had consented to when he allowed me free reign to write this periodic column. To his credit, he never censored this odd work. We met infrequently, as I lived in Rangely. He would mostly shake his head and smile when we met. I think he liked it.
We once discussed my fee, with him telling me that he paid Bill O'Reilly $15 per column. I submitted an invoice after a dozen columns charging $18. The check dutifully came. Perhaps it meant that it was in fact more valuable than just occupying a few column inches a week during baseball season. I am forever grateful for the venue.
I obviously didn't make my living writing for the Vernal Express, as some folks do. Vernal has lost an important citizen. Others have lost a husband, father, friend, and employer. Steve sacrificed a lot for the paper. Off Base hopes that you don't lose your newspaper too.
Ken Langston, Amarillo, TX
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