A-6 • MAY 30, 2011 • POWELL SHOPPER-NEWS
surfaced and stayed in the national consciousness about Crockett was one of the reasons he decided to write a biography, “David Crockett: The Lion of the West.” “This is a book for people interested in the truth, or as much truth as can be uncovered. I hope readers learn insight into the man.” Wallis says that Crockett was a three-dimensional human being, “with exaggerated hopes and well-checked fears,” who could be good and bad, calculating and selfaggrandizing, authentic and contrived, “most comfortable in the woods on a hunt but who could hold his own in the halls of Congress.” He was a 19th century enigma. Crockett fought and first made his name in the Indian Wars under Andrew Jackson, only to later become a Whig and an outspoken political opponent to Old Hickory. Crockett was resentful perhaps that Jackson, who was for all practical purposes landed gentry, was able to pass himself off as a populist hero of the people.
audience’s delight. “The national mythologizing of Crockett had already started during his lifetime.” Crockett would write a best-selling autobiography. It and the Crockett almanacs popular at the time would go on to influence the humor of Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln and Will Rogers. “The final scenes of his life took place at The Alamo,” Wallis says, “but the curtain calls have never ceased for the historical Crockett.” Foes and fans alike argue to this day over how and when Crockett died. He was in Texas only a few weeks, but that part of his life dominates many movies and books based on his life. “There was the David Crockett of historical fact. The other is an American myth.” Wallis says he hopes that people will discover through his book that the real-life Crockett “is a hero in his own right, and include the good, the bad and the stages of gray. Most “He was neither a buffoon nor of all, he was a man willing to take a great intellect, but a man always a risk.” evolving. He was arguably the first Somebody asked Wallis when he popular celebrity and his story is learned that most of what he knew far more than a one-note Disney about Crockett was a myth. character.” “Probably by the time I turned 12,” David Crockett spent more than he joked, saying that as a writer he is half of his 49 years living in the drawn to “people that are people. I East Tennessee of his birth. Wallis like to find these puzzling enigmas.” said that Crockett would have been A few years ago, Wallis re-watched pleased that his rifle (no, not “Ol’ the Fess Parker series that had so Betsy”) is on display at the East Tencaptivated him and his generation. nessee History Center downtown. “My, oh my, it’s Walt Disney. “His East Tennessee roots There’s no blood. And, there he was, shaped much of his character and grinning a bear out of a tree,” he he remained a Tennessean until his says, shaking his head. dying day.” “But it worked on me. I slept in Crockett proved to be so popular that coonskin hat.” that a play, “The Lion of the West,” Call Jake Mabe at 922-4136 or email JakeMabe1@ opened in New York during his life- aol.com. Visit him online at jakemabe.blogspot. time, featuring a character named com, on Facebook or at Twitter.com/HallsguyJake. Nimrod Wildfire that was not-soloosely based on Crockett’s exploits, be they real or imagined. The myth “David Crockett: The Lion of the and the man met the night Crockett West” by Michael Wallis is availhimself saw the play, when the actor able now from W.W. Norton and playing Nimrod and Crockett took Company. It retails for $27.95. turns bowing to one another to the
special permission from Commissioner Pete Rozelle to sign a convicted felon. Robinson was less than a perfect conformist. He skipped some practices and didn’t follow all instructions but necessity finally put him on the field, Oct. 19 at Dallas, on Monday night TV. The show kicked off as if everything was real. Frank Gifford, Al Michaels and Dan Dierdorf were in the booth. Hank Williams Jr. delivered “All My Rowdy Friends.” Roman candles erupted. Smoke billowed. Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders did their thing. Tony came through, 11 completions in 18 attempts, 152 yards, a 13-7 Washington victory. Seems to me this was the magic moment of his life. As you might expect, the strike ended. Released replacements faded away. Tony violated parole and returned to prison. Joe Gibbs developed the real Redskins into Super Bowl champions. For that one big win, Tony received a ring and $27,000, enough to buy refreshments and pay attorney fees. Sad stories are sprinkled across the great decades of Tennessee football. Cruel injuries. Strange ailments. Auto crashes. Arrests. Deaths. Too often we are left to wonder what might have been. The tale
of Tony Robinson is atop the heap. Some argue he was the most talented quarterback in Volunteer history, superior athletically to Heath Shuler, more exciting than Condredge Holloway, cannon for an arm, touch of a fly-fisherman, even better than Peyton Manning. Kevin Altoona Robinson came from a good Tallahassee family. Tony said he grew up going to a Baptist church, that both parents were preachers. Leon High lost three games in his three years. He set state records with thousands of passing yards. Tony wanted to stay and play for Florida State. Bobby Bowden had never had a black quarterback and wasn’t quite ready to begin. Besides, he didn’t think the skinny beanpole (6-4, 180) could take the pounding. Florida never was interested. Georgia recruited hard but cooled late in the process. There were whispers about lack of leadership ability. Tony seemed introverted, indecisive, maybe not too terribly concerned. Majors wanted him and then he didn’t. He was short on scholarships and had seven quarterbacks committed but none with such an arm or touch. The coach and the kid finally said yes. Robinson spent his freshman season watching Alan Cockrell. As a sophomore, he gave up and went
PULL UP A CHAIR … | Jake Mabe
‘The Lion of the West’ New book seeks the real Davy Crockett
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s long as he lives, Michael Wallis will never forget the evening of Dec. 15, 1954. He was 9 years old. That was the night ABC-TV aired “Davy Crockett: Indian Fighter” on what was then called the “Disneyland” TV series. “I could have predicted the show’s success,” Wallis told a crowd at the East Tennessee History Center last week. “I was hooked in two minutes when I heard the theme song ‘When You Wish upon a Star.’ Then Walt unleashed this frontier character in the form of a lanky Texan named Fess Parker. “I got whiplash.” Wallis says that Fess’ Davy sent his fickle 9-year-old heart a-flutterin’. He’d met William “Hopalong Cassidy” Boyd and Duncan “Cisco Kid” Renaldo. Forget it. They were relegated to the lower rungs of preadolescent hero worship. “Even Stan ‘The Man’ Musial, who was etched in granite at the top of my heroes list, was threatened to be toppled.” Wallis forgot all about staying up to watch “Strike It Rich” and “I’ve Got a Secret.” He even forgot about the snow that was forecast for the following day. Instead, he went back to his bedroom and pored over the Davy Crockett entry in the World Book Encyclopedia. The scene was playing itself out in households across America. Some 40 million viewers tuned in that Wednesday night. By the time
Author Michael Wallis talks about his new book, “David Crockett: The Lion of the West,” at the East Tennessee History Center last week. In addition to writing best-selling books about the West, Route 66 and Pretty Boy Floyd, Wallis is also a voice actor who appears as the sheriff in “Cars” and “Cars 2.” Photo by Jake Mabe the final episode aired a few weeks later, the U.S. was caught up in a true Crockett craze. Crockett would sell $100 million in merchandise (some $8 billion in today’s dollars), everything from pajamas to lunchboxes to the coonskin cap that was ubiquitous in 1955. “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” was No. 1 on the Hit Parade for 13 weeks. “And I knew,” Wallis said with a smile, “that every single word of the song was the gospel truth.” Of course, it wasn’t. Wallis says all the recognition was a good thing, but that the misinformation that
Tony Robinson in the NFL TALES OF TENNESSEE | Marvin West
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he current difference of opinion between NFL owners and players brings to mind labor strife of 1987. That immediately leads to the strange tale of the replacements and Tony Robinson, former Tennessee quarterback, and his one game in pro football. For 24 days, the league kept games going with substitute teams made up of substitute players. Some, on loan from fall plowing, desk jobs and gas stations, weren’t very good. Tony, on work release from prison, was excellent. When he was a Volunteer, everybody knew Tony Robinson could play. Johnny Majors used phrases like “best I’ve ever seen” and Dallas super scout Gil Brandt said “he could be better than Joe Montana because he has a stronger arm and movedadShopper-News.ai 1 moves quicker.’” Alas, all was lost when a terrible knee injury took Tony down in the
1985 Alabama game. After that, far more was lost when Tony and roommate Kenneth “B.B.” Cooper were nailed at their apartment for delivering cocaine to an undercover agent. Judge Ray Lee Jenkins sent Tony to jail but cut him some slack, an unusual out if he could find a football job and stay clean. Tony looked and looked but had to settle for the very minor league Richmond Ravens. No pay but the team helped find a day job to cover hamburgers, rent and gas. Tony tried telemarketing. He moved on to mall parking lots with hopes of selling cheap cologne. He didn’t like it one bit but he was forced into a construction job, up at 5 a.m. for manual labor. He was laboring, digging holes 11/23/2010 8:26:08 AM for fire hydrants, when NFL players went on strike and the Washington Redskins called. They had
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home. His father sent him back. He played a little, six completions in 12 tries. He started as a junior. He put on a show against Florida. The Gators won. He was big against Alabama. The Vols won. He made some mistakes against Kentucky and went down in history as the last quarterback to lose to the Wildcats. This was 1984, a 7-4-1 campaign, 61 percent completions, 14 touchdowns, nine picks. He could throw the football the length of the field. Best Saturday was Sept. 28 of his senior season, Vols against No.1 Auburn, Sports Illustrated at the stadium to do a Heisman preview about Bo Jackson. Tennessee scored a stunning upset. Tony threw four TD passes and took the magazine cover. After that came the torn knee, Sugar Bowl on crutches, maybe a setup, stop-the-presses arrest, plea bargain, one good night in the NFL, other crimes and other punishments, talent wasted, life squandered – leaving only fond, forgiving memories of the good times at Tennessee. For years, Tony was in and out of prisons. Seems he has avoided headlines since 2009. That could be good news. He is 47. I hope he is well. Marvin West invites reader reaction. His address is westwest6@netzero.com.
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