The Pecan Park Eagle

Autumn in Houston (To tell the whole truth, I had to wait until November 2011 to get this photo in my Houston front yard. It still depicts the way September feels to me.)

Know it or not, our inner clocks just got another flick of the dial with the coming of September about eight  hours ago.  Even though it may still run hard, warm, and wet with the discomforting heat and humidity of August, it isn’t really summer anymore once we get past Labor Day, even if autumn doesn’t officially arrive for another three weeks on Saturday, September 22nd. .The kids are back in school, we are back into the eight straight months that contain the letter “R” and none of them are summer, even if September in Houston often still feels that way.

I’m no doubt greatly affected by my ancient Houston childhood on this point.  “Back in the day,” we found ourselves back in class every year on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. And, as every school kid even now always knows, once you’re back in class again, summer as we knew it was 100% over and out.

Noe it’s just a matter of time. Somewhere between here and late October in Houston, a cool front (or what we prefer locally to call everything from a light to freezing blue norther) will sweep down upon us, lower the temps and air-water content, and brush the skies into a clear periwinkle blue color. And it will once more  feel like a new lease on life just walking out the front door n the morning.

Here are a few more “Come September” associations I have with times past as we move into the first day of what always felt to me like New Year’s Day because this month, more than January, always felt like the time of new beginnings to me:

September 1946: On 9/21/1946, the University of Houston played their first ever college football game against Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) Cougar QB Charlie Manichia scored the first UH TD in history, but the Coogs still lost in their first try, 13-7.

September 1947: It’s my first full season as a baseball fan of the Houston Buffs. First hero Solly Hemus and the Buffs are about to wrap up the Texas League pennant and then add the Dixie Series crown to their banner year.

September 1949: The Rice Owls began their run at a 1949 Southwest Conference Championship and the names Tobin Rote and Froggy Williams would immortalize themselves in my young life memory.

September 1962: Houston’s first season as a big league baseball club is nearing an end. We fans are wondering how long it is going to take for our club to win its first World Series.

September 2005: The Astros are on the brink of reaching their first World Series.

September 2012: Tonight, 9/01/2012, my wife Norma and I are going to watch the UH Cougars begin their final football season in Robertson Stadium, the same venue where they started 66 years ago. After this 2012 season ends, Robertson will be demolished and replaced with a new stadium that will be ready by 2014. I’m not really sure what the interim plan is for 2013, the UH first year in the Big East Conference. i’m supposing they will work something out with Rice and Reliant, and possibly BBVA Compass, to play their home games locally elsewhere.

Happy September memories, everybody. Hope you will share a few of your “Come September” moments with us too.

Tags: Come September

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